Other Livestock Guardians

Llamas are naturally aggressive toward coyotes and dogs. Llamas’ responses to predators include: becoming alert, alarm calling, walking to or running toward the predator; chasing, kicking, or pawing the predator, or positioning themselves between the sheep and the predator. They have also been known to herd the sheep together into one area to try to keep them safe. Llamas will usually bond with sheep in a few days.

Donkeys are gaining in popularity as protectors of sheep and goat flocks in the United States. Donkeys have an inherent dislike for dogs and other canids. They will bray, bare their teeth, run and chase, and attempt to bite and kick an intruder. Only a gelded jack or jenny (female) should be used as a guardian since intact males can be aggressive towards livestock. A single donkey will usually bond easily with the sheep.

But . . .  

Guardian dogs effectively deter coyote and dog predation in fenced pastures and on open range, whereas llamas and donkeys appear best suited to fenced pastures of less than 300 acres. Guardian dogs are effective in deterring bear and mountain lion predation, whereas some donkeys and possibly llamas are afraid of bears and mountain lions.

Running sheep and cattle together has been shown to reduce predator losses, but in order for mixed species grazing to be an effective deterent to predators, the sheep and cattle must "bond" together; otherwise they will graze separately. Young lambs can be bonded with cattle by penning them in confinement close to cattle. When the bonded lambs and cattle are turned out to pasture, the lambs will follow the cattle. When they are threatened by a predator, the lambs will run and huddle among the cattle. A mixed group of cattle and sheep is a called a "flerd."

. . New Words . .

Predation - an interaction between species in which one species, the predator, eats the other species, the prey.

Canids - Any of various widely distributed carnivorous mammals of the family Canidae, which includes the foxes, wolves, dogs, jackals, and coyotes.

Jack - male donkey.

Jenny - female donkey.

Gelding - castrated male horse.

Open Range - A cattle- or sheep-ranching area characterized by a general absence of fences.

Flerd - when sheep and cattle graze together.  Flock + Herd = Flerd.