Cost Effectiveness of Livestock Guardian Dogs for Predator Control

Saitone, Tina L.; Bruno, Ellen

doi:10.1002/wsb.1063

Cited by 8 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…The idea of utilizing movement to enhance the three concepts of deterrents is not novel, as it is naturally incorporated into the use of livestock guarding dogs ( Gehring, VerCauteren & Landry, 2010 ; Saitone & Bruno, 2020 ; Smith et al, 2000a ). Guard dogs can move across a landscape, they are unpredictable, and can adaptively respond to animals on the landscape.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating robotics into wildlife conservation: testing improvements to predator deterrents through movement

Breck,

Schultz,

Prause

et al. 2023

PeerJ

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Background Agricultural and pastoral landscapes can provide important habitat for wildlife conservation, but sharing these landscapes with wildlife can create conflