oakrunfarm
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As I mentioned on my other thread, we're new cattle owners and will have only a small herd of no more than 6-8 (all cows/calves/young stock - no bulls). Right now, we have a weaned heifer, a yearling heifer and a bred 2 year old. All are Belted Galloways.
The neighbor across from us had a coyote attack in September. One goat was killed and one was badly injured. (She doesn't have cattle.) Her stock dog - I think it is an Anatolian shepherd - was in an adjacent pasture with the billy, so could not help.
Does anyone have any experience using mini donkeys as herd guardians? I really do not want to get a dog. I know it is not typical of stock dogs at all, but this lady's dog across from us is a royal pain. It is not well-trained. (She admits this is true.) It harrasses her stock and barks at us all of the time even though we are well away from it on our OWN property. It's an obnoxious thing!
Our pasture is just across from hers, and I know if we got a herd dog, her stupid dog would bark non-stop at ours, and I just don't want to deal with that. She has now gotten ANOTHER dog to put in the pasture that the coyotes killed the goat in because the one dog won't do its job. She has six goats on five acres, and two guard dogs.
We don't have predators here larger than medium-sized coyotes and small bobcats, but I worry about calves getting attacked - especially now that we know we have a problem in this area. Is a mini donkey jennet tough enough to handle coyotes and bobcats? (We've had horses for 20+ years, but they are show horses and stay in the barn at night.)
Thanks for any help/tips!
The neighbor across from us had a coyote attack in September. One goat was killed and one was badly injured. (She doesn't have cattle.) Her stock dog - I think it is an Anatolian shepherd - was in an adjacent pasture with the billy, so could not help.
Does anyone have any experience using mini donkeys as herd guardians? I really do not want to get a dog. I know it is not typical of stock dogs at all, but this lady's dog across from us is a royal pain. It is not well-trained. (She admits this is true.) It harrasses her stock and barks at us all of the time even though we are well away from it on our OWN property. It's an obnoxious thing!
Our pasture is just across from hers, and I know if we got a herd dog, her stupid dog would bark non-stop at ours, and I just don't want to deal with that. She has now gotten ANOTHER dog to put in the pasture that the coyotes killed the goat in because the one dog won't do its job. She has six goats on five acres, and two guard dogs.
We don't have predators here larger than medium-sized coyotes and small bobcats, but I worry about calves getting attacked - especially now that we know we have a problem in this area. Is a mini donkey jennet tough enough to handle coyotes and bobcats? (We've had horses for 20+ years, but they are show horses and stay in the barn at night.)
Thanks for any help/tips!