People are being urged to stay safe around cattle during the Easter break following a spate of livestock-related deaths in recent years.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said it regularly investigates incidents involving cattle and the public, with a proportion of these incidents involving serious injury and sometimes death.

While the vast majority of walkers enjoy the countryside safely without any problems, going through fields where there are cattle can be hazardous. On average, between one and two members of the public are killed each year while using public rights of way, according to HSE figures, while many others suffer serious injury.

Incidents in which walkers are killed, or injured often involve cows with calves, or bulls. Those injured or killed usually have a dog with them.

HSE inspector, Wayne Owen, said all cattle should be 'treated with respect', and the public should be aware this Easter break. He said: “Even docile cattle, when under stress, perhaps because of the weather, illness, unusual disturbance, or when maternal or other instincts are aroused, can become aggressive."

Farmers also have a legal responsibility to manage their herds to reduce risk to people using footpaths and other rights of way. Last year, a Lancashire farmer received a prison sentence for safety breaches after an 83-year-old man was fatally attacked by cattle in 2020.

Mr Owen added: “Farmers should carefully consider the risk before putting cattle into fields with footpaths, for example cows and calves are best kept in alternative fields."

HSE advice for farmers:

• 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 eg 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).