Donkeys preventing wild dog attacks on livestock!

 Are Donkeys the Answer to your stock losses?

Wild dogs are a growing concern for graziers throughout Australia. Wild dogs include not just dingoes but feral domestic dogs and hybrid mixes of the two.

Dog attacks on livestock are happening throughout the country including Central Queensland. Wild dogs do not limit their attacks just to sheep but to all kinds of stock including cattle and goats. All these animals are most susceptible when giving birth as this is when packs of wild dogs target the mothers and draw them away leaving their babies unprotected.

Family pet Amigo 

One local farmer believes that they have the answer to these increasingly horrid attacks. Peter McLintock runs the McLintock family farm at Goovigen and part of their property is dedicated to breeding donkeys. Peter along with the help of his brother David, are seeing more and more donkeys being purchased as “Guard Donkeys” as the number of dog attacks increase across the state.

“This isn't just a Northern Australian or “Outback” Queensland problem any more,” David says.

“Dog attacks are happening right here in Central Queensland and on a regular basis.”

David says he has regular phone calls from people desperate for a solution as they have been losing mostly newborns and young stock from continual dog attacks.

“I have people telling me horrendous stories of how they have been losing stock for years and the problem is only getting worse,” he said. “One family came back from holidays only to find a huge number of their sheep and goats had been slaughtered. They didn't even eat all they killed as they obviously were in a frenzy and just kept killing.”

“Donkeys are the ideal guard animal as they simply hate dogs,” David said. “One local grazier was regularly losing calves every year and then they bought 4 Jacks off us to run on 600 acres. This was 2 years ago and since then they haven't lost one calf. Their donkeys have become part of the herd and actually go out of their way to protect the mothers during their calving times.”

David went on to say that he follows up on all the donkeys that leave the farm and to date every one who has purchased donkeys for guard duties has said the same thing – no more dog problems.

Baby donkeys are a great age to start as pets

“Although one donkey can protect a lot of stock as he sees them as his family, it is simply not possible for one donkey to protect a large herd over a huge number of acres,” David stated. “Donkeys need to be in the area where the dogs are predating and to do this effectively, more than one donkey is required on larger properties. Once the donkey either sees or hears the dogs he or she will attack them. However if there is only one donkey on a larger property then you run the risk of some of the dogs drawing the guard donkey away from the mothers and leaving their babies vulnerable to the remaining dogs.”

Because donkeys are a herd animal they bond perfectly with other animals and once that bond has been made your donkey will protect his new family to the extent that he will chase down the dog or dogs, killing them or injuring them with either his hooves or his teeth or an onslaught of the two.”

“Donkeys are very intelligent animals and are fearless when it comes to dogs,” David said.

“Having said that, donkeys make the most wonderful pets,” he went on to say. “Usually we recommend donkeys to be either 2 years old or above if wanting them to protect stock immediately.” However, by getting your donkey as a baby you get the best of both worlds. Donkeys thrive on affection and in a short number of weeks after bringing a baby home you will be having the sweetest of cuddles because to the donkey, you are part of his new family.

He will grow up loving you and his new “herd family” you have him running with and once that trust is established between him, the herd and you, getting him to come to you will never be a problem as he will always come over to you wherever he is in the paddock.”

“Donkeys have everything going for them with very few negatives. Once your donkeys have bonded with the herd, their natural herding instinct means they will almost never want to leave them so are not prone to wandering away. This also guarantees that they will be there when the dogs come calling and it also means that those dogs will think twice before calling again and more than likely will go to the neighbours place next time if he hasn't got donkeys.”

“There is no question about it,” David says, “Donkeys are gaining in popularity because they are pure and simply the answer to wild dog problems. They are loving and friendly animals, low cost, minimal maintenance, eat the same foods but much less as your stock and live to a ripe old age.”

Visit Donkeys for Dog Control Facebook and/or phone David on 0749965128 or 0412962305

These four handsome gentlemen have already gone
 to work to protect their new family's herd