Animal used to protect you herd

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Our family has only been in the cattle business for a few years now and have tried using donkeys to protect our cows with young calves.
The only problem seems to be that the donkeys like to intimidate :evil: any thing thats smaller than they are.
Could someone suggest an alternate animal to help protect our stock from predators during this vital time? Or give us suggestions on how to prevent the donkeys from bothering the young calves?
;-)

Thanks
 
Sheep ranchers use llamas and I'd imagine they would work similiar with calves. Haven't really heard much about them in that aspect of work.
 
We don't use any kind of protective animal. Our Angus cows do very well in protecting their calves. Herd health is very important, too. A sick calf can't keep up with the herd and the cow might go off and leave it. My neighbors used Great Pyrenees (sp?) guard dogs with their goats for years and they worked well. They also work with cattle. Is there some particular predator that you're concerned with?
 
Thanks' Jake for the advise we'll check it out.

I'd guess you've had plenty of experience we can depend on.
 
Frankie,

As for predators only a few wild dogs. And we totally beleive in a healthy herd as you stated regaredless of pure breed or commerical.
But when you cow seperates herself sometimes for delivery and they catch her at the most distracted state we'd just like to have a little more protection on our place.

Thanks for the advise.
 
Herefordlover --- just curious, do you live on the place where you have cattle or are you an absentee owner? Unless you live in an area where it is by law or custom foolhardy or illegal to do so, may I suggest for your consideration the use of a trusty rifle, if its stray/wild dogs that you are worried about. Many folks around me like donkeys for "guards" against coyotes; don't know about guarding against stray dogs per se. In the Texas sheep and goat country people most commonly Great Pyrennes. They might also work for cattle/dog problems but I have no direct (nor anecdotal) experience.

I went to my place yesterday and was "greeted" by two large, scruffy looking mongrel dogs that ran out of my three sided cattle shed. I have a few week-old calves on the ground and a few more due in the next week or two, so I'm a little concerned about these mongrels. I know my neighbors quite well and the dogs do not belong to them. I didn't get too close to them (always concerned with rabies in these parts) but from about 40 or 50 yards and with the use of binoculars I could tell they had leather collars, but no visible tags. It being the holiday season of peace and goodwill I resisted the temptation to send some lead between their eyes, and merely chased them away via a tractor in high gear! But if I ever witness any agression, or if any new calves turn up dead, I intend to do the shoot, shovel and shut-up routine.
 
Definitely a tried and true solution. Very humane if you are a good shot.

Arnold Ziffle":1az6817q said:
Herefordlover --- just curious, do you live on the place where you have cattle or are you an absentee owner? Unless you live in an area where it is by law or custom foolhardy or illegal to do so, may I suggest for your consideration the use of a trusty rifle, if its stray/wild dogs that you are worried about. Many folks around me like donkeys for "guards" against coyotes; don't know about guarding against stray dogs per se. In the Texas sheep and goat country people most commonly Great Pyrennes. They might also work for cattle/dog problems but I have no direct (nor anecdotal) experience.

I went to my place yesterday and was "greeted" by two large, scruffy looking mongrel dogs that ran out of my three sided cattle shed. I have a few week-old calves on the ground and a few more due in the next week or two, so I'm a little concerned about these mongrels. I know my neighbors quite well and the dogs do not belong to them. I didn't get too close to them (always concerned with rabies in these parts) but from about 40 or 50 yards and with the use of binoculars I could tell they had leather collars, but no visible tags. It being the holiday season of peace and goodwill I resisted the temptation to send some lead between their eyes, and merely chased them away via a tractor in high gear! But if I ever witness any agression, or if any new calves turn up dead, I intend to do the shoot, shovel and shut-up routine.
 
Dear Dr. Cattle,
Yes, on part of our farming operation we are absent and do also believe as you do shoot first and ask questions later if our livestock is being threatened.
And we appreciate the other stock owners who support our rights to do so.
We'll check into the suggestions we've been given to assist in protection stock while we're not on sight.

Thanks for your suggestions.
 
There are some folks down the road that run llamas with there cattle. I have heard they make good gaurd animals as well but I never have seen them with the cows just in the same pasture.
 
Some folks around here still have some around and leave them outside with minimal protection. (We have 10" of snow and -15 degree wind chills right now) They should be ok if you provide a windbreak.
 
Howdy,
Well we use both donkeys & llamas. The llamas do pretty good but they aren't that agressive. Our donkeys do terrific. We have a spotted standard jack, a mini jenny, & 3 other standard jenny, with 2 foals & more foals due. It deppends on what size are your donkeys-mini-small standard-standard-large standard-mammoth? How many you have & the sex? Geldings are good for pets, but don't do as well they tend to be docile. While jennys work best especially when they give birth while everyone says jacks are very mean, well I think that they are the best. They are willing to protect their herd. The only time the would be mean is if they aren't tame or have no jennies. Our jack comes right up to the fence he is tamer then the jennies. Back to the Llamas they can be good but if you have a large pasture I would go for donkeys. Horses work good too, our horses take care of the coyotes that come too close. Of course a good ol' dog works great. We have 7 of them, Austrailian Shepard, Lab mixes, just about any thing that is big and fierce.
I hope this helped some if not just ask me a question & hopefully I can help.
Thank you,
Ellie May

Harmony's Backstreet Animal Farm
Home of the Polled Hereford Cattle
We also raise: Bore Goats, Sheep, Llamas, Donkesy, Horses, & Ponies
Tennessee Ridge, Tennessee

[email protected]
[email protected]


:cboy:
 
herefordlover":2to7j258 said:
Our family has only been in the cattle business for a few years now and have tried using donkeys to protect our cows with young calves.
The only problem seems to be that the donkeys like to intimidate :evil: any thing thats smaller than they are.
Could someone suggest an alternate animal to help protect our stock from predators during this vital time? Or give us suggestions on how to prevent the donkeys from bothering the young calves?
;-)

Thanks
I live in Virginia and last week lost a 2 hour old Angus calf to a coyote
...and I have a 8 month old Australian shepherd bitch that works my cattle ....I'm expecting 9 more calves over the next two weeks...they are all first calf heifers and so what can I do and will the dog help guard against the coyote...she is about 45-50 lbs...very smart. and I'm always with her.my pastures are open and I use a flood light where they stay at night. how old does the calf have to be to be some what safe from a coyote?...2 weeks ? or older?
 
We've got an Austrailian Shepard too. They are very smart dogs never stop working & playing with them.
How our plan of getting coyotes & wild dogs away works is:
Our dogs at the house bark at them.
Then our donkeys, llamas, ponies, & horses chase them away from our catlle, goats, sheep, etc..
Ellie May
 

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