Derbyshire Farmer Alex Birch Plans to Breed Less Photogenic Highland Cows to Deter TikTokers

A Derbyshire cattle farmer, Alex Birch, says he plans to out-breed his Highland cows to make them “less photogenic” in response to what he describes as repeated incidents of tourists and social media influencers getting too close, filming, and even attempting to hug the animals.

“- Published A farmer has said he is planning to out-breed his highland cows to try to stop walkers and social media influencers from hugging them”

BBC

Birch, who told the BBC he is taking action to make the cows “less photogenic,” said, “My cows don’t get any peace… I’ve seen the videos, I’ve seen it in person, I’ve seen someone filming a yoga video next to them.”

BBC

The BBC reported that Birch is 39 and that the Highland cows roam on moorland at Baslow Edge in the Peak District, where they have become a tourist attraction.

Birch said the situation has worsened in recent years, driven largely by social media trends, and he described one incident when he found “30 people with their cameras flashing” while the cows were “cornered at the edge of a field.”

He said he has “not taken the decision lightly” but felt he had “no choice,” and he framed the plan as a way to reduce the risk of people being injured while interacting with the animals.

The Peak District National Park Authority has also warned visitors against getting too close to cattle, saying hugging cows should be avoided because it is “highly dangerous,” with the risk of being “trampled, charged or attacked,” particularly when cows have calves.

Birch links his decision to what he says is a growing pattern of people approaching the Highland cows to film and interact, which he describes as being amplified by social media.

The Times of India reported that Birch said the decision came after “repeated incidents of people approaching, filming and even attempting to hug his animals,” and it said the Highland cows have become a popular attraction “especially since the pandemic.”

Daily Mail

BBC coverage similarly described a “growing trend” on social media and said the cows have been approached regularly for around four years, with a “large increase since the pandemic.”

Birch told the BBC that the cows are approached regularly and that the situation has “exacerbated due to social media,” describing how people do not understand the risks when they are told not to approach.

He said, “People just can’t understand it when you tell them not to approach them and that the cows might turn on them,” adding, “They don’t think it’s a problem, they can’t see the danger.”

In the Daily Mail account, Birch described the problem as ongoing for “four years,” and said, “This is not just the odd occasion, this has been going on for four years… people are so persistent.”

The Peak District National Park Authority’s warnings, as reported by the BBC, also emphasize that visitors should avoid close contact, feeding, and selfies, and it specifically warns that hugging cows is “highly dangerous” because of the risk of being trampled, charged, or attacked.

Birch’s account of the behavior he wants to deter includes specific examples of filming and close interaction with the Highland cows.

“Alex Birch says his Highland cows have been in his family since the 1970s Getty A farmer has revealed that he plans to breed his Highland cows to be less photogenic to deter social media influencers from filming and hugging them”

People

Speaking to the BBC, he said, “My cows don’t get any peace… I’ve seen the videos, I’ve seen it in person, I’ve seen someone filming a yoga video next to them.”

He also described a moment when he found “30 people with their cameras flashing” while the cows were “cornered at the edge of a field,” and he said many people fail to understand the risks involved.

The Times of India quoted Birch saying, “People just can’t understand it when you tell them not to approach them and that the cows might turn on them,” and it added that “They don’t think it’s a problem, they can’t see the danger.”

The Daily Mail similarly described videos circulating on TikTok showing visitors “tickling, stroking and hugging the animals,” and it quoted an influencer caption: “We had the best snuggles #highlandcows #peakdistrict.”

It also described another TikTok-style post where someone filmed “the caption read: 'I could have stayed with them all day #highlandcow #peakdistrcit #peakdistrictnationalpark'.”

In the People profile, Birch said his cattle don’t get “any peace” because of people taking “pictures and videos of themselves with the cows,” and it described him witnessing “30 people with their cameras flashing” approaching his cattle.

The reporting also ties Birch’s concerns to official guidance from the Peak District National Park Authority and to his own stated worries about liability if someone is injured.

The BBC said the Peak District National Park Authority has previously warned people about getting too close, feeding, or taking selfies with cows, and it said the authority discouraged hugging cows because it is “highly dangerous.”

BBC

The Times of India quoted the authority’s warning that hugging cows should be avoided as it is “highly dangerous,” with a risk of being “trampled, charged or attacked,” particularly when cows have calves.

Birch told the BBC that he could be responsible if someone were to get injured while interacting with the animals, and the BBC reported that he said he could be “liable for prosecution.”

The Daily Mail similarly quoted Birch raising liability concerns, saying, “if someone were injured, he could be held liable for prosecution.”

In the People profile, Birch said he felt he had “no choice,” telling the news outlet that he could be responsible if someone were to get injured while trying to photograph his cattle.

Birch’s proposed remedy is to alter the herd through crossbreeding, and multiple outlets describe how he intends to do it and why he characterizes it as reluctant.

“A UK farmer plans to breed his highland cows to be “less photogenic” amid growing concerns over tourists and influencers getting too close to them”

The Times of India

The BBC said Birch plans to out-breed the Highland cows by crossing them with another hill breed in order to make them less appealing to visitors, describing the approach as “out-breeding.”

Daily Mail

Birch told the BBC, “We are going to breed them out, we’re going to cross them with a different hill breed,” and he added, “The intention is to make them less photogenic... it’s sad, it’s not a decision I wanted to make.”

The Times of India similarly quoted Birch saying, “The intention is to make them less photogenic… it’s sad, it’s not a decision I wanted to make,” and it reported that his grandfather introduced the cattle to the family in the 1970s and was “not particularly happy about it but does understand.”

The Daily Mail also quoted Birch saying, “it’s sad, it’s not a decision I wanted to make, my grandfather is not particularly happy about it but he does understand,” and it described the plan as “crossbreeding” to “dial down their distinctive, photogenic appearance.”

In the People profile, Birch said he plans to breed his Highland cows with cattle from another breed in an attempt to make the animals less photogenic, and it described his view that he had “no choice.”

Across the accounts, Birch emphasizes persistence over time, with the BBC saying the issue has been going on for “four years” and that “people are so persistent.”