Predator prevention

[shorty]

I don't have a big coyote problem , last year I killed 2 and misssed a 3rd one , this year so far I have'nt seen one .

 

[Cow_Town]

I am in an area where Coyotes are very numerous due to the fact that noone has even hunted for them in years. I hear them regularly at night and sometimes in the morning. There is a place back in the cedars only about three hundred yards from the house that is littered in coyote poop and from the evidence its apparent that it is a kind of rendezvous point for them. My point is that we have not lost a single calf and neither has any of the surrounding ranches. The deer are not bothered either when they have their fawns, as any mortality is not noticable. I just have a hard time seeing how anyone should have the need to run a " protection " animal with cattle. It makes no sense. If your cows have no more mothering ability than to allow a puny coyote or two to take her calf then she needs to be culled anyhow. Tigerstripes eliminate anysuch thoughts for me. Most of the " coyote " kills are actually your neighbors dogs anyhow, and in that regard I practice preventitive maintainence on the dog population around here.

Just my .02

 

[MikeC]

I am in an area where Coyotes are very numerous due to the fact that noone has even hunted for them in years. I hear them regularly at night and sometimes in the morning. There is a place back in the cedars only about three hundred yards from the house that is littered in coyote poop and from the evidence its apparent that it is a kind of rendezvous point for them. My point is that we have not lost a single calf and neither has any of the surrounding ranches. The deer are not bothered either when they have their fawns, as any mortality is not noticable. I just have a hard time seeing how anyone should have the need to run a " protection " animal with cattle. It makes no sense. If your cows have no more mothering ability than to allow a puny coyote or two to take her calf then she needs to be culled anyhow. Tigerstripes eliminate anysuch thoughts for me. Most of the " coyote " kills are actually your neighbors dogs anyhow, and in that regard I practice preventitive maintainence on the dog population around here.

Just my .02

Obviously there is enough wilderness with an abundance of game near you.

Not so in many suburban, and other even wide open areas.

Coyotes main diet is smaller animals such as rabbits, etc.

But when food is in short supply to coyotes, they will start by hanging out around the calving pastures to eat placentas.

As they increase in numbers and food is in shorter supply, they will go for the calves.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Some cows with some ear. They don't play when it comes to protecting the babies.

Yes Sir... :lol:

I would rather sacrifice a calf or two than put up with a donkey or over sized bird.

No expert here but when my wife and I first moved onto our property coyotes howled outside our windows every night. A month later we bought 5 Hereford heifers and turned them out onto the pastures. I didn't worry about the heifers because they were over 300 lbs and stuck together like glue. Since that day we have not heard a single coyote howl. We now have quite a few more cattle along with a few goats. No problem with coyotes.
Am I just lucky so far? By the way......... Can someone explain the expression: "A few cattle with Ears"? What type of cattle does this refer to? (All I've seen so far have had ears)

Jon

Ear is a reference to Brahman influence

I wish I had a pic of a bull calf born two weeks back. He is all ear!! :lol: :lol: Think I will call him dumbo instead of T-Bone. Momma is 1/2 Brahma 1/2 Char and Dad is Brangus. Not just sure of his genetic traits just yet but he's got plenty of ear.

 

[backhoeboogie]

My point is that we have not lost a single calf and neither has any of the surrounding ranches. The deer are not bothered either when they have their fawns, as any mortality is not noticable.

Count me in as well. I am covered up in coyotes but have not had a problem with them at all. You can put the "Coyote Serenade" recording in the truck CD player and hear 3 or 4 packs answer it at night.

Hopefully the coyotes will take a liking to piglets at some point. They'd do us all a favor if they did. If they keeping eating the mice and rats, it keeps the snake population down. A win/win situation.

 

[Frankie]

When we bought our first cows, we had some calves get sick. I think the previous owner didn't have much of a herd health program. We lost a couple of calves and found parts where coyotes had eaten them. The cows we have now will chase stray dogs or coyotes out of the pasture. I don't worry about them. As long as the calf is healthy and the cow has good maternal instincts, I don't think you'll have much problem with coyotes. Most years they'd much rather catch a rabbit or rat than take on a 1200 lb. momma cow.

