Livestock predation in Ontario has increased over the past few years to the point where in some cases it threatens to put farmers out of business. Initially sheep producers were suffering the majority of losses, however recently predation of cattle has become a major concern for the industry.

Where predators are persistent, producers must use a variety of management techniques and control measures to be effective. Each farmers situation is different and therefore a predation control strategy should be designed for each specific situation. An assessment of your operation and particular problem, will help identify key details which should be included in the strategy. It is important to evaluate all information and practices carefully to ensure you are including the most appropriate components.

The Eastern Coyote
To effectively control predation, it is essential to have a basic understanding of the culprit. The eastern coyote has evolved from crosses between the western coyote and the grey wolf. The result is an animal that is much larger than it's western counterpart and yet is very adaptable, cunning and opportunistic.

When coyote population levels in a local area, have surpassed the carrying capacity of their natural food sources, to survive coyotes adapt and find the most easily available prey. Quite often this is a lamb, newborn calf, goat kid, etc.. Once a coyote has developed a taste for livestock and realizes that it's a fairly easy meal, he has become a big problem. This problem gets much bigger as subsequent litters of pups are trained to become dependent on livestock for their food.

Coyote pups are born in late winter and develop rapidly in the ensuing months. Therefore, typically, their feed requirements and thus predation are highest from early March through to the end of October.

Livestock Management
Of course the most effective management practice to reduce or eliminate predation, is to confine animals in a feed-lot and not allow them to pasture. For almost all producers this is totally unreasonable and is not an option. However, where predation is a problem, there are usually husbandry practices that can be changed to be made more effective.

Some producers find it practical and effective to pen their livestock in a more secure area at night. These areas should be located close to a residence or farm building and may be illuminated for extra protection.

Certain pastures on a farm may have a history of predation. Pasture rotation can be designed to avoid using these areas for lambing and rearing young animals. Pastures that have rolling topography and contain creek beds or brush, provide ideal cover for coyotes to get close to their prey. If the surrounding landscape is forested or heavily vegetated the predators feel more secure, as they can retreat to this protective zone.

Predators can be attracted to the area if deadstock and garbage are not properly disposed of. To be effective, this must be a community effort, because if a neighbor's practices attract coyotes everybody has to deal with the ensuing problem. Deadstock should be composted or buried under at least 24 inches of soil. As well, garbage should not be allowed to accumulate.

Fences
Fencing is one of the components which should be evaluated when developing a predation control strategy. There is an assortment of fencing systems available that can be effective. They are electric fences, net-wire fences, polynetting, etc.. The cost of fencing versus protection provided will have to considered, when making a selection.

Usually erecting an effective fencing system takes several years to complete, this allows the producer to spread the expenditure over a longer period of time. Therefore prioritizing fence construction should be included in your management strategy. The type and size of your operation, topographical features of the property and predation history, are some of the factors which should be considered when scheduling fence construction. Some farmers concentrate on constructing an effective perimeter fence first. Others consider establishing well fenced pastures for lambing/calving that provide very good protection their priority.

Completely excluding coyotes by fencing, especially in large areas, is very difficult. However, recent improvements in equipment and design have made fencing an effective and economically practical method for protecting livestock in most situations.

Guarding Animals
Many livestock producers have found that using a guarding animal has reduced predation on their farms. Dogs, donkeys, llamas and in some instances cattle and horses have all been used effectively as guarding animals. Probably the most popular guarding animals are dogs. Most of the preferred breeds originate in Eurasia, where they have been protecting sheep and goats for centuries and are specifically bred for that purpose.

A good livestock guarding dog stays with the animals and aggressively repels predators. When a pup is raised with livestock it bonds with them and then prefers to remain with it's flock/herd. The dogs protective nature is instinctive and little formal training is required, other than the correction of undesirable behavior.

Pups at weaning age (8 weeks) should be placed with a small flock of lambs preferably and kept in a secure pen for 8 more weeks, this allows them to socialize and bond with the livestock. After that period the pup may be released into larger pastures with the other livestock.

