# How dangerous are cows? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [February 19, 2018, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136 "2018-02-19T18:48:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/21 "2018-02-19T23:58:37Z")
If one falls from a tree and you are underneath, it could be fatal. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/22 "2018-02-20T00:17:26Z")
My brother-in-law has a cattle ranch. He and his wife have both been injured by aggressive cows. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/23 "2018-02-20T00:17:36Z")
There is always ‘Mad Cow’ disease to worry about. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/24 "2018-02-20T00:58:52Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > There is always ‘Mad Cow’ disease to worry about. Different kind of mad. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/25 "2018-02-20T00:59:59Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > But the archetypal cow is surely not aggressive and bullying, and I can’t find any suggestion that this might be the etymology. > > [cowed - Wiktionary, the free dictionary](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cowed) > [http://www.wordcentral.com/cgi-bin/student?book=Student&va=cowed](http://www.wordcentral.com/cgi-bin/student?book=Student&va=cowed) > [cow | Etymology of cow by etymonline](https://www.etymonline.com/word/cow) > > The last reference suggests that the modern meaning may derive from the opposite of what you suggest, that cows are passive and easily herded. > > For what it’s worth “bully” does not derive from bull either, it’s one of those interesting words that drifted from a positive to negative meaning over the centuries. > > [bully | Etymology of bully by etymonline](https://www.etymonline.com/word/bully) Should have known not to make a grammar joke here! ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/26 "2018-02-20T01:02:14Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Should have known not to make a grammar joke here! Semantics, not grammar. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/27 "2018-02-20T01:12:19Z")
[94% of walkers attacked by cows had dogs with them](https://theconversation.com/when-cows-attack-how-dangerous-are-cattle-and-how-can-you-stay-safe-around-them-79524). Cows, especially with calves do not like dogs. The advice i have heard is do not try to protect the dog, let go of it’s lead and look out for yourself. the dog has a better chance of getting a=ways on it’s own and without the dog the cows may leave you alone. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/28 "2018-02-20T02:19:27Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Once airborne cows are extremely dangerous to anyone in the landing zone. Fetchez la vache! ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/29 "2018-02-20T03:58:37Z")
Also good to remember that cows tend to kick forward and to the side whereas horses and mules tend to kick backward. Not a hard and fast rule, but a general one to keep in mind when around large farm critters getting agitated. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/30 "2018-02-20T04:07:31Z")
In my experience, and as you no doubt noticed, cows are big. Actually, cows are fucking huge. With no ill will at all, a slowly moving cow could do serious damage, knocking you over and stepping on you. If she picked up a bit a speed? I shudder to think. I guess there was no barbed wire on the fence? Huh. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/31 "2018-02-20T04:45:40Z")
> [@j666](#): > > If she picked up a bit a speed? I shudder to think. Udder devastation. A milkbath. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/32 "2018-02-20T04:54:52Z")
I thought this was going to be another tipping thread. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/33 "2018-02-20T05:45:12Z")
18% minimum (for a group this large) ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/34 "2018-02-20T06:37:08Z")
Bill Bryson is a humor writer, but he usually has some relevant facts. In his latest book about England (_The Road to Little Dribbling_) he talks about cows. Now, the British love to go “rambling”\* along the many footpaths that are proudly maintained throughout the countryside. But in a small country , those footpaths frequently take you onto private farmland, where there are…cows. From a [book review:](https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/bill-bryson-the-road-to-little-dribbling-more-notes-from-a-small-island-book-review-1.2385543) “The real danger is cows. Cows kill a lot more people than bulls.” Bryson pursues the fact that cow-trampling is rare enough, but always reported in British papers, and completely ignored in the States, where death by shooting takes precedence. He claims that if he asked a British friend about their chances of being attacked by a cow, the friend would be aware of the danger. An American would reply, “Why would I be in a field with cows?” \*(not “hiking”–that’s done by Americans, who have real mountains 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/35 "2018-02-20T06:54:16Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > As the sun rose I noticed I was in the middle of a large cow pasture. There were probably a couple dozen cows in the pasture. A bunch of the cows were staring at me and some of them walked toward me very slowly. When a couple cows were about 100 feet from me I decided I had better leave. I walked toward a fence. As I was walking I could see a couple cows were picking up their pace. I got pretty nervous and decided to run toward the fence. I looked behind me and saw the two cows were now running toward me. I got over the fence in the nick of time. Moo moo… Moo moo… Moo moo, moo moo, moo moo, moo moo, moo moo, moo moo MOOO! ---
**Author:** ![yendis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ed8c4c/32.png) [@yendis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yendis)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/36 "2018-02-20T09:49:22Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > Moo moo… > > Moo moo… > > Moo moo, moo moo, moo moo, moo moo, moo moo, moo moo MOOO! For the first time in a long time I had to get up and leave my desk to avoid laughing in front of coworkers. I doubt I could explain myself without getting fired for lunacy. Well done, 2 hooves up. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/37 "2018-02-20T11:41:18Z")
Interrupting cow wh- MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/38 "2018-02-20T11:43:33Z")
One time I was bicycling down a hill when I (we - there were two of us) encountered some Holsteins (those black and white dairy cows) on the road. I was pretty scared as I couldn’t slow down very well. The cows were also moving but if one of them stopped in front of me the conservation of momentum would not be in my favor… Brian ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/39 "2018-02-20T12:10:14Z")
> [@j666](#): > > I guess there was no barbed wire on the fence? Huh. It was a long time ago, and I don’t recall what kind of fence it was. I just remember climbing over (or through) the fence. And as I was doing so, I looked back and saw two cows running right toward me. They came to an abrupt stop at the fence. And yea, they’re big animals. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136/40 "2018-02-20T17:45:42Z")
> [@yendis](#): > > For the first time in a long time I had to get up and leave my desk to avoid laughing in front of coworkers. > > I doubt I could explain myself without getting fired for lunacy. > > Well done, 2 hooves up. Cow-workers? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-are-cows/809136.md?page=3)