'Keep the cows' say Cambridge residents who would miss iconic city centre sight

Every summer, Cambridge residents share the sunshine on our commons with large four-legged friends – the herds of cattle brought into the city to graze. However, proposed budget changes could impact the tradition in future years.

Cambridge City Council has said it has 'no plans' to stop grazing on the commons as it consults on the cost of out-of-hours pinder service that helps to keep the cattle safe. A budget consultation has asked whether the cost of the out-of-hours service should be passed onto the graziers – which several graziers have said would mean they could no longer afford to graze their animals in Cambridge.

The budget consultation is open until December 4, with residents asked to give their views on 22 questions relating to the authority's budget. While we wait for the consultation to close, CambridgeshireLive asked readers whether they would miss the cows on the commons if they did not return.

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The vast majority – 84% – of respondents said they would miss the cows, describing them as 'iconic' and a 'unique' feature of Cambridge. One person said: "Grazing cows in the town is a unique concept that is special to Cambridge, and the cows are beautiful animals that have been around for a very long time.

"For me, the cows belong to the city as much as Cambridge University. We can't always put money first, or else all the good things will eventually disappear. Animals bring joy to people, and since, as a society, we are facing rapidly growing numbers of mental health conditions like never before, we have to be careful not to turn the town into another dull, cement-filled, sad place."

Several people said the cows are "part of the landscape" and part of the city's history. One added: "They perform a valuable function in grazing vs cutting."

Some respondents said that children in particular like to see the cows. "I find it so soothing to watch these creatures so close to city centre, they always give me so much pleasure," one person wrote.

Not all respondents were fans of the cows, with those who would not miss them pointing out the mess they leave and the fact they sometimes block the footpaths. One said: "My son once fell on a cow [pat] and it was an awful mess, especially as we had nothing to clean him up with."

Another person added: "The paths in places where cows graze are covered with their excrement, the stench that rises is terrible, no one cares about order and cleanliness." A third said: "The problem with the cows is that some people feel nostalgia and want the aesthetics of inner city cows without wanting to pay the cost of safeguarding and sanitation."

Several people said the cows can get in the way and are difficult to navigate past, with one person suggesting that there should be fences to keep them off the paths. "Some people are scared of them," one respondent said.