Subject: Predator FAQ [6.4]

From: Ronald Florence <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 16 Sep 1996 04:15:06 GMT

Archive-name: rural/predator-faq
Version: 6.4
Posting-Frequency: every 60 days
Last-modified: Sun Aug 18 10:56:39 EDT 1996

                                Predator FAQ
                                ------------

                           © 1996 Ronald Florence

This ascii-digest version is generated by script from the html
original at http://www.connix.com/~mlfarm.  You can move to
the next subject with the digest commands in many newsreaders,
with a regex search for ^Subject, or by searching for items
listed in the table of contents.

Contents

  1. Livestock predators
  2. Coyote, dogs, or coydogs
  3. Identifying the killer
  4. Predator season
  5. Coyote in the pasture
  6. Fences
  7. Supplemental (scare) fences
  8. Shooting and trapping
  9. Guard animals
 10. Donkeys
 11. Guard dogs
 12. Llamas
 13. Mixed herds
 14. Chicken Coop
 15. Poison
 16. Credits
 17. Copyright & Permissions

--------------------------------------------------------

Subject: 1) Livestock predators

Do coyote really kill sheep?

Yes. Coyote, wolves, bears, mountain lions, eagles, hawks, turkey vultures,
and ravens kill lambs, sheep, kids, goats, calves, foals and other
livestock. The losses can be substantial. In some ranch areas, losses to
predators, primarily from coyote, but also from wolves, bears, mountain
lions, lynx, bobcats, wolverines, eagles, and hawks are often the difference
between profit and serious losses for sheep raisers. Now that coyote have
spread throughout all 48 lower states, Canada and Mexico, farm flocks,
including flocks in semi-rural areas, are beginning to suffer significant
predation losses from coyote. Predator statistics are available to document
the damage in some areas.

This FAQ is written primarily for small producers and hobby farms. I am not
anti-coyote or anti-wolf or anti- any other predator. In the wild, many of
these predators are beautiful and intelligent animals. But as a sheep
farmer, I have seen a coyote kill and disembowel a lamb. I have suffered the
loss in income and the personal sense of violation when a coyote has taken
bottle-fed lambs. The small producer, in particular, can ill afford losses
to predators.

One shepherd who raised Rambouillets in Eastern Washington wrote that
predators `were not much of a problem unless the herder got drunk, the guard
dog run off or the mice died off.' The purpose of this FAQ is to suggest
ways to minimize or control those risks.

--------------------------------------------------------

Subject: 2) Coyote, dogs, or coydogs

Aren't many of these losses really from dogs or coydogs?

Coyote apparently can cross-breed with wolves, which may account for the
larger size and darker grey coloring of the typical Eastern coyote. The
appearance of the coyote is distinctive, with a long snout, erect ears, and
a bushy tail. Western coyote are generally smaller and reddish; the eastern
coyote, a larger animal, can range from black to grey/brown to strawberry
blond to white.

There is no evidence that coyote cross-breed with dogs, but domestic and
feral dogs do take a toll on sheep and goat flocks and other livestock. It
is usually not difficult to identify whether an attack was by dogs or
coyote. Coyote are efficient predators. They usually hunt alone at night.
They select their victims carefully, singling out a weak member of the
flock, often a sheep with a limp or a lamb. They kill efficiently and eat
selectively, making an almost surgical opening and taking innards first. In
the case of small lambs, they will carry away the victim. Even if they
return to an undisturbed carcass, they will remove flesh methodically.

By contrast, dogs frequently attack in packs, and whether single or in a
pack, they tend to run through a flock, maiming as many animals as they can
catch. Animals that are not maimed or killed may be in shock from being
chased. Feral dogs can be vicious in their attacks, bringing down ponies,
llamas and other pets.

If you see animals scouting your flock and are not sure whether they are
coyote or dogs, look for footprints or scat. Dog footprints are round and
all four claw marks are visible; coyote tracks are distinctly oval and only
the front two claw marks are visible. Both coyote and dogs frequently
defecate near a kill: dog feces are essentially recycled Alpo; coyote scat
is usually stringy from undigested fur, bones, feathers, and vegetable
matter, and distinctly elongated.

