A cow -- but not this one -- head-butted and stomped on a Dover Twp. farmer Wednesday morning. Police said she was protecting her calf. (Courtesy of nycrpd.org)

A Dover Township farmer has likely learned to steer clear of overprotective parents in the future.

He suffered moderate injuries Wednesday morning when he was trampled by a cow defending her calf, police said.

The 45-year-old farmer, of the 3900 block of Eagle Scout Road, was affixing a tag to the ear of a calf just before 9:30 a.m. when the mama cow made her mooove.

"The farmer was trying to tag the calf when the calf's mother charged him, knocked him down and stepped on him," said Lt. David Lash of Northern York County Regional Police.

Lash said the cow head-butted the farmer in the chest to knock him to the ground.

The farmer -- whose name was not released -- was taken to York Hospital for treatment.

He was in satisfactory condition Wednesday afternoon, a York Hospital spokeswoman said.

The cow and her calf weren't hurt, police said.

-- Staff writer Liz Evans Scolforo can also be reached at levans@yorkdispatch.com.