I see donkeys (all the time) and llama's (sometime) in the field with sheep and goats. I have heard that this is to protect the ranchers livestock from predators. Is this just an old wive's tale, or do they actually provide that service? if it's true, why? Thanks for any insight.
Guard animals/livestock?
- Thread starter JGarrett
- Start date
I watched a show a while back on this. Sheep farmers use llamas to protect the flock. On the show there was a llama that fought off a cougar and saved the shhep. The llama got pretty beat up and was bleeding all over the place, but from what it said on the show llamas are very tough animals and will fight aggresivly to protect sheep.
i have had some epirence with gaurd animals and donkeys work ok but they are hard to pick some just won't do the job
llamas i have heard good things about them but hav'nt had any personal evpirence with them i have goats and if i was going to put any thing with them i would use a anatolian shepard or a great perinesse these dogs work well and can be taught not to kill the working dogs they see you with them and it's ok for them to be there but shame on the one that goes without you
happy huntin J-H
llamas i have heard good things about them but hav'nt had any personal evpirence with them i have goats and if i was going to put any thing with them i would use a anatolian shepard or a great perinesse these dogs work well and can be taught not to kill the working dogs they see you with them and it's ok for them to be there but shame on the one that goes without you
happy huntin J-H
JGarrett,
We have tried most of the guard animals out there right now. We had a donkey probably 10 years ago, but he always wanted to stay with the cattle instead of sheep. I have heard of donkeys working in some cases, but I think with any guard animal it all depends on how the animal was raised and trained. We have had three different dogs. The first one died the first day; it must have had something wrong when the man brought it to us. The next two we had worked pretty well, but they are hard to keep from wandering off to the neighbors'. Right now we have two llamas, and haven't lost a lamb to predators since we got them. Just got them late in the season last year though, so it might be different with the young lambs.
Anyway, I think that the guard animals can do a great job if they are raised and treated right.
Also, trapping plays a big part in predator control.
Snareman
We have tried most of the guard animals out there right now. We had a donkey probably 10 years ago, but he always wanted to stay with the cattle instead of sheep. I have heard of donkeys working in some cases, but I think with any guard animal it all depends on how the animal was raised and trained. We have had three different dogs. The first one died the first day; it must have had something wrong when the man brought it to us. The next two we had worked pretty well, but they are hard to keep from wandering off to the neighbors'. Right now we have two llamas, and haven't lost a lamb to predators since we got them. Just got them late in the season last year though, so it might be different with the young lambs.
Anyway, I think that the guard animals can do a great job if they are raised and treated right.
Also, trapping plays a big part in predator control.
Snareman
Robert Cobb
New member
Thats funny, I was just talking with one of the guys from here and we were talking about the same thing... Here is an excerpt from the email... LOL
"Oh yeah... The donkeys definitely work for their keep. They will become part of whatever herd they are with and they will protect the herd. Usually sheep and goat farmers are the ones who keep them, as cows are big enough to fend for themselves. But a donkey will trample a coyote or dog to death if he can catch it. I've seen it first hand with dogs on two different occasions."
I saw this happen once when I worked in Animal Control and another time at a BBQ some friends were having that I attended. Apparently the dog smelled the BBQ and came across the sheep field and just almost met his maker. The one I saw in animal control was from a call I responded to and while I was out there a couple of dogs had been harassing some sheep and the donkey caught and killed one of them.
"Oh yeah... The donkeys definitely work for their keep. They will become part of whatever herd they are with and they will protect the herd. Usually sheep and goat farmers are the ones who keep them, as cows are big enough to fend for themselves. But a donkey will trample a coyote or dog to death if he can catch it. I've seen it first hand with dogs on two different occasions."
I saw this happen once when I worked in Animal Control and another time at a BBQ some friends were having that I attended. Apparently the dog smelled the BBQ and came across the sheep field and just almost met his maker. The one I saw in animal control was from a call I responded to and while I was out there a couple of dogs had been harassing some sheep and the donkey caught and killed one of them.
mark shubert
New member
Our local County Extension Agent once told me that to use the Great Pyrenees dogs effectively, they HAD to be raised with the sheep. As an experienced ( life long ) sheep man, he knew what he was talking about, I think! He said that you put the puppy in with the sheep ( I think he said on a leash, with lambs and ewes, but with a little protection, like wood piles, crates, pallets, or whatever ). The ewes butt them around and beat up on them pretty good, but they begin to think they are a sheep. ( Weaning age, of course!) From then on, evidently, they protect the flock from intruders!
Mark
Mark
Redfrog
Moderator
My brother worked a few years on the clearcuts in B.C.When they are replanted, the seedlings have to compete with the fireweed etc for sunlight. Instead of chemical controls, sheep are used. They graze or flatten the fireweed.
The flock is 1200-1500 sheep and they use Maremas or pyreneees as guard dogs against predators. The dogs will drive off any intruder from a bear to a man. These dogs receive no formal training and are raised with the sheep as a sheep. They are not handled,petted etc. they are fed and pretty much ignored, so they bond with the sheep instead of a man.
He also uses Llamas at home, they are excellent protecton against coyotes. I've seen them chase coyotes off several times.
The flock is 1200-1500 sheep and they use Maremas or pyreneees as guard dogs against predators. The dogs will drive off any intruder from a bear to a man. These dogs receive no formal training and are raised with the sheep as a sheep. They are not handled,petted etc. they are fed and pretty much ignored, so they bond with the sheep instead of a man.
He also uses Llamas at home, they are excellent protecton against coyotes. I've seen them chase coyotes off several times.