--------------------------------------------------------

Subject: 3) Identifying the killer

I found a dead sheep [calf, goat] in my pasture; how do I identify the
killer?

Predators have distinctive styles. It is worth examining the carcass, both
to decide on future protective measures, and because you may in some
instances be eligible for compensation.

Coyote kill by strangulation and/or by severing the jugular vein. They
attack the throat just behind the jaw and ear, clamping down on the animal's
windpipe, and leaving puncture wounds below the lower jaw. Bleeding from a
severed jugular vein may be subdermal. A small coyote can kill a large sheep
or calf, and the process is silent; the victim cannot bleat or make noise
with its throat shut. The coyote will often drag a carcass to a quiet area,
and follow a distinctive eating pattern. They make an almost surgical
opening in the thorax, consuming the heart, lungs, liver, and internal
organs, except the stomach. They sometimes return later to pick at bones or
haunches.

Wolves also kill by strangulation, and frequently consume the heart, lungs,
and tongue of the victim. Wolves are usually organized pack hunters, and may
leave many dead. Unlike dogs, they eat what they kill.

Dogs typically will attack many victims in a flock. The characteristic bite
marks are on the flanks, rear legs, backs, or rear ends of the animals.
Sometimes a pack of dogs will concentrate on the head of a victim like a
pony or llama. The victims often carry multiple wounds, and frequently no
portion of the animal is eaten. Sheep have been known to die from exhaustion
or shock after being chased by dogs. An attack by a juvenile coyote may
resemble a dog attack. Because they are smaller and less experienced,
juvenile coyote tend to grab anything they can get -- a leg, a back end,
even an ear -- leaving behind a severely injured and traumatized victim.

A bear leaves distinctive tracks and scat, and will generally maul the
entire carcass, peeling back the skin, and eating the meat. Tom Tomsa of the
Pennsylvania Animal Damage Control says, `Basically, it looks like a truck
ran over the sheep when a bear gets done with it.'

Bobcat kills have claw marks on the carcass and subcutaneous hemorrhaging.
Mountain lion kills exhibit tooth punctures, usually about two inches apart,
and claw marks on the neck or shoulders. Lion and bobcat kills are often
dragged some distance from the point of attack and partially or completely
covered with twigs, dirt, and leaves.

Eagle talons leave distinctive puncture marks. Unlike a bear kill, the
skeleton is intact; the head and neck remain attached. An eagle will
frequently feed on the brain of a kill, along with meat from other portions
of the carcass. Turkey vultures, although normally carrion-eaters, have been
known to newborn lambs, leaving keyhole-shaped wounds in the head. Ravens
will peck the head of an animal, then gouge out the eyes, ultimately killing
the animal by fracturing the skull. Magpies have also been known to peck at
the back of a sheep, just ahead of the pelvis, until the body cavity is
open.

--------------------------------------------------------

Subject: 4) Predator season

Is there a season when predators are most active?

The danger in farm areas seems to be greatest in the late spring and early
summer, when coyote kit are big enough to need solid food, but too small to
hunt on their own. The mother coyote will do whatever she needs to bring
them food. If the supply of her usual food, rabbits and other small mammals,
is limited, the coyote will go for lambs, kids, sheep, goats, and cats.
Coyote are wily and strong enough to wait while a cow is calving and
disembowel the newborn calf before the cow can get up.

If there is any danger from predators in your area, you probably cannot
count on a seasonal pattern for protection. Predators will hunt down
livestock whenever their regular food supply is short. If they acquire a
taste for sheep or goats or chickens after discovering that fences are easy
to breach and penned livestock are easy to kill, they will be back until the
fences are secure enough to keep them out, or you have guard animals to
protect your flock.

--------------------------------------------------------

Subject: 5) Coyote in the pasture

What do I do if I see a coyote (or a pack of dogs) chasing my sheep?

