A West Yorkshire farmer has avoided an immediate spell behind bars after his cattle trampled a man to death and left his wife paralysed. To read more about this case, click here.

The Farm Safety Partnership have issued the following key considerations when putting cattle into fields:

• No dairy bulls should be kept in fields with public access at any time.
• Where possible avoid putting cattle, especially cows with calves, in fields with public access.
• Where there is a need to keep cattle with calves or a bull in a field with public access, do all that you can to keep animals and people separated. Consider the use of fencing (permanent or temporary e.g. electric fencing). This is particularly important at busy times or where access routes are heavily used.
• Assess the temperament of any cattle before putting them into a field with public access.
• If cattle, especially cows with calves, do need to be put into fields with public access, keep this period to a minimum.
• Position feed and water troughs away from public access routes and away from public entrances and exists to the field.
• Put in place a system to monitor any cattle in fields with public access at least on a daily basis. It may be worth recording this.
• Consider culling any animal that shows signs of aggression.
• Any animal that has shown any sign of aggression must not be kept in a field with public access.
• Clearly sign post all public access routes across the farm. Display signage at all entrances to the field stating what is in the field (cows with calves / bulls).

HSE guidance is available here:  AIS17EW and AIS17S.

The link to our recent news article is here: Stay safe around cattle in the countryside at Easter | HSE Media Centre and our 2024 Your Farm Your Future Campaign Work Right Agriculture – Work Right to keep Britain safe