The animals are a well-known sight at green spaces in Cambridge between April 1 to October 31 in grazing season.
The cows are often seen on Midsummer and Stourbridge commons, Coe Fen, Lammas Land and Sheep’s Green where they mingle with dog-walkers and cyclists.
However Cambridge City Council are considering cutting funding for their out-of-hours grazing management.
A team of council-employed animal rescuers – called Pinders – are on call 24/7 if a cow gets into difficulty like getting stuck in the River Cam or is injured.
Grazing currently costs farmers £75 per cow while the pinder service costs the council £26k a year.