In most communities, the laws are clear on this situation. Whether the
predator is a coyote, wolf, or a toy poodle from down the road, you have the
right to shoot an animal that is chasing your stock in your pasture. It
isn't fun to shoot a neighbor's pet dog, but once an animal gets a taste for
sheep, or a passion for chasing sheep, you may find that you have no choice.
Pet owners often won't believe their pets are instinctive predators. `Little
Boopsy wouldn't chase sheep,' they will insist. `She's a _______ [pet,
darling, sissy, sweetie].' Unless the owner agrees to keep the dog safely
restrained, or you have dog-proof fences, you can be fairly sure the dog
will be back.

Some flock owners have discovered that the only solution to dogs in the
pasture is to `shoot quick, bury deep, and don't talk' rather than face the
arguments, lawsuits, and retaliation of unbelieving pet owners. Sometimes, a
neighbor's dog can be trained not to chase sheep or other livestock.
Vigilence and a strong deterrent, such as a few loads of .22 birdshot in the
backside, seems to be the most successful approach.

In many jurisdictions, you are entitled to compensation if your stock is
killed or wounded by wild predators or dogs. In Connecticut, as one example,
the state will compensate coyote losses if you can prove that you had
adequate fencing in place, which they define as four-foot high woven-wire
fencing in good condition, if you prove that the loss was greater than one
hundred dollars, and if a wildlife agent certifies that it was a coyote
kill. In some cases they will require a necropsy to determine that the
animal did not die of natural causes. Local jurisdictions often have funds
to compensate losses to dogs. Be prepared to document the value of the stock
when you file a claim.

If you lose animals to predators, be careful in burying or otherwise
disposing of the remains. Some carrion-eaters are capable of digging down
several feet. Lime and stones on the remains before a hole is filled in are
a good idea. In the winter, in hard-frozen ground, you may have to cover
remains with heavy stones.

--------------------------------------------------------

Subject: 6) Fences

What kind of fence does it take to stop coyote and dogs?

Tall, strong, and without weak points. Coyote are smart and persistent. They
can and will find the holes in a fence. They can jump a 48-inch fence. In
one night they can dig under a fence in soils where you had a devilish time
digging fence post holes. At seaside or lakeside pastures, they will swim
around fences that end in deep water.

In most terrain, a good five-foot fence built of woven wire topped with
several strands of barbed wire and with a strand of barbed wire at ground
level will stop coyote. So will a well-built five-foot high high-tension
electric fence. If dry soils mean you need alternating hot/ground wires,
make sure the wire nearest the ground and the top wire are hot. To avoid
sags and loose wire that a coyote can crawl under, you will need stout,
well-set corner posts, and fences tensioned enough to remain taut in winter
and summer. Be especially careful with gates; coyote will find an open gate
or even a weak latch.

On many farms where coyote-proof fencing of all of the pastures is
impractical, too expensive, or impossible to maintain, an alternate is to
provide a coyote-proof yard where the animals can be penned at night and
where the most vulnerable animals, such as lambs, can be confined. Lights
may help deter coyote, although coyote have been known to sneak into a
well-lighted barnyard.

--------------------------------------------------------

Subject: 7) Supplemental (scare) fences

We have old and tired fences [or stone walls or wooden horse fences]. Is
there a way to make our fences coyote-proof without rebuilding them from
scratch?

Some farms have had success with electric scare wires built outside existing
fences. Coyote explore with their noses close to the ground, and will
approach a fence at ground height. Installing an electric scare wire eight
inches off the ground, and perhaps another wire or two at the height of the
fence, just outside an existing fence, may deter predators. For a stone wall
or low woven-wire fence, you can install one or two hot wires and one
grounded wire over the existing fence or wall. In some instances terrain or
ownership problems make it impossible to install a scare wire outside the
existing fence. You can put one inside, but it will probably work to trap
the predators inside your pasture. The trapped predator will be easier to
shoot, but you may sustain losses in the process.

The major electric fence manufacturers have stand-off insulators to install
a scare wire fence on existing wooden or metal fence posts. See the Pasture
FAQ for addresses and phone numbers.

--------------------------------------------------------

Subject: 8) Shooting and trapping

Can I shoot or trap predators before they cause trouble?

