Donkey protection

[arkcowman]

I suppose this might be another subjective / opinionated question but here goes.

I have always heard that a donkey will become possesive of a cow herd and defend them against wildlife predators.

I have two donkeys in the field with my cows (angus).

The other day while checking fencing I noticed a coyote walk across my field right between some cows and donkeys and neither paid any attention to each other.

Now my question(s) - Does the donkey only intervene when the coyote actually initiates a physical threat ? Or do I have a bad set of donkeys ?

Next - I was going to eliminate (12 ga) the coyote but an old timer at my church said this was nonsense and the coyote was doing a great job of keeping mice, rats, snakes off my land.

Your thoughts ?

 

[dun]

Defective donkeys.
The coyotes will keep the other vermin down as long as there is plenty to eat. The problems start when they start running low on their natural groceries. But I hate them and shoot everyone I see. A personal thing

dun

 

[Lammie]

Not all donkeys are guard donkeys. I have one that will chase off everything it sees and the other six would just watch it go by. You need to make sure that you are getting donkeys that have that guarding instinct. Also, they are pretty easy to train. I don't know how you would go about it, but they are smart animals.

I feel the same way about snakes as you feel about yotes. I like the idea that the snakes keep the rodents down. But I hate to almost pick up a snake in the laying box as I'm gathering eggs. That's happened again last week. I'm going to try the fish hook thing.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I suppose this might be another subjective / opinionated question but here goes.

I have always heard that a donkey will become possesive of a cow herd and defend them against wildlife predators.

I have two donkeys in the field with my cows (angus).

The other day while checking fencing I noticed a coyote walk across my field right between some cows and donkeys and neither paid any attention to each other.

Now my question(s) - Does the donkey only intervene when the coyote actually initiates a physical threat ? Or do I have a bad set of donkeys ?

Next - I was going to eliminate (12 ga) the coyote but an old timer at my church said this was nonsense and the coyote was doing a great job of keeping mice, rats, snakes off my land.

Your thoughts ?

Them Coyotes are not bothering anything, now a dog in the pasture is a problem.

 

[rattler]

Defective donkeys.
The coyotes will keep the other vermin down as long as there is plenty to eat. The problems start when they start running low on their natural groceries. But I hate them and shoot everyone I see. A personal thing

dun

dun i know what you mean i hate yotes.

rattler

 

[Howdyjabo]

I've had several guard donkeys and know of several others.

Everyone I know says that you need to keep just one- or they bond to each other and just take care of themselves.
As someone has already said- some just won't do it.

Different Donkeys have different ways-- some can't stand anything strange in their area. Most are just protective of their herd.
Mine could care less untill their stock got aggitated.
They would gather them up and move them away. If the dog kept pressuring-- the donkey would just peel off and let the dog feel like it could go in for the kill. As it got absorbed in harrassing the stock the donkey would flank back around it and come in behind.
It would grab the dog with its mouth and hold it while it gutted it with its feet.
Very methodical .

 

[MillIronQH]

IMO the best you can get probably come from the BLM. When they come off the desert the instinct is still real strong.Z

 

[Dusty Britches]

Here's a good article from Texas Department of Agriculture on guard donkeys.

http://www.agr.state.tx.us/agr/program_ ... annel=5325

Personally, I wouldn't own one, but I talked to a feller this weekend that has me thinking they might be ok. My cows do well protecting the calves. The yotes can't even get to the sick ones right now.

 

[Anonymous]

I have a minature mule and she stays with the calves at all times. If a dog or coyote comes in the field it better stay back. She will stomp a mudhole in a dogs butt in a minute. Our dogs want mess with her. Best baby sitter we ever had. She is actually more aggressive than the brahman cattle if you can believe that.

 

[Bullbuyer]

Get yerself a llama. Very good herd animal, very protective. Problem is if you get more than one, they form their own 'herd' and will stray from the cattle.
Shoot the coyote - he is a wild animal and instinct will take over when the food supply gets low or a new calf looks like an easy meal.

 

[KMacGinley]

I'll tell you what, if your cows can't defend themselves against Coyotes, you have some pretty weak cows. We have coyotes thick here and have never lost a calf to coyotes. I don't know anyone who has. Coyotes will eat up a dead animal and some people think that a animal that is partially eaten after dying of disease was killed by coyotes, not usually true. Guard animals are meant for sheep and goats. The reason why the donkey did not attack, may be because it was not a threat. Now a pack of dogs is a threat to cows.
Ever see one of those nature shows where the lions are walking past the zebras and wildebeasts and no one pays any attention to them. Let them begin the stalk though and every animal is on alert. I would say, you don't need a guard donkey for cows in the first place. A calf bawls here and the whole herd comes running.

