Can a farmer legally keep a bull in a field with a public footpath?

Yes, if the bull is under ten months old or if it's a beef breed (not a dairy breed) with cows or heifers present. Dairy breed bulls over ten months old are banned from fields with public footpaths under all circumstances.

Which dairy bull breeds are banned from fields with public footpaths?

Seven dairy breeds are completely banned: Ayrshire, British Friesian, British Holstein, Dairy Shorthorn, Guernsey, Jersey, and Kerry. Once these bulls are over ten months old, they cannot be in fields crossed by public rights of way, even with cows present.

Why are dairy bulls considered more dangerous than beef bulls?

Dairy bulls are often raised in isolation, hand-fed by humans, and kept in intensive housing, which can make them see humans as fellow cattle to dominate. Beef bulls are typically raised with their mothers in herds, learning the difference between bovines and humans early on, and have been bred for docile temperament.

In the Company of Cows

When Bulls Are Legal in Your Field: The Dairy-Beef Distinction

Beef bulls can graze footpath fields as long as cows are present, but dairy bulls are banned outright. The logic behind this odd legal split isn't what most walkers assume.

16 October 20268 min read