Final Sunday, a 67-year-old girl died of her accidents after being trampled by a herd of cows whereas climbing in western Austria. Her husband, aged 65, was rushed to hospital in severe situation. This drama is added to a protracted checklist serious attacks even deadly of cattle. Sufficient to lift a query that will make you smile, however which seems to be severe: ought to we be afraid of cows?
In keeping with a examine of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the USA, cattle trigger a median of twenty-two deaths per 12 months throughout the Atlantic. That is virtually 5 instances extra… than the shark. So, are cows harmful, unaware predators?
Frequent accidents, however not “assaults”
For François Schelcher, teacher-researcher on the Nationwide Veterinary College of Toulouse (ENVT), we should first redefine the phrases. “These are accidents and never assaults, as a result of there isn’t a deliberate need to harm you or kill you, they defend themselves,” the specialist instantly explains. The actual fact stays that the phenomenon just isn’t distinctive: “These accidents are frequent, they don’t seem to be uncommon. It’s even a serious reason for office accidents amongst farmers. » The Mutualité Sociale Agricole (MSA) can be trying intently on the difficulty, to the purpose that genetic choice at the moment favors so-called “hornless” cows to scale back the dangerousness of their protection weapons.
On the planet of breeding, the chance is thought to everybody. Philippe Palangue, a farmer and cattle breeder close to Aire-sur-l’Adour within the Landes for greater than twenty years, tempers: “Persons are like cows, there are aggressive ones and good ones. » However even among the many most docile, intuition can shortly take over.
The primary set off: maternal intuition
In virtually all accidents, one key issue comes up most frequently: the presence of a calf. “A cow that could be a mom has an absolute maternal intuition: she thinks that every little thing round her infant is harmful,” explains Philippe Palangue. The breeder remembers an accident that occurred a couple of years in the past close to his residence: “A pilgrim who was making his solution to Compostela handed below the wire of a area to alleviate himself. Subsequent to it, there was a cow that had simply calved. She charged him to guard her calf and he ended up on the clinic. » The farmer additionally applies a golden rule at residence: “One in all my cows gave beginning the day earlier than yesterday. For eight days, I do know, I don’t enter his enclosure. » The veterinarian agrees: a cow will do something to guard its younger.
The second threat situation issues bulls, who could cost to guard their herd in the event that they consider an intruder is approaching too near their females.
Take note of your voice, your garments and your fragrance
Lastly, the third case is the shock impact. To keep away from discovering your self in a crucial state of affairs throughout a hike, you could perceive how the cow perceives its surroundings. “Cattle have virtually no lateral or rear imaginative and prescient,” explains François Schelcher. Should you method him from behind with out him having the ability to scent, see or hear you, he’s stunned and triggers a protection response. »
As well as, the animal has poor general imaginative and prescient however may be very delicate to contrasts. “Darkish or uninteresting colours have a much less thrilling impact, in contrast to vibrant colours,” explains the Toulouse veterinarian. Their different senses are additionally heightened: cows hate high-pitched and shrill sounds (it’s higher to keep away from screaming) and sure robust odors, comparable to fragrance, can deeply annoy and stress them.
The cow, like many different animals, just isn’t a predator or a hazard to people, however merely a shortly confused and above all very protecting beast weighing 700 kg… So preserve your distance and report calmly (and from afar).