 

[AngusLimoX]

Well to each their own. We likely wouldn't sell ours no matter the price. I found Howdy's comment about them bonding and not protecting the herd a little concerning, we'll have to watch for that. That was mentioned in the excellent link you posted too Dusty.

The tactic Howdy described is just how our little sneak works as well. Approaches off to the side, non-chalant all friendly and then boom.

Had some problem dogs around here too. Had the oppurtunity a couple of times to tell dog owners the nice part of donkey ownership is not having to justify shooting roving dogs to anyone, the donkies look after it. Other neighbours have commented that this area was bad for roving dogs, but the problem seems to have settled :lol: .

I am told that coyotes took a bull down on my place before I bought it. Didn't kill it but mauled it enough to require it be put down. Maybe dogs?

Our miniature donk ( the 5 year old ) is gentle in every regard with anything except dogs or cats. My wife had no large animal experience and takes Molly for walks almost every day. The only protective action Molly takes with her new foal is to gently try to stay between you and the foal. My 5 year old nephew goes for rides on Molly with me on the lead.

From the cab of my tractor while baling this year I watched a large coyote go 2 fence lines out of his way to keep away from the herd. Maybe he was intimidated by all my mean cows. :lol:

And if there is a problem, you sure hear about it!

If we were to consider selling offspring, donkey ownership would go into the black fairly effortlessly.( I had to look over my shoulder typing that one ).

I am not trying to sell anything here. Just our experience with them. So far they have been a low maintenance joy to own and add peace of mind at calving.

 

[Lammie]

If we were to consider selling offspring, donkey ownership would go into the black fairly effortlessly.( I had to look over my shoulder typing that one ).

I don't know. I think that around here, the only minis that sell for any money are the registered ones with the desirable colors, (sorrel, solid black). And then I think they are selling to donkey enthuisaists, (ie breeders). Mine aren't registered and we have a hard time getting more than 300.00 for a jennet. I wish I could get 700.00 for one, like I have read, but I guess they arent' as popular around here. There is a big registered breeder in the area.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I'll tell you what, if your cows can't defend themselves against Coyotes, you have some pretty weak cows. We have coyotes thick here and have never lost a calf to coyotes. I don't know anyone who has. Coyotes will eat up a dead animal and some people think that a animal that is partially eaten after dying of disease was killed by coyotes, not usually true. Guard animals are meant for sheep and goats. The reason why the donkey did not attack, may be because it was not a threat. Now a pack of dogs is a threat to cows.
Ever see one of those nature shows where the lions are walking past the zebras and wildebeasts and no one pays any attention to them. Let them begin the stalk though and every animal is on alert. I would say, you don't need a guard donkey for cows in the first place. A calf bawls here and the whole herd comes running.

You are dead on, most people can't read predator sign.
They see a coyote eating a dead calf so he did it when there own dog was running with the neighbors all night reaking havoc.

 

[Howdyjabo]

I wouldn't worry about coyottes and cow calf pairs.
But a Donkey is still useful for the dogs- Good mommas or not.
Dogs don't cause problems by attacking individual animals often--
So a protective Momma is only so useful with them. Even the good Mommas will run away (if they can) before they make a stand.

Animals get killed or hurt by the herd moving erratically away from the dogs chaseing them..While running One will get knocked down and left behind where its fair game to get chewed on.
But most of the time all you see is just tore up fences;aggitated stock and hurt legs . What you don't see is all the weight that got run off over night.
And even if the newly dropped calf is protected by a good Momma- thats still time when it should have been bonding and eating (esp colostrum)

Our biggest predator problem lately is Buzzards--they can overwhelm even the best of mommas and the Donkeys are useless with them. But I have heard good things about some guard dogs running buzzards away.

If we weren't feeding a TMR (that would hurt a Donkey) I'd have one in every load.

 

[TxCoUnTrYbOy]

I dont think Ive even heard of coyotes attacking. We have tons of them around here, no ones ever mentioned it. Dogs, Ive had lots of experience with dogs.

Back at my high school ag farm a few years ago, had something like 35 animals (goats, lambs, and hogs) killed by a pack of dogs, and another 20 or so injured. Just last week another pack of dogs attacked 5 on Thursday, killed 2 injured 3, then Saturday got 5 more, 2 dead 3 injured.

After what Ive seen that the dogs do, I dont take any chances. Any time I see a dog, theres about to be a bullet in it.

Bad thing is, just down the road there is like a dog shelter, and the dogs arent really taken care of good, so we see dogs out here pretty often. Sheriff says they are looking for a way to shut them down, but cant find anything, and if they are on our property, we have the right to protect our property. Probably shot about 10 of them in the last month.

 

[peg4x4]

Usually the "attacking cyotes" are dogs..and they mostely have collors and tags---saw a pack of 6 yotes in a cow herd,they were catching rats that ran out of the big hay bale...Friend has a donkey,it took down a Rottie..one hoof to the head..