Sheep Industry News June 2024

Producers Need To Be Involved in Predator Management

SCOTT HUBER T o increase livestock producer understanding and support of predator control efforts, producers should be encouraged to become involved in the process. This can be accomplished by having producers help locate coyotes during aerial operations and/or having producers check equipment. It is imperative that producers and trap pers maintain communication between them to keep both parties informed on any changes in coyote activities. One of the most effective things sheep producers can do to help alleviate coyote problems is to have at least one good tight woven wire fence on the side of the pasture where predators are most likely to approach from. Cable devices placed in holes dug by coyotes under these fences are effec tive at preventing coyote problems or removing problem coyotes once predation starts unless small lambs and guard dogs are present. Again, producers and trappers must com municate on techniques used. For instance, holes dug under a tight fence in feral hog range will only encourage hogs. In certain situations, guard dogs can be effective in reduc ing coyote predation. Guard dogs are limited in their effec

tiveness based on the number of sheep and how well those sheep band together, the roughness of the terrain in and around the sheep pastures, and the number of coyotes in a particular area. Guard dogs are limited in their effectiveness when sheep are spread out in rough country with a medium to high coyote population in the immediate and surrounding area. One of the biggest disadvantages to guard dogs is that their presence impacts the ability for trappers to use lethal predator damage management measures. With some effort, guard dogs can be trained to avoid traps and M-44s with rat traps baited with the same baits being used at trap sets and/ or M-44s. Caution still needs to be taken with traps and par ticularly M-44s, even with guard dogs that have been trained to avoid them. Herding and night penning can be helpful in alleviating predator problems but is labor intensive and can become cost prohibitive in many cases. Trail cameras can be used to help identify predator damage and what times predators are returning. KILL ID & LOCATING PROBLEM COYOTES It is important for both trappers and livestock producers

to have a good understanding of identifying livestock kills versus other forms of livestock mortality. Both trappers and livestock pro ducers need to put their biases aside in deter mining accurate reasons for livestock mortal ity so the correct measures can be taken when necessary. Coyotes usually attack sheep in the throat region and kill by suffocation. This can be determined best by skinning out carcasses to see canine puncture wounds, tooth spac ing as well as hemorrhage in the neck area. Another thing to look for is signs of a struggle on the ground as well as fresh blood in the area. Livestock that died from other causes and were fed on do not bleed like an animal that has been killed. Often coyotes will pull the rumen out of the carcass and tear the shoulder blade away from the ribs. Ribs will often be chewed off to a certain length. The hides can be pulled away while feeding on the carcass, but are often still attached to the carcass. Coyote predation can sometimes be determined long after the

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