A Derbyshire farmer takes action as influencers and tourists continue to film his cows in the Highlands / Image: BBC
A British farmer plans to raise his cows in the highlands to be “less attractive” amid growing concerns about tourists and influencers getting too close to them. Alex Birch, a livestock farmer from Derbyshire, said the decision came after repeated incidents of people approaching his animals, photographing them and even trying to hug them. Speaking to the BBC, Birch said: “My cows are not at peace… I’ve seen the videos, I’ve seen them in person, I’ve seen someone filming a yoga video next to them.” The 39-year-old said the situation has worsened in recent years, driven largely by social media trends. Highland cows grazing on Baslow Edge in the Peak District have become a popular attraction, especially since the outbreak of the pandemic. Birch said he saw large groups gathering around the animals.
“One time, I found 30 people with their cameras flashing cows trapped at the edge of the field,” he said, adding that many people do not understand the risks involved in the process. “People can’t understand when you ask them not to approach them and that the cows might turn on them. They don’t think this is a problem, they can’t see the danger,” he added. To address this problem, Birch said he plans to out-cross the highland cows by crossbreeding them with other hill breeds, which he hopes will make them less visually appealing to visitors.
“The intention is to make it less attractive… It’s sad, I didn’t want to make that decision,” he said, adding that his grandfather, who provided cattle for the family in the 1970s, “wasn’t particularly happy about it but he understands.” Birch said the problem has been going on for several years. “This is not just a strange occasion, this has been going on for four years… People are very persistent,” he said. He also raised concerns about liability, noting that he could face consequences if someone is injured while handling animals. The Peak District National Park Authority also warned visitors not to get too close to the livestock. She said hugging cows should be avoided because it is “very dangerous”, with the risk of being run over, attacked or attacked, especially when the cows have calves. Officials urged people to maintain a safe distance, avoid feeding livestock and not take selfies with the animals, stressing that they are not accustomed to close human interaction.