[plumseverywhere]

...and its not mine 

There's at least one dexter cow/bull?! in my sheep paddock, nestled in the orchard. Relying on FB to try trace the owner. Husband having kittens about me going in there so I'm now confined to house and social media. I'm more worried that if cows have broken their way in, my sheep will find a way out and be gone. 
Is it really that dangerous for me to try shoo it back out (them back out if theres a few?) just want to patch my fences!!

[Sbom]

I'd just shoo it back out! Just be careful it dosent panic and go through the fence though........

[RUSTYME]

You'll be fine . RIP plums .

[plumseverywhere]

Husbands gone out to "have a look". Which is a bit mad really because he's scared of livestock and I'm not. so RIP plumshubby   

[SallyintNorth]

Don't take the dog with you, go in and assess its reaction to you.  If it turns to face you and doesn't turn away, proceed with caution.  If it shakes its head at you, retire.  If it paws the ground, retire.

Look underneath - if smooth, it's female .  If not, if you can look at it from behind it will be fairly obvious if it's a bull.

Most cattle do not want a confrontation and will move away from a human who approaches them. There's no calf to protect.

Bulls on their own may be more likely to stand their ground, but it's a beef breed so as long as you don't go in screaming like a banshee and waving flags at it, it will probably be prepared to move away gracefully provided you don't make it feel like it's losing face to do so.

If you aren't comfortable, see if you can get a pic or two and post on here.  If you have a good camera you may be able to get a shot of the eartag number.

[RUSTYME]

Cattle sense fear , omg !
Is he insured ?

[plumseverywhere]

Thanks Sally.  I know Tony won't be getting anywhere near close to it (he's probably just gone to 'have a look' so that he can come back and tell me I've hallucinated the whole thing....)
I know there is at least one, when it saw me it turned away and wanted to hurry off. Didn't get to see if it was a bull though, all I saw was a long swishy tail.
Children and dog banned from field for now.  will it/they do anything to the sheep? 

[in the hills]

Mmmmm .... is it my neighbours?

Our neighbour lives way down the lane but their Dexters are frequently 'out'. Neighbours have told me the cows have never liked 'School Field'. They do enjoy breaking out of it though and into our orchard. They also like to get out of all their other fields and go 'walk about'. We usually walk them home .... cows and their bull. 

We take walking sticks with us, in case, and just do it quietly and steadily. They've never caused a problem or been what I'd consider 'dangerous' but anything bigger than me and I'm careful. Neighbour is disabled so if her hubbie is away she can't take them home so sort of no choice.

Think they are usually okay unless spooked. On one occasion only, we didn't go into the lane to move them as we could see that one young bullock was 'frisky'. Local farmer had to 'push' them home with the tractor .... not literally. 

Have a little look?

Cross posted with SITN

[Sbom]

Have a look through binoculars! Save getting to close 

[RUSTYME]

All ok plums ?

[shygirl]

cattle can jump stock fence no bother so hopefully your fence isnt broken with your sheep escaping.

[goosepimple]

   sorry Plums, just having a giggle, that's not an everyday event is it....how's it going - maybe it want's you to milk it 

[john and helen]

plumbs, i hope you never gave hubby the red table cloth 

[Clarebelle]

I felt a bit of deja vu when I saw this post, I had only been in my house a couple of weeks when I had to take to the local Facebook page to ask if anyone was missing a 'coo' as there was one in my garden... 

[plumseverywhere]

Well hubby disappeared too long for my liking (bearing in mind what Russ said about they can smell fear) so I trekked out to find him.  He was halfway up a tree.  i assumed the cow had chased him up there but no, he was pulling over a dead tree next to it to mend the fence (see we do things really professionally round here - we even have the old ladder from the girls bunk beds patching up another bit of fence)

The cow(s) had taken down a few metres of stock fencing (rotten posts and rusty wire) and judging by the number of cow pats in the orchard had either been coming and going for a long time or there'd been a fair few of them (or do cows just poo a heck of a lot?!)

Offered the hubster help with fencing but he said no (in that sort of grumpy way, not the nice "I'm fine, dont' you worry " way    ) so eldest daughter and I sat making daisy chain hair bands for the sheep whilst watching him.  All good fun.