Coyote are smart enough to be tough to trap. Some farmers have had luck with
snare traps installed in holes in fences, or with No. 3 or No. 4 leghold
traps. Often traps will get juveniles, and coyote who have lost a foot to a
trap are notorious livestock killers. Live trap boxes which catch the animal
unharmed may be effective for dogs or bobcats; they are not effective for
coyote.

You may have better luck with a gun. I have shot two coyote in our pastures
at Maple Lawn Farm, have missed a couple of others, and have frequently seen
coyote on our hayfield and on the stone walls, sometimes even in daylight.
Our guard donkey set up one coyote for me.

If you're willing to leave a kill in place and undisturbed, and if you can
stake out a good hiding place downwind from the kill, you may have some luck
shooting a coyote revisiting the kill on the next night. A coyote can only
hold about five pounds of food in its stomach, and will often return to an
undisturbed previous kill.

If you see a coyote acting strange during the day, suspect rabies and use
your gun. Then call the local EPA or other agency in charge of confirming
rabies cases; they will want the head of the animal. Rabies seems to be more
prevalent in racoons and foxes than in the larger predators.

A coyote is not a large animal. A .243 Winchester is more than adequate even
for a long shot to a distant corner of a pasture. A shotgun with #4 buckshot
will do the job out to 40 yards range. Some hunters have special whistles
and lures to call coyote by imitating wounded animals, and you may be able
to persuade a hunter to search for the coyote in your area. Coyote are
territorial animals. If you trap or shoot the coyote that are attacking your
flock or herd, others will probably move into the territory.

--------------------------------------------------------

Subject: 9) Guard animals

What guard animals can protect my flock?

Guard donkeys, guard dogs, and guard llamas have all been used successfully
to protect livestock. The choice depends on the livestock being protected,
local terrain, acreage, predator threats, budget, and personal preference.
Whichever animal you choose, count on some training, extra feed, vet care,
and housing expenses. Some donkeys and llamas do not take well to guarding;
there are many stories of llamas who don't like sheep and keep apart from
the flock they are supposed to guard, and donkeys who chase the sheep they
are supposed to guard.

In some cases you may need more than a single guard animal to protect a
flock. Guard dogs can work together to patrol large areas and to fight off
marauding packs of feral dogs, coyote, or wolves that would overwhelm a
single guard dog. Dogs and llamas sometimes can be trained to work together.

Guard animals can be effective, but in some situations, packs of coyotes
will defeat the most diligent guard animals. If you are following an
aggressive rotational grazing program, with flocks in several paddocks at
the same time, you may need a guard animal for each paddock. Sometimes, even
in a small field, a single guard animal can be overwhelmed. There are
documented instances of coyote packs dividing, with one group surrounding
and killing a guard dog while the rest of the pack attacked the unprotected
flock.

--------------------------------------------------------

Subject: 10) Donkeys

How do guard donkeys protect a flock?

Donkeys have been used for centuries to protect sheep and other herding
animals. Donkeys are extremely intelligent, with acute hearing (there is a
reason for those big ears) and sight, and they are conservative by nature:
they do not like change in their surroundings, and will drive off a coyote
or stray dog as much because it is an intruder as from any instinctive
dislike of canines.

At Maple Lawn Farm, our flock of Cotswold sheep has been guarded for six
years by Rosie, a donkey who came to our farm with no experience of sheep.
She was four or five years old and had never even seen a sheep before coming
here.

Once here, Rosie quickly established a routine. Whenever the flock is
rotated to a new pasture, Rosie insists on conducting a perimeter check; she
runs at top speed around the inside of the walls of the pasture (we're in
Southeast Connecticut, with stone-walled pastures), before finally braying
her All Clear. When a coyote sneaks into a pasture, Rosie has a rigid battle
plan. She first herds the sheep into a tight formation, running around them
and nudging them until she is satisfied that they are safe. She then mounts
her attack, squaring off against the intruder, and trying first her front
hooves, then a biting attack, and finally the karate kick with her back
hooves. Coyote are smart enough to retreat in the face of the attack. Once
Rosie set up a coyote that I was able to shoot.