Our vet has a couple of donkeys that people had bought for guard animals, only to find out they were kicking and biting the calves.

 

[grannysoo]

I have 2 donkeys and an Anotolian Shepard and have no problems with coyotes. My dog loves to bring me gifts like squirrels, bobcats, foxes, etc. If it gets into the field with the cows, he's going to catch it. Here he is:

http://tenacitasinc.com/keral1.JPG

I like that dog! Looks like he and the donkeys get along just fine.

Alice

He gets along GREAT with all of the animals. Starts his patrol at dark every evening and works it until daylight. Non stop barking. Him and the calves love to play together. He will act just like one of them.

Our vet has a couple of donkeys that people had bought for guard animals, only to find out they were kicking and biting the calves.

That's why you use the jenny and not the jack. I had a jack in the past until he turned into a varmit. A set of wheels quickly rolled him off my farm. The females (jenny) are gentle.

 

[ALX.]

We have 2 jennys. Lots of coyotes around but never lost a calf.

The side benefit is both the implied and very real threat that if their dogs run loose they may very well die. With no whining recourse. Welcome to farm country.

 

[TheBullLady]

That's the good thing about a jenny.. she'll chase a dog or a coyote. There are many places that dogs are the bigger problem.

We don't have our gelding any longer.. we didn't need it here at the home place

 

[MistyMorning]

The general rule of thumb in our area with dogs, coyotes, etc. is SSS. Shoot, shovel and shut up. We have some cows with horns too. That seems to work when we aren't around. Last winter they ripped into a deer that was in the cowyard at night. Found a nice big chunk of hide. ;-)

 

[Hitch]

Some factors to condsider: What is the actual risk in your area? What kind of varmints pose the greatest threat? How large are the actual reported losses in your area? Your County Extension Agent may be able to get some facts for you. I'm willing to bet your state has a program to help recover some costs regarding legitimate claims of livestock loss due to predators. To some extent, the breed of cattle may be a factor in the quality of bovine "self defense" debate. Dogs, donkeys, and other critters may be options. But, a donkey, dog, or other truely "guard" critter, that has literally bonded to the herd, may end up being a more realistic physical threat to you (and family/visitors) than letting nature take its course. Bored, ferel, or roaming dogs (yours or a neighbor's) may be high on the list of potential trouble makers. Some luck, a scope mounted, solid, .30 '06 with the proper "load" can help. My vote is for your proposed solution to be no more complicated the the actual problem.

 

[jvicars]

not sure this actual works but i had a huge problem with coons with my chickens. i keep shooting them and they kept coming. i finally left a few dead ones around the area and it stop. good luck maybe but it worked.

no manying issues here in fl where i am located. if i see a stray dog chasing my cattle i chase it off once and shot it second. to much time tied up with my cattle to loose a calf to a dog. period.

 

[milesvb]

no manying issues here in fl where i am located. if i see a stray dog chasing my cattle i chase it off once and shot it second.

That's one more chance than a stray cow chasing dog deserves.

 

[jim]

Before I moved last year, I lived near Uhland, Texas. Loads of people seemed to think that was the ideal place to drop off dogs when they tired of them or graduated the local university. I was kept busy shooting feral dogs for years. I killed way more dogs than yotes. One morning I killed the three trained Pit bulls belonging to my "neighbor" while attempting to kill stock in our pen. The deputy wrote outa lot of citations, and the idiot didn't buy any more Pits to cause trouble with. He sure was mad because I killed 1,500.00 worth of dogs (according to him), and would cuss me in Spanish every time he saw me. Up to that time, I was afraid to let my son play in the yard without me or the wife as armed guards.

After deer season is over, if anyone needs some predator hunting done on their place in Central Texas let me know. I don't shoot houses, livestock, pets, etc.

jim

 

[Gale Seddon]

As usual, I'm late to the party.

Regarding donkeys as guardian animals (briefly, no mini's, no jacks, not all donkeys will guard, and yes, you DO have to take care of them, including deworming, vaccinations, and hoof trims...come on, if they're working for you, please take care of their basic needs!):

http://www.usipp.com/gatefarm/the_donkey_guardian.htm