By Saul Cooke-Black

REFLECTIVE paint could be daubed on 500 cattle grazing on Minchinhampton Common next year.

It is the latest proposal from managers at Minchinhampton and Rodborough Commons to reduce the number of cows killed.

They came up with the idea after hearing about a trial that involved putting reflective stripes on ponies in Dartmoor which was started last month, October.

The trial copied an idea in northern Finland where the antlers of reindeer are sprayed with reflective paint to make them more visible to drivers in the dark winter days.

On Tuesday BBC filming crews came to Minchinhampton Common to shoot a feature about the new idea for the programme, Countryfile.

“In terms of logistics, I don’t know how it would work,” said Mark Dawkins, the hayward to the commons of Minchinhampton and Rodborough.

“You would have to paint 500 cattle on both sides.

“Hopefully the feature on Countryfile will highlight the problem of cattle being involved in crashes on the common and it might trigger people to drive slower which would be a good thing.”

The Countryfile feature is expected to be shown some time in December or January.

Seven cows have been killed this year. on Minchinhampton this year, despite some cattle wearing reflective collars as part of a new trial.

A decision about the new proposal will be made before the next grazing season from May to October.