[Ag-eq] livestock guardians

[Zachary Mason]

I've done some background research on the subject. I will try to forward it to you once the fair is over.

Zac

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 1, 2014, at 12:54 AM, Nella Foster via Ag-eq <ag-eq at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Quoting Jewel via Ag-eq <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>:
> 
>> 
>> 
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> 
>>    Personally, I have little  knowledge of livestock guardian dogs, but, I
>> understand from
>> conversations I have had with those that do, that they are very good at their
>> designated job .
>> Nella!  If you can, get an adult or advanced one that has already had
>> experience with the job.  They
>> do come up for rehoming occasionally because one of their less desirable
>> traits is that they bark
>> almost the entire night;  the slightest sound or scent of a possible predator
>> carried on the breeze
>> will trigger * NOISE, and lots of it!  This, of course, is to tell, invaders
>> that the territory is
>> spoken for, but is a trait that does not go down too well with neighbours if
>> they sleep within
>> hearing range of a large dog's large bark.
>> 
>> If you get a pup, make sure that it comes from a line of successful LGDs.
>> An LGD does spend its entire life with the flock, but, for purposes of animal
>> welfare, you should
>> supply it with a kennel:  which it may choose never to use: and, naturally,
>> as though I need to add
>> this:  food.
>> I don't think that it is possible:  but I could be wrong:  for the dog to be
>> both a companion dog
>> and a livestock guardian.
>> Be a good friend to your dog, but the "Hale fellow, well met!" meet and greet
>> sessions are
>> accomplished while still out in the pasture with his flock mates.
>> On the goatsplus list, we have a lady who has a LGD, Misty, who she was,
>> seriously, for a while,
>> considering rehoming because the paddock where it looked after its charges
>> was right outside her and
>> her husband's bedroom window, but she decided that Misty was doing such a
>> wonderful job at keeping
>> the varmints at bay that she and he would just have to get used to her
>> constant barking, which they
>> have done!
>> When Marie got Misty, she had 2 goats, one of which was an incorrigible
>> escape artist, and Misty's
>> presence made no difference to Frankie's determination to get out.
>> Marie rehomed Frankie and his goat cobber with a large herd, and Misty was
>> left with the feathery
>> flock of chooks, which she constantly rounds up to the chooks great alarm as
>> they have visions of
>> their heads being snatched off!  Nothing could be further from Misty's mind,
>> but try and convince
>> the chooks of that!  Save your breath:  they won't believe a word of it!
>> Before Misty came on the scene, there was a varmint, perhaps a raccoon,
>> living on the property
>> which used to steal the eggs, and also kill the occasional layer of those
>> eggs, but there has not
>> been a theft or death for a very long time now!
>> 
>>          Jewel
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> From: <nfoster at extremezone.com>
>> Sent: Monday, September 01, 2014 5:55 AM
>> To: "Jewel" <jewelblanch at kinect.co.nz>; "Agricultural and Equestrian Division
>> List"
>> <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
>> Subject: livestock guardians
>> 
>> Does anyone on here have livestock guardian dogs or has anyone had them in
>> the
>> past?
>> 
>> I'm a little concerned about the safety of my goats after we move to
>> Arkansas.
>> The goats will have more room and won't be as close to my house.  I also
>> know
>> that many people out in the country seem to think it's o.k. to let their dogs
>> run free.
>> 
>> I'm just not sure how you train these dogs to protect the livestock and not
>> chase them.  Someone told me that you should put the puppy in with the goat
>> kids and let them grow up together.
>> 
>> Does anyone have any experience with this or suggestions?
>> 
>> If any of you live out in the country, how do you keep your livestock safe?
>> 
>> Nella
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Quoting Jewel via Ag-eq <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>:
>> 
>>> I get a number of podcasts to do with natural history and life in rural New
>>> Zealand.
>>> If I can work out the way to do it, would anyone be interested if I was to
>>> post some of them to the
>>> public link for dropbox?
>>> 
>>>           Jewel
>>> 
>>> 
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> 
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