Keep your distance from cows on mountain hikes, experts warn

Hikers crossing alpine pastures should keep their distance from grazing cows and follow basic safety rules, SRF reports. The advice comes as mountain trails offer relief from hot weather in the lowlands, but many routes pass through pastures where accidents involving cows occur repeatedly.

Cornelia Stelzer, an agricultural engineer and safety specialist at the Swiss Agricultural Accident Prevention Advisory Centre, says the most important rule is to respect the animals’ personal space. A cow weighing several hundred kilograms can easily knock down and injure a person.

Hikers should not touch cows or calves. Stelzer says that anyone who can reach a cow with their hand is already too close.

Children require particular attention because cows may react more sensitively to them. They should not be allowed to run ahead of or behind adults. Young children may need to be carried, and families should walk around the herd rather than through it.

Dogs should be kept on a short leash. Hikers should pass calmly, quickly and with plenty of space while avoiding direct contact between the dog and the herd. If a dog cannot remain calm around cows, Stelzer recommends taking another route.

Hikers should never feed the animals. Cows can quickly learn that backpacks contain treats, causing them to lose their natural wariness and approach people. Feeding can also trigger competition among animals, leading to pushing, crowding and bumping. Bulls can be particularly sensitive when cows in heat are present and people come too close.

If cows become agitated, the only response is to withdraw and create plenty of distance, Stelzer says. She advises hikers to use only officially marked entrances to pastures, which makes their movements easier for the herd to assess.

Hikers should also observe the herd before entering. Relaxed cows are spread out, continue feeding and move their ears loosely. Signs of alertness or tension include raised heads, forward-facing ears, increased body tension, closer grouping, focused attention and changes in mooing.

Cows have a nearly 360-degree field of vision because their eyes are positioned on the sides of their heads. Their movable ears help them locate sounds quickly, while sudden movements are difficult for them to see and may cause agitation. Cows are red-green colour-blind, so wearing a red hiking jacket is not considered a risk.