A fed-up farmer in the UK has come up with an unusual solution to a very modern problem: he plans to breed less attractive cows to stop social media influencers from swarming his farm.
Alex Birch, 39, from Derbyshire, told the BBC he has noticed a dramatic increase in strangers turning up at his farm in Baslow Edge to film and photograph his Highland Cattle. The animals — known for their thick, shaggy fur and widely described online as "floofy" — have become an unlikely tourist attraction, drawing visitors who want to hug them, take selfies with them, and pull their tails for viral content.
"My cows don't get any peace," Birch said.
The incidents have escalated beyond the occasional curious passerby. Birch described finding bags of vegetables left by visitors trying to feed his cows, and recalled having to intervene when a group of 30 tourists surrounded his herd with cameras flashing. He even witnessed someone filming a yoga video next to the animals.
Despite reporting videos that he believes encourage others to visit, the social media platforms involved never removed the content.
His solution? Breed out the beauty. Birch plans to cross his Highland Cattle with the whitebred shorthorn — a "good, hardy cow," he says, that is notably less photogenic and lacks the distinctive horns that make his current herd so irresistible to cameras. The process, he estimates, will take about six years.
"If I had my way I would ban the people," Birch said. "But the people won't go away, so I need to remove what's attracting them to the cattle."
The decision is also rooted in genuine safety concerns. Highland Cattle, Birch warns, are far less docile than they appear online. "They are highly unpredictable creatures. They are like donkeys — they can kick hard. If you upset one you will regret it. You will never outrun it."
The Peak District National Park Authority has echoed this warning, advising the public against hugging or otherwise interacting with the animals, noting the risk of being trampled, charged, or attacked — particularly when cows have young calves nearby.
For now, Birch's photogenic herd remains in place. But if his plan works, the internet's favorite fluffy cows may soon be a thing of the past — replaced by perfectly ordinary, deeply unphotographable ones.