They might look fast when galloping as a herd but compared to other herd animals, cows are rather on the slow side.
How fast does a cow run?
Cows can usually run at about 17 mph, with a top speed of 25 mph, quite a bit slower than deer and horses. Deer and horses can run at around 30mph - although race horses can be faster, at between 40 to 44 mph.
One of the reasons cows don't run as fast as horses is that they are usually bulkier - thanks in part to being bred over generations for either milk production or beef.
Can a human outrun a cow?
Not even Usain Bolt could out-run a cow over short distances, but he would have more of a chance over longer distances, as cows aren't built for endurance.
However, on occasion, cows have outrun humans with fatal consequences. Over the years, the papers have reported on walkers' deaths as a result of a cow stampede.
Although these are thankfully extremely rare, there are precautions you can take to avoid such situations. If you're out walking through a field of cows, it is important to have your dog on your lead, but if the cows do start to chase you, let the dog off the lead and make your way to safety. Your dog has a better chance of weaving through a herd of stampeding cows than you do.
