donkeys in North Mississippi...dogs killing my calves

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i learned last year the hard way that you can legally shoot buzzards, at least in Mississippi, if you apply and get a permit. Farm Bureau Insurance is handling the program here. i know that doesnt sound right but i got my second permit this year. if they don't know about program in your area, have them research it. i filled out an application and received a permit to take 3 and use them as "effiges"(hang them up like you would a crow}

if anyone has buzzard problems, let me know i will give further info.
If every cattleman was to take 3, would it make a dent? Glad we don't have 'em up here.................................. yet!
 
My county sheriff's department told me to protect my livestock. Their advice: shoot them
that is advice..i am 1 quarter mile from my cows/calves.at least, most times more...so by the time my house dogs warn me at 330am to get up and get dressed and respond, usually the calf would be or is dead.. dead.....already shot at //and hit at least 1...anyway...it is ruff all over i guess...ever since we got kicked out of the Garden of Eden
 
Seems like most sheep people don't recommend donkeys as a guardian animal. For every good story there was 10 bad ones. Anything from killing stock to not protecting.

Guardian dogs are recommended but they have their own issues just like all guardian animals do I figure.
Partly because of the mentality of the people. Had donkeys with sheep for 17 years. Still the way to go.
 
anyone know someone in North Mississippi who has donkeys for sale. having problems with dogs killing/mauling my calves/cows..talked to 1 owner already..sheriff dept..i think i need a donkey or 2..thanks for any info
I'll keep an eye out on the Bammer side if you want.

Would a gelded donkey work?

And I know it's a bi**h, but how about setting up a situation where you can be around your livestock with a good rifle?
Only thing with that is dogs don't stay spooked, they'll regroup. It's an effort to try and kill them all in one or two encounters. The most dogs I've ever killed in a day is 3 or 4, and it was some deliberate shooting after number one got that terminal headache. You can bust the leader and buy some time, but they'll be back.
 
I'll keep an eye out on the Bammer side if you want.


Only thing with that is dogs don't stay spooked, they'll regroup. It's an effort to try and kill them all in one or two encounters. The most dogs I've ever killed in a day is 3 or 4, and it was some deliberate shooting after number one got that terminal headache. You can bust the leader and buy some time, but they'll be back.
Dogs kill for fun not food.
They will kill every chicken in the yard and leave them lay.
 
Instead of donkey, should you get meaner cows?
That's a better question than some might imagine. I had one heifer that would chase down any dog that wasn't on an ATV... and she'd give the evil eye to the ones on the quad. Not sure what she would have done had I walked away and left the dog. Only one I've had that wouldn't tolerate a dog, and all others were controllable by dogs.
 
That's a better question than some might imagine. I had one heifer that would chase down any dog that wasn't on an ATV... and she'd give the evil eye to the ones on the quad. Not sure what she would have done had I walked away and left the dog. Only one I've had that wouldn't tolerate a dog, and all others were controllable by dogs.
There's usually a couple each week at the local sale barn that come into the ring full of hell and brimstone. Auctioneer calls them "pure bred coyote control"
 
That's a better question than some might imagine.
But wait I thought most on here want to go up and pet their pet cows baby and feed them a treat while doing so.
Never understood why some select against maternal instinct that actually protects the calves life . I don't want my cows to behave like a dairy cow and pop out a calf and walk away.
All the high epds weaning weights and anything else you can put on paper doesn't help the bank account if the calf is dead because the mother and herd didn't protect it.
It's amazing how quick a cow with good maternal instinct with a nice set of clown stabers can but a end to a dog or coyote issue
 
I guess the thought did initially crossed my mind of what are the cows doing when this is going on?

My heifers (well half are cows now) do not like dogs. My brother-in-law brought his dog one time and it took off after them barking. I told him, "not a good idea." They all spun around, grouped up and came running straight at the dog.

The dog got second thoughts and came running back scared doe it's life. I'd imagine had he crossed that wire they were going to see how far in the dirt they could put him.
 