Both sexes have been found to be equally effective in protecting livestock. A number of breeds are used, however the Great Pyrenees is probably the most popular. Some breeds and individuals are more aggressive than others; they may be more difficult to handle and may injure livestock as they are raised.

When selecting a pup it is important to see the parents to assess their temperament and effectiveness. You want to make sure the pup comes from a working environment and not show-dog pedigree only.

Human contact with the pup, and then dog, should be limited to a few minutes a day, as the dog may start to ignore the flock and want to be with people.

Donkeys are also very popular as guard animals. They are instinctive herders and must be allowed bonding time with their flock or herd. Bonding is most likely achieved if the donkeys are raised with the animals they are to protect. It is recommended that only jennies and geldings be used, because jacks are frequently aggressive with livestock. Medium to large size donkeys are preferred for guard animals, as miniature donkeys are not large enough to repel coyotes or dogs. Only one donkey or a jenny and her foal should be allocated to protect each individual pasture. Donkeys will associate with each other and ignore livestock if given the opportunity.

Canids and dogs are donkeys natural enemies. While this is a desired quality for deterring predation, they may also attack farm and neighboring dogs. Most dogs will learn to keep their distance, but initially interaction between the animals should be supervised.

Donkeys rely on line of sight and to a lesser degree sound to detect predators and therefore are most effective in relatively small pastures that have flat topography and are clear of dense brush.

A distinct advantage of using donkeys or llamas as guard animals over dogs, is that they eat the same feed as the animals they are protecting. Therefore, feed costs and labor are reduced.

Llamas are also used effectively as guard animals in Ontario. Geldings are preferred, because intact males may try to breed sheep, resulting in injury or death. Instinctively male llamas want to acquire, take care of and protect their herd. Once a llama becomes familiar with his territory and has bonded with his herd, he will aggressively repel predators. It is best to use mature geldings that are one or two years old, as young animals do not take their job seriously.

Llamas also should be used individually to protect a flock or herd, because they too will associate with each other and ignore the herd.

Repellents and Frightening Devices
Frightening devices work by introducing new sounds and sights to the coyote. This type of deterrent usually provides short term relief from predation, but coyotes adapt rapidly and soon realize that the new stimulus is not a threat to them.

Changing the type of noise and/or light and it's location, adds variety and keeps the predators confused and unsure of their safety level. There are several commercial devices that provide this type of protection, including the Phoenix Wailer and The Electronic Guard.

Repellents rely on tastes and/or odors to deter predators. Taste aversion is a process which involves treating a sheep carcass with lithium chloride and locating it so that it is likely to be consumed by coyotes. Coyotes become nauseated when they eat the meat and the presumption is that the coyote will associate sheep flavor with illness. Research involving the effectiveness of taste aversion, as a predator repellent has been inconclusive.

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs is conducting several trials involving another repellent called "Bone Oil", this product has a repugnant odor to coyotes and has been tested on, sheep fleece, pasture fence posts and perimeter ground application. Results from the trials on this product are promising.

Predator Reduction
When livestock management practices and non-lethal control measures are insufficient to reduce predation levels, removal of the predators may be necessary. In some cases predation in a localized area, is caused by a few problem animals. However, if the predators are not removed, subsequent litters of pups are trained to become dependent on livestock for their food.

The most efficient way of dealing with this situation is to trap the predators. Predator removal must be completed by an experienced professional trapper. Coyotes are naturally cunning and wary, removal is more difficult if a coyote has become more wary because of an inexperienced trapper.

Hunting coyotes is an effective way of reducing the local coyote population, but is not as selective as trapping. However, when coyote population levels are reduced, there is less pressure on their natural food sources. This allows resident wildlife numbers to rebound and provide more natural food for the remaining coyote population, thus providing some predation relief to farmers.

Predation Reduction Strategy
Most producers find that they must employ a variety of control techniques to reduce predation levels on their farm. The logistics of developing and implementing a "Predation Reduction Strategy" for a farm, must consider both cost and benefit in order to maintain a profitable operation. The extent of economic losses to predators, in most cases will dictate the effort (financial and physical) expended to reduce or eliminate predation.

If you require additional information or assistance, please contact me through the Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency.