Mother cows and hikers: distance creates safety

Exact figures for unpleasant encounters between humans and livestock in the Alpine pastures are not available. However, during the hiking season, incidents occasionally make headlines. In Switzerland, according to Mutterkuh Schweiz, around 20’000 kilometres of hiking trails pass through meadows and pastures.

Hikers are not informed

How can such collisions be prevented? As a rule, attempts are made to enable a peaceful coexistence between livestock and recreational outdoor enthusiasts. This begins with preventive measures taken by farmers and Alpine herders: aggressive or behaviorally disturbed animals should not be put out to pasture in hiking areas in the first place, and warning signs or detours must minimise risks from the outset.

And: “When assessing risk, it must always be assumed,” states a guide on accident prevention, “that path users have little to no knowledge of how to handle cattle.”

Behavioral tips

– Keep your distance
– Under no circumstances touch calves
– Keep your dog on a short lead and give herds a wide berth

Source: Information sheet: Mother cows protect their calves

A mother protects her young

The principle is theoretically simple to understand: a mother always wants to protect her young. This applies to human children, but also when a cat comes too close to a bird's nest.

Cows behave no differently when sharing pastures with their calves. On one further point, no direct comparison with humans will be drawn here, although this behavior is not entirely unknown among people either: “Bulls defend cows, especially during the rut, against perceived rivals — including humans.”

In general, it can therefore be said that in the event of an encounter between human and animal, a safe distance must not be undercut — although this cannot be measured in metres, as it varies depending on the animal and the situation.

After all, every human individual knows this feeling: when a stranger comes too close, one feels uncomfortable and starts thinking about how to keep the “intruder” at a distance.

Young animals always and everywhere trigger an “aww” effect. Young calves are no different. One feels drawn to them and wants to pet them. But cows dislike it just as much as human mothers when complete strangers fondle their offspring. Leaflets therefore warn in no uncertain terms: “Do not approach the calves and under no circumstances touch them.”

Every dog is a predator to a cow

The “third commandment” is: keep dogs on a short leash! For cattle, a dog is in every case a predator – regardless of its appearance and size. Mother cows in particular will therefore go on the offensive when they see their calves threatened. Dogs and their owners should therefore try to pass a herd as calmly and at as wide a distance as possible, with the four-legged companion always kept on a short leash – not an extendable one – in such areas.

However, if an attack by cows does occur, Ursula Freund from Mutterkuh Schweiz recommends releasing the leash immediately so that the dog can quickly get to safety. The cows feel less threatened by the human than by the dog. More on the topic of herd protection and agriculture.

Dog and livestock guardian dog: how to behave correctly

Many hikers are out in the mountains with their own dog. How does this interact with the presence of livestock guardian dogs? “Anyone out with their own dog should avoid areas with livestock guardian dogs,” advises Tanja Sägesser, a dog trainer from the canton of Bern. “These are guard dogs that perceive other dogs as a threat. This leads to increased defensive behaviour, which can result in very dangerous situations.” Dog owners should check the online map of the herd protection specialist unit for the locations of livestock guardian dogs before their hike and plan their outing accordingly, says Sägesser.

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