"Bull in field" sign legal status?

[Brisel]

I received this letter from the local council last week. I do have a couple of Bull In Field signs still up on the gates to this particular field even thought he cattle have been indoors for a while now, so will be taking them down. The bull is a Hereford who is so docile you can walk up to him & give him a scratch which he loves. He is with cows with calves at foot, none of whom are threatening. We've culled one cow who could be a bit nasty when she first calved.

The field is right next to the village, has a bridleway & 3 footpaths through it, as well as us granting permissive access across the whole thing (with associated signage so we don't find it being designated as such in the future). There will be 50+ walkers in it each day, many with dogs. The field is let to a local farmer under a standard CAAV grazing licence.

I've often wondered what this kind of signage means legally - whilst it is curteous to let the public know that there is a bull there, is there a legal obligation to do so? My understanding is that it is a requirement.

Is this an admission of risk? What is a proper legal opinion of this other than that expressed by Dorset County Coucil's solicitor in this letter???

Mods - please move this where appropriate but I thought I'd appeal to a wider audience initially, hence posting it in Agricultural Matters.

 

[llamedos]

Yes, the council are correct.
Also Your sign could be seen to deter those who have lawful access, it is an obstruction.

If the bull is as it should be, with cows, and you have no qualms on his nature, then you are potentially causing obstruction with the sign.

 

[franklin]

*sigh*

"Bull in field" is not "Beware of bull".

Just take them down. It will give one local tw4t the satisfaction. Just start packing for a country not filled with nimby pussies.

 

[gone up the hill]

I thought you stated in a lot of previous threads that you didn't have any cattle on the farm now as you sold them all off a couple or so years ago?

 

[Clive]

no idea re the bull but I was once told by a guy from the highways agency not to use "mud on road" signs as it was an admission of guilt and also a posible distraction and only signs as defined by the highway code should be sited on roadsides

 

[Derrick Hughes]

there is no such thing as quiet cows with calves if somone walks through with a dog .they far worse than any bull at times

 

[Formatted]

Pretty shitty letter to be honest.

Is the bull on his own in the field?

I do not believe that having a sign on the field increases your risk of liability. I am not a lawyer but I am a Technical Member of the Institute of Occupation Health & Safety and have a few qualifications in that region. I'd actually say not having a sign increases your risk.

I am not familiar with Section 57 but I would push back and say this is a warning sign and not designed to stop people from using the field and you are just following standard industry best practice.

Are you a NFU or CLA member?

 

[Formatted]

no idea re the bull but I was once told by a guy from the highways agency not to use "mud on road" signs as it was an admission of guilt and also a posible distraction and only signs as defined by the highway code should be sited on roadsides

Its a dangerous myth that warning signs increase your exposure to risk, having a sign is not an admission of guilt. It does not preclude you from doing all you can to control risk but warning signs are all part of a sensible hazard reduction scheme. I do agree with the rest of his statement though.

 

[michael N123]

Are the locals more annoying down south? We regularly padlock a footpath gate near a village to stop walkers leaving it open when there’s stock in and no ones ever said out

Infact I remember when I was a bit younger my grandad stuck the electric fence right accross the gate

 

[ollie989898]

Has someone complained that there is a sign and no cattle in the field, thus claiming you are seeking to deter lawful use of the footpath?

I would seek clarification from the NFU or legal beagles and your insurers before replying. Then take a photo of the beast in question, write back, including the photo, and state he is a beef bull who is always out with his cows when not housed and that he is very docile and that you were following industry best practice, not seeking to dissuade anyone from using the footpath.

 

[General-Lee]

Are the locals more annoying down south?

Yes, well dog walkers in general.

 

[Steevo]

You can't win!

If you didn't put a sign, a member of the public would complain. (assuming they could the difference between a cow and a bull!)

 

[Dry Rot]

As above, "Bull in Field" is not the same as "Beware of the Bull". It is not a warning sign or admission of anything -- other than that there is a bull in the field! The sign is for information.

Would a sign "Tree in Field" render the owner liable if a branch fell off the tree and hit a rambler on the head? I'd say not. It is an Act of God -- unless it was a dangerous tree and the owner should have been aware of the danger and did nothing about it!

How much more crazy can the world get? I'll bet the peaked capped official who wrote that one just copied out what the complainer had written!

 

[ollie989898]

See, couldn't you go the other way? IE put up a sign saying something like:

The bull in this field with his cows is 'George', he is generally very friendly, please do not be frightened of him. Please do keep well away from any calves as their dams may not like it?

Sincerely, the XXXXXX estate?

 

[Netherfield]

Unfortunately there's no such thing as a quiet bull either, friend of dads had a bull for 5 years 'wouldn't harm a fly' until the day he put him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

 

[Brisel]

I thought you stated in a lot of previous threads that you didn't have any cattle on the farm now as you sold them all off a couple or so years ago?

I also stated I had the permanent pasture let on a grazing licence in those posts

Thanks @Formatted @llamedos

I’ll take the signs down but I wanted to know whether I need to put them back up next time the grazier turns his dozy Hereford bull out with his cows.

I’ll ask the CLA legal helpline.

 

[Yale]

there is no such thing as quiet cows with calves if somone walks through with a dog .they far worse than any bull at times

Totally agree.

Ten times the risk from a cow with calf at foot than a generally quiet bull.

 

[Sussex Martin]

I thought you stated in a lot of previous threads that you didn't have any cattle on the farm now as you sold them all off a couple or so years ago?

I wish people would read a post before replying, 'The field is let to a local farmer' is quite clear in the opening post.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Who is liable .the owner of the cattle or the field should liability be proven or even charged ?

 

[tinsheet]

New sign required,
CATTLE IN FIELD, YOUR MOVE!
Fudging ridiculous..