Before we even got sheep , my hubby and I hash out various ways of keeping our sheep good from predators . Having had poultry for 15 years , I hump how important it is to protect your livestock .
We discussed an LGD ( livestock protector detent ) , donkeys and even a llama . But not everyone uses stock guardian .
And then a herd dog clinician who has many decades of experience and knew of our lot - up said to us , “ I ’d just put them up at night . ”
So that start out me wondering : What is the best way to protect your sheep against predator ? Well , the best ( and least hearty ) answer unfeignedly is … it depend .
Livestock Dogs
I spoke to Denice Rackley , owner ofClearfield Stockdogsand a sheep producer for 20 years . She has a big farm in southern Indiana and uses several livestock guardian blackguard ( LGD ) to keep her sheep safe .
For her , the LGDs are the best and most workable option . She says they live out with the sheep 24/7 , are aristocratical with the sheep ( or should be if you are go away to use them ) and savage with anything that comes in or near the field that should not be there .
Like her border collies are her married person when impress the sheep , the LGDs are her partners in protecting the sheep .
Alfred Kenneally/Unsplash
But , according to Denice , get under one’s skin the right cad for the job is probably one of the most crucial option you will make when looking to protect your sheep . In fact , she articulate one of the adult mistakes people make in choose an LGD is “ not being selective enough in find a breeder . ”
Finding a stock breeder who multiply dogs specifically for this Book of Job is central , she say .
Denice is also an completed writer and has agreat three - part seriesin Acres USA about choosing , raising and training an LGD .
Alfred Kenneally/Unsplash
Read more : Here are some old - schoolhouse vulture trade protection method for farm livestock .
Other Guardians
We decided — for now — against an LGD because of our small space and close law of proximity to neighbors . LGDs do much of their piece of work at nighttime , including bark , which would not make us popular in the area .
Donkeys and llamas are also another option . A sheep - keeper friend who lives nearby swears by her two miniature donkeys as awesome protectors against neighborhood dogs and prairie wolf . Female donkey ( also called a jenny ) are probably good than the Male ( call a jack ) to live with sheep .
The donkeys may get to know your process dogs , but they could kvetch a pet heel that wanders into the sheep pasture . And it ’s best to be careful with donkey when you are lambing , as they could harm a small Elia . Denice told me that if you were run low to get a jenny , it would be good to raise a untested one with your sheep so that she could bond with them .
One upper side of both donkeys and llamas is that they rust the same stuff as the sheep . That makes taking care of them a lot easier .
A potential downside for some people is that , if they use stock detent to move their sheep , they most likely will have to tie up or compose the donkey or llama before give up a stock hotdog to do its work .
Llamas have worked really well for some people , but from what I have read , success in using them is not as meaning . And , bear in mind that they will need to be fleece .
If you keep fleece sheep , this might not be a large deal . But for those with tomentum sheep , that ’s a chore they would likely just as soon forego . Alfred Kenneally / Unsplash
Fencing: Hot or not
I think it ’s safe to guide out that good predator protection of any kind starts with a good fence . But a fencing alone may not be the answer .
I ’m very favorable to have a number of friends and acquaintances who are experienced and are very good at raising sheep . So , when I was search the sheep - predator protection issue , I start in touch with a friend in Kentucky who has had sheep for many years . The last time I saw her , she had a very protective donkey in her field ,
To my surprise , she narrate me that these days she has put back her Equus asinus with a hotwire around the margin of her fencing . She says she use it everywhere she can keep the fence line open and uses electro netting in the shoes where the thicket preclude a hotwire .
“ safety fauna are great , but I have to say , I do n’t escape taking care of an extra animal , sorting off when I work the sheep and the varying levels of tribute . Electricity is a sure - fire check , in my feeling . ”
Read more : ascertain out these farm fence in fundamentals to keep things secure .
Nighttime Penning
In the remnant , we decided to go with what is loosely call “ nighttime composition . ” In the truest sense of the term , it means bringing sheep together near a construction or near humans at night as a way of keep predators away .
We have two main pasture areas , so we decided to put the sheep up each night in a locked barn and lease them out each break of day .
Denice did monish me about taking the sheep to the same place each night as a style of exposing sheep to and establish up a insect problem . So , to that end , we are bind to a fairly strict schedule of worming the sheep to assure this does n’t cause problems .
Penning the sheep each night and releasing them each good morning might not be the solution for everyone , but we have raised poultry for 15 years and it has become part of our daily routine here on our farm .
Sidebar: Dealing With Dogs
In my part of the country , the greatest threats are prairie wolf and neighbors ’ dogs . UC Davis hasa tablethat calculate at the various style to protect your sheep against different predatory animal .
