Some of the incidents recently reported have nothing to do with bulls defending their territory or the enraged mothers of calves. Simply a herd of inquisitive cattle approaching an unsuspecting walker and accidentally crushing them . .
And this can be fatal because cows, like many other inhabitants of these sceptred isles, have become progressively fatter and heavier owing to the pressures of modern agriculture.
If you have a dog with you it can be a good idea to let it off the leash as a distraction as cows tend to find dogs even more interesting than humans.