Cow reaction to dogs and threats is an interesting angle. Last year our cows suddenly started bawling and lined up. Every cow had their kid. I knew something was up so I grabbed our LGD who was maybe 6 months old, she was waiting at the house for her breakfast. We walk down and I see a coyote stalking in the alley and cows in a stand off. Our little red cow was pawing the ground and shaking her head pacing the line. We joke she was willing to take one for the team. Our LGD growls. Coyote looks our direction. LGD gives a warning bark. Coyote takes step towards herd. LGD off like a shot, chased coyote up over the first rise. Because she was young I followed. She returned to the rise before I got there, she swept the hill barking and right past me back to her herd. I thought "goodness maybe not a good plan to go in the pen right now" thinking the cows surely will have no canine near. Nope they saw their girl and if it was Far Side they would be cheering cows, some kissed noses with her as she sat right amongst them. Soon everyone all relaxed, returned to eating, calves dispersed. She took her spot on her hill and that day skipped breakfast at the house. To this day even the grumpiest Angus mamas after calving will relax when she sits, softens her ears and remove eye contact. Neat to see…how they can differentiate, their "own" from "does not belong".
 
Cow reaction to dogs and threats is an interesting angle. Last year our cows suddenly started bawling and lined up. Every cow had their kid. I knew something was up so I grabbed our LGD who was maybe 6 months old, she was waiting at the house for her breakfast. We walk down and I see a coyote stalking in the alley and cows in a stand off. Our little red cow was pawing the ground and shaking her head pacing the line. We joke she was willing to take one for the team. Our LGD growls. Coyote looks our direction. LGD gives a warning bark. Coyote takes step towards herd. LGD off like a shot, chased coyote up over the first rise. Because she was young I followed. She returned to the rise before I got there, she swept the hill barking and right past me back to her herd. I thought "goodness maybe not a good plan to go in the pen right now" thinking the cows surely will have no canine near. Nope they saw their girl and if it was Far Side they would be cheering cows, some kissed noses with her as she sat right amongst them. Soon everyone all relaxed, returned to eating, calves dispersed. She took her spot on her hill and that day skipped breakfast at the house. To this day even the grumpiest Angus mamas after calving will relax when she sits, softens her ears and remove eye contact. Neat to see…how they can differentiate, their "own" from "does not belong".

But wait I thought most on here want to go up and pet their pet cows baby and feed them a treat while doing so.
Never understood why some select against maternal instinct that actually protects the calves life . I don't want my cows to behave like a dairy cow and pop out a calf and walk away.
All the high epds weaning weights and anything else you can put on paper doesn't help the bank account if the calf is dead because the mother and herd didn't protect it.
It's amazing how quick a cow with good maternal instinct with a nice set of clown stabers can but a end to a dog or coyote issue

Find you a brahma cow or two.
One would think, with them being so small and us having them in such a remote place, that our Corriente herd would be prone to attacks. But twice...one with coyotes and once with strays, we have seen them act like bison or Cape bufflalo. Cows in a semicircle, 100 sets of horns facing out, calves bunched up behind them, and the bull(s) advancing on them. And when the coyotes and dogs turned tail, the herd went after them. That is why we move them during quail and rabbit season.
A cow or two with a young calve would have been in danger, especially with no bull with them.
I am sure people have witnessed wild/stray dogs attacking calves, but if they didn't, and just read the signs and assumed the dogs killed them, that most of the time the calf had died or was dying from other causes, ad the dogs took advantage of a free meal.
 
anyone know someone in North Mississippi who has donkeys for sale. having problems with dogs killing/mauling my calves/cows..talked to 1 owner already..sheriff dept..i think i need a donkey or 2..thanks for any info
My Grandpa said that there is only one solution to that problem. You kill the dogs. Talking to the owner never works, even if the owner is a relative or good friend.
 
Where are you? Put your location on your profile.

I've got a guy within 15 miles that has 500 feral donkeys. He is paid $700 a year per animal to house and feed them, last I heard, from being gathered from BLM land. I should be so lucky to have a gig like that.
i am close to Oxford, Mississippi
 

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