Donkeys are easy to care for -- good grazing or hay and water is all they
need -- and delightful barnyard pets, if you accept that they are clever and
rigid. For us, Rosie's Rules are part of the farm routine. Some of her rules
are helpful, such as when she insists that small lambs not wander more than
an arbitrary distance from the barn; watching a 600-pound donkey, whose head
is three times the size of a lamb, nudge the lamb back toward the barn is a
delight. Other rules are less charming. Rosie will not allow a white sheep
to eat hay next to her at a feeder. Colored sheep and lambs are allowed. She
also insists on being present when lambs are born. The first sound every
lamb born here hears is Rosie's loud bray, announcing the birth to the
world. When visitors come, Rosie positions herself between a visitor and her
lambs. Rosie also builds On-Deck Circles in the pastures, cleared areas
where she can roll over to scratch her back.

Quirks aside, except for one year when a coyote snuck in and grabbed two
bottle-baby lambs, we have suffered no predator losses since Rosie has been
on guard. But not all donkeys are instinctive guards. Some will ignore an
intruder, and there are stories of donkeys who run away from intruders, and
donkeys who attack the sheep and goats they are supposed to protect. If
you're shopping for a guard donkey, stay away from intact (stallion) jacks
in favor of a gelded jack or a jenny (female). Some breeders test and/or
train donkeys for guard duty and will sell them with an agreement that will
allow you to exchange the donkey for another if it doesn't work out as a
guard. Remember too that a jenny with a foal may be too busy to watch a
flock. Even a jenny in season is thinking more about jacks than about
coyote. Two donkeys together may spend their time playing donkey games
instead of watching for predators.

--------------------------------------------------------

Subject: 11) Guard dogs

How about guard dogs?

Guard dogs have been used to protect flocks from prehistoric times. The
breeds used have ranged from mix-breed dogs used by native Americans in the
American west to the traditional guard dog species: Akbash (Turkey), Maremma
(Italy), Komondor and Kuvasz (Hungary), Liptok or Chuvatch (Czechoslovkia),
Tatra or Podhalanski (Poland), Shar Planinetz (Yugoslavia), and the Great
Pyrenees (France). By tradition most guard breeds are light-colored; the
light colored dogs are all-but-invisible to predators when they bed down
with the flock, and they are easily distinguished by a shepherd from
darker-colored coyotes, wolves, or other predators.

Guard dogs have been bred and trained to enhance a trio of traits. To be
effective, the guard dog must bond with the animals it is protecting, it
must be courageous in the face of a predator, and it must accept the
responsibility of its job. The dog lives day and night with the flock it is
protecting, and can be stand-offish toward people. Despite this essential
independence, the owner needs to establish him or herself as the alpha
figure in the dog's world.

Guard dogs are bonded with the flocks they are supposed to protect by being
introduced to stock as puppies, generally from 8 to 12 weeks. Once bonded,
dogs accept the animals they are guarding as equals, or even as dominent. It
takes some training and patience to get the bond right; puppies are playful,
and will sometimes chase, bite, or even kill stock. Eventually, a good guard
dog learns its role, and will acknowledge an irate ewe guarding her lambs by
moving away, lying down, or averting its eyes. Guard dogs live with the
stock they guard, bedding down with the sheep. Most guard dogs are fed with
the stock. Sometimes stock will eat the dog's food, although most dogs learn
to protect their food.

Guard dogs are by disposition independent. Most will make their rounds at
some time during the day, and spend a good deal of time at a favorite spot
where they can watch the flock and the surroundings. It takes training and
experience to teach a guard dog to accept pets and other adults, while not
losing its instinctive wariness toward predators. When it spots an intruder,
the dog will position itself between the intruder and the flock and make
threatening gestures toward the intruder. If the intruder does not withdraw,
the dog will attack. These are brave dogs, not afraid to attack predators
much larger than themselves. Komondors have been known to kill wolves.

