If you raise any type of vulnerable livestock, whether it be sheep, goats, poultry or just something small, at one point or another you will probably find yourself pondering the use of a livestock guardian.
Livestock guardians are, simply put, an animal that is trained to protect other livestock. Each guardian uses a different method to protect it's charges, and in some circumstances you are best to use more than one type. As I have owned and used the three main categories of guardians, we'll talk about them here.
One thing I would like to point out before we start is that it is my belief that good guards are born, not made. Some animals will show a proclivity for guarding and some won't. That doesn't mean that there aren't some that will do the job admirably with a little training.
Livestock Guardian Donkeys
Donkeys can make excellent guards, depending on what you ask them to protect. They are best used in cattle and miniature equine herds to protect against wild dogs, dog packs and coyotes. (In Europe, they have even been used to protect against wolves.) Donkeys can be used to protect goats, sheep and alpacas as well, although more careful selection is required.
The best donkeys to use as guardians are gelded males or jennies. Using a jack is a dangerous gamble and should be avoided. While some jacks are fantastic with other animals, they are most likely to be highly territorial and may turn on the animals they are chosen to protect. These animals do best as single guardians, as they are more likely to bond with another of the same species or other equines and disregard the animals they are assigned to protect.
Donkeys protect their area and charges in a couple of ways. Some use vocalizations (braying) to alert the herd that predators are near, then round up their charges as attack the intruders as needed. Jackson, a jack I raised from a weanling preferred to run at intruders, either chased them from his pasture or pacing his fence line as if "daring" the potential intruder to come in. However, my gelding Zeke had a method all his own - he would act as if he didn't notice the intruder until it got within a distance to him where he thought he could get it, and then he would charge, attempting to stomp and/or bite the intruder until he had successfully run it out of his area. (Several neighbor dogs have been injured this way, but none have ever attempted to come back.)
Purchasing a donkey will vary greatly depending on where you live, and whether you are investing in a standard or mammoth. Expect to pay anywhere from $100 - $500 for a standard and $500 - $1500 for a mammoth.
Donkey Pros
- Widely available in most areas, though gelded males are usually harder to come by.
- Feeding requirements are minimal. Good pasture in the growing season and a good grass hay in winter is really all they require.
- Very effective against canines and is more likely to kill intruders than other livestock guards.
- Fairly low maintenance requirements.
Donkey Cons
- Young donkeys have been known to kill or injure goats and sheep in their care, simply by trying to play with them.
- Have been known to kill farm dogs, so if you have dogs they will need to be kept well away from donkeys.
- Not suitable for protecting against bears or mountain lions, although their have been some claims that mammoth donkeys will take on these animals.
Guard Llamas
Llamas seem to do best as guards for sheep, goats and alpacas, although they have also been used to protect calves and miniature livestock.
A llama guards it's charges primarily through the use of vocalizations to alert the herd or flock of threats. Depending on the intruder, some llamas may even chase or attempt to stomp them.
Finding a llama fit for guard duty can be difficult, and not all are born to it. The best guards are usually gelded males, although some females will do the job as well. Intact males, like intact male donkeys, should be avoided as they can be territorial with other animals and may turn on their charges. Also, there have been reports of male llamas smothering female goats and sheep by attempting to mate with them.
Having llamas since 1993, I can honestly say that in all the llamas I've owned, maybe 10% showed any real talent as guarding. Gracelynn, a female, was probably my best female guardian. She was not one to vocalize and alert, but was very prone to chasing things out of her pasture, including deer and dogs. I've had several geldings that did an admirable job, mostly through vocalizations, although we did have one that would chase canines.
Two of my very best however, were intact males. (As I said before though, intact males should be avoided when guarding other livestock is the goal as you are far less likely to encounter problems.)
Spatz was a herdsire that we owned for a number of years. When pasturing with the females he was prone to running predators and even took on a pack of neighbor dogs more than once. After he and I had bonded, he regarded me as a member of his herd and protected me from a strange man that showed up on the farm by getting between us and keeping the man at a distance from me.Prince is an intact male that currently lives with us (and will for the rest of his days), and a son of Spatz. He is probably the most observant animal I have ever owned and has been known to run dogs and even foxes out of his pasture. He lives with our female goats at the present, and at feeding time is actually the submissive one, often times getting pushed out and allowing the ladies to have the best feed, despite being nearly 200 lbs larger than them!
Several organizations adopt llamas to be used for guarding, and I would highly recommend checking with your local llama associations. Purchasing an experienced guard llama will cost you anywhere from $100-$500, depending on where you live.
Llama Pros
- Long lived, llamas can live 15-25 years under proper conditions.
- Bond well with sheep and goats.
- Can be trained to accept farm dogs.
Llama Cons
- A good guard can be hard to find, since not all llamas show a proclivity for it.
- Not effective against larger predators like mountain lions, bears, or large dogs.
- Their only real defenses are vocalizations, charging and stomping, which may not be effective in all cases.
- Not good at deterring animals that they do not see as threats (unlikely to discourage raccoons, possums, etc.)
Livestock Guardian Dogs
A very popular option for guardian is the LGD, or livestock guardian dog. These are usually breeds of dog that have been specifically bred to guard livestock such as sheep and goats. The most popular breeds include the Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherds, Maremmas, Old English Sheepdog, and several breeds of Mastiff.
LGD's use several different methods of flock protection, including territory marking, vocalizations (barking), chasing predators, and even fighting them. They are very useful against other canines, and can be used singly or in male/female pairs. Unlike some other livestock guardians, LGD's are also great for guarding poultry, and will keep raccoons, foxes, possums and other small predators out of and away from pens.
Each of the main LGD breeds differ a bit in tactics and what they are best for, so look for another post I'm currently writing about the different breeds and how to select a good LGD.
Prices for LGD's vary greatly between areas and between breeds and can range anywhere from $100 - $1500.
LGD Pros
- Readily available in areas where sheep and goats are raised.
- Useful against several different predators besides other canines. Some research shows that when used in pairs they are even effective at discouraging bear and mountain lion attacks.
LGD Cons
- Can be challenging to raise and challenging to keep fenced in.
- Unlike other guards, dogs will need to be separated from their charges to be fed.
Guards in Tandem
Of course, there is nothing wrong with using more than one type of guardian. I have found that donkeys and llamas can be quite useful together, as can dogs and llamas.
I would recommend that you really do your homework and talk to other owners to get a good idea of what will work best for you.
