UK farmer plans to breed ‘less photogenic’ Highland cows to stop tourists and influencers filming them

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. Alex Birch, a cattle farmer from Derbyshire, said the decision came after repeated incidents of people approaching, filming and even attempting to hug his animals. Speaking to the BBC, Birch 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.” The 39-year-old said the situation has worsened in recent years, driven largely by social media trends. The Highland cows, which graze on Baslow Edge in the Peak District, have become a popular attraction, especially since the pandemic. Birch said he has seen large groups gathering around the animals.

“One time I found 30 people with their cameras flashing with the cows cornered at the edge of a field,” he said, adding that many people fail to understand the risks involved. “People just can’t understand it when you tell them not to approach them and that the cows might turn on them. They don’t think it’s a problem, they can’t see the danger,” he said. To tackle the issue, Birch said he plans to out-breed the Highland cows by crossing them with another hill breed, which he hopes will make them less visually appealing to visitors.

“The intention is to make them less photogenic… it’s sad, it’s not a decision I wanted to make,” he said, adding that his grandfather, who introduced the cattle to the family in the 1970s, was “not particularly happy about it but does understand”. Birch said the problem has been ongoing for several years. “This is not just the odd occasion, this has been going on for four years… people are so persistent,” he said. He also raised concerns about liability, noting that he could face consequences if someone were injured while interacting with the animals. The Peak District National Park Authority has also warned visitors against getting too close to cattle. It said hugging cows should be avoided as it is “highly dangerous”, with a risk of being trampled, charged or attacked, particularly when cows have calves. Officials have urged people to keep a safe distance, avoid feeding livestock and not take selfies with animals, stressing that they are not used to close human interaction.