Some potential problems with guard dogs include wanderering, chasing or
playing with stock, and dogs that are territorial rather than bonded to the
flock. The early training of the dog needs to take place in an enclosure so
the dog learns not to wander. Some dogs later need a strand of electric
fencing around the pasture to remind them where they should stay. Animals
that chase or play with stock must be curbed immediately; the challenge,
sometimes, is to teach a dog how to hold its own against aggressive sheep or
goats. There are also cases of dogs with territorial instincts. A
territorial dog can do a good job as a guard, as long as the flock doesn't
move to a new grazing area while the dog is protecting the old turf.
Finally, coyote or other predators can overwhelm even the best guard dogs;
in some instances guard dogs may solve a coyote problem for a number of
years, until the number of coyotes is so great that losses return to
pre-guard dog levels.

Guard dogs are not pets. To do their job, they need to have a primary
identity and bond with the flock they protect, rather than with the owner or
family of the owner. Trying to mix the roles will confuse the dog, and
lessen or destroy the effectiveness of the dog as a guard. For more
information on guard dogs, see the On Guard listing of WWW pages, and/or the
USDA publication Livestock Guarding Dogs: Protecting Sheep from Predators
(USDA Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 588).

--------------------------------------------------------

Subject: 12) Llamas

How about a guard llama?

Llamas are intelligent, instinctively dislike canines, and are capable of
protecting a flock from some predator attacks. A tall, alert 300-pound llama
can be intimidating to a coyote. Because they are ruminants, llamas can eat
the same diet as a flock of sheep or goats they are guarding. They can be
expensive to purchase, and in most areas vets have little experience with
llamas.

Although llamas can be effective guards against a single prowling coyote or
dog, llamas can themselves be vulnerable to packs of coyotes, dogs, wolves,
and cougars. Some llama breeders now refuse to sell llamas as guards because
their guarding manner -- out of natural curiosity, a llama walks toward a
marauding predator -- can increase their vulnerability. See Llamas as
Guardians - NOT! for some negative experiences with guard llamas.

--------------------------------------------------------

Subject: 13) Mixed herds

Can any animals protect themselves, so I don't have to feed and care for
extra animals?

Recent research at the Texas A&M University Research Station in Sonora,
Texas and at New Mexico State University have found that sheep and cattle
will bond when grazed together, so the cattle serve as natural protectors
for the sheep. The same experiment has not worked as well with goats, which
lack a strong flocking instinct. Co-grazing cattle and sheep may also
provide excellent utilization of pasture resources, as the cattle eat the
coarse growth and the sheep eat the lower and finer growth. (See the Pasture
FAQ for more information on pasture utilization.) Even in a mixed herd, cows
can be susceptible to losses of newborn calves from bold coyote.

--------------------------------------------------------

Subject: 14) Chicken Coop

What killed my chickens and what can I do about it?

The usual predators of chickens are racoons, foxes, weasels, and coyote. If
you find an explosion of feathers, the culprit was probably a racoon or fox,
although owls and hawks have been known to grab chickens. Racoons will go
after caged animals, pulling a head or feet through the fence and eating
them. They are very adept with their paws, and will often drag off a bird
and eat all of the meat, leaving an almost intact carcass. If you find dead
chickens with wounds around the neck, the likely culprit is a weasel. Dogs
will kill a chicken and often not eat it.

The only effective protection against most chicken predators is to lock the
chickens in a safe coop at night. Secure wire fencing, either with the
bottom buried or with a strand of barbed wire along the ground, and with no
holes or weak points, will do the job against racoons and foxes. Racoons
especially are clever enough to scout a fence for a weak spot. PVC fencing
on heavy rebar posts (surplus mine roof bolts, for example), is effective
for fowl, especially with electric scare wires at 2 inches and 7 inches off
the ground around the exterior perimeter. PVC fencing 5.5 feet high, with a
pattern roughly like a chain-link fence, has been used to protect and hold
chickens, emus, guineas, peafowl, and geese. One supplier of PVC fencing is
BF Products in Harrisburg PA (1.800.255.8397).

If the problem is weasels, you will need either solid walls and doors for
the coop, or a fine mesh fencing like hardware cloth. A weasel can get
through a quarter-sized hole, and when one gets into a coop they can do a
lot of killing in one night.

