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Cows advice?

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um May 2018 3:20pm, 11 May 2018 235 posts	0 um Does anyone have cow advice? Not IOW ... I live in the country, on the edge of the New Forest, and cows are quite common - and normally have little interest in me running past. One field yesterday, which my path/run route passes through, (and seems common at this time of year), has a number of young (I assume male, although I haven't studied in detail) 'cows' resident for a few weeks. They don't seem aggressive, but more inquisitive and friendly - as the following time series shows (about 30 secs apart). Is it safe to enter the field? Will they scatter if shouted at? Is is better (as I did) to run round the road instead? I did tell them I had no food (I talk to most animals when out running ...) but it didn't make any difference
Ultracat May 2018 3:31pm, 11 May 2018 12,447 posts	0 Ultracat I would say they are a bit unpredictable so caution is advised
PJH92 May 2018 3:36pm, 11 May 2018 9 posts	0 PJH92 I have no advice, but I once ran through a field which had (what I assume was) mother and baby cow. I ran between them (following a public footpath) to be promptly chased across said field by mother cow. I have never ran so fast in my entire life. There was no time for the kissing gate so I dived head first into the adjacent bramble bush and stayed in the hedge for five minutes whilst the cow snorted at me! Eventually managed to kick out a whole in the back of the hedge to the next field. Do not mess with these beasts!
oumaumau May 2018 3:42pm, 11 May 2018 931 posts	0 oumaumau They are boys, and just curious. I would advise walking rather than running, and giving them an opportunity to get out of the way as you approach - don't let them get trapped in field corners or next to fences as they may panic and run to get away. I don't shout at cows myself, and clapping your hands if they are too close for comfort. If it's a legitimate footpath this ramblers.org.uk will (maybe) give you an idea of what the rules are.
oumaumau May 2018 3:44pm, 11 May 2018 932 posts	0 oumaumau there should be a 'try raising your arms' before 'and clapping your hands..' up there ^^^
Velociraptor May 2018 4:04pm, 11 May 2018 38,238 posts	0 Velociraptor Bullocks are playful and inquisitive; they're likely to follow you as you run, then stop if you turn round and face them. However, I'd be wary; "playful" isn't much fun if you find yourself being play-humped by 40 stone of Sunday dinner.
larkim May 2018 4:10pm, 11 May 2018 4,731 posts	0 larkim Of course, by definition if these are male they are not cows Never quite worked out the right word - is "cattle" better?
Son of a Pronator Man May 2018 4:17pm, 11 May 2018 8,464 posts	0 Son of a Pronator Man i'd definitely go around, not though
um May 2018 4:30pm, 11 May 2018 236 posts	0 um Thanks all so far ... the name round here seems to be beasts - but that sounds odd to me, so I reverted to the generic name of 'cows'. Sunday dinner is probably the best so far (I suspect they will be in a few weeks?).
Little Miss Happy May 2018 5:44pm, 11 May 2018 782 posts	0 Little Miss Happy You should be fine running through the field if they aren't in your path but otherwise I'd walk or you'll find yourself very interesting to them. If you are followed and feel a bit intimidated the best thing to do is stand and face them, make yourself as big as possible (as in stand tall, arms out) and speak to them firmly in a low pitched loud voice, I usually use 'no' or 'move on'