Netting over a fenced-in run may be necessary to deter hawks and owls. Be
sure to put some visible barrier up with the netting, such as surveyors
tape; otherwise the netting may be invisible to the raptors, especially at
night.

If your own dog is the problem, some farms have reported success in teaching
a dog not to chase chickens by tying a dead chicken around the dog's neck
for a few days.

--------------------------------------------------------

Subject: 15) Poison

What about poison baits and sterilization?

The USDA Experimental Range Station at Dubois, Idaho and other agencies have
done extensive research on predators. They built experimental fences and put
bitches in heat behind them to see what would hold a coyote or dog. They
have experimented extensively with poison baits and sterilization drugs,
often dropped by air.

>From  the 1940s until the late 1960s, the Humane Coyote-Getter, a baited
device which uses a small charge in a .38 Special cartridge to fire sodium
cyanide powder into the mouth of an exploring coyote, was popular. The
Coyote-Getter has now been banned by the EPA. The replacement is the M-44, a
mechanical device which fires a plastic capsule of sodium cyanide. The
devices are baited with a fetid scent, and are very selective for canines.
The exploring dog or coyote pulls upward on the device, triggering the
charge. Recent restrictions, imposed by the EPA in 1975, sharply curtail the
use of these devices.

Toxic collars, which are attached to sheep and kill a coyote attacking the
sheep, are a relatively new innovation, authorized in many areas, such as
Virginia. A number of toxicants have been tested; Compound 1080, sodium
monofluoroacetate, is the most promising. The disadvantage of the collars is
cost, around $18 per collar; the difficulty of keeping the collars on,
especially on lambs that are the most likely victims; and coyote sensitivity
to the `oddness' of the sheep wearing collars,

Toxic chemical baits are not registered by the EPA, and while potentially
effective are not selective. Sterilizing or fertility-reducing drugs have
also been tested. Many of these poisoning techniques are not safe for small
producers and hobby farms. Even rat and mouse poisons are dangerous to use
in a farm setting, because cats and other pets, or livestock, may
accidentally ingest the poison or poisoned animals. Poison techniques, such
as collars or the M-44 explosive devices, cannot be used in conjunction with
guard dogs.

--------------------------------------------------------

Subject: 16) Credits

Who wrote this FAQ? I'd like to be aware of regional and other prejudices in
the information.

Ronald Florence <[email-masked]>, who raises Cotswold sheep in Stonington,
Connecticut is the author. Additional information was provided by

   * Greg Kendall <[email-masked]> of Petaluma, California
   * Bernie Cosell <[email-masked]> of Pearisburg, Virginia
   * Dale Wagner <[email-masked]> of Gardiner, Oregon
   * Martin Smith <[email-masked]> of Steinkjer, Norway
   * Joey Dunagan <[email-masked]> of the University
     of Mississippi
   * Kelli & Simon North <[email-masked]> of British Columbia
   * Bonnie Gross <[email-masked]> of Westminster, Maryland
   * Trish Mahoney-Laska <[email-masked]> of Cobden, Ontario
   * Walter H. Schneider <[email-masked]> of Bruderheim, Alberta
   * Dave Burrows <[email-masked]> of Washington, Pennsylvania

--------------------------------------------------------

Subject: 17) Copyright & Permissions

May I use this FAQ in my homepage, book, talk, or article?

This document is copyright 1994-96 by Ronald Florence. Permission is granted
to copy this document in electronic form, or to print it for personal use,
provided that this copyright notice is not removed or altered. No portion of
this work may be sold, by itself or as part of a larger work, without the
express written permission of the author; this restriction includes but is
not limited to print, digital media, and electronic transmission.

The current html original of this document is available, along with html
FAQs on lambing, pastures, and haying, on the Maple Lawn Farm home page at
http://www.connix.com/~mlfarm. An ascii-digest version is posted by script
every 60 days to Usenet newsgroups misc.rural, misc.answers, and
news.answers.

-- 

   Ronald Florence		Maple Lawn Farm, Stonington, CT
   [email-masked]		http://www.connix.com/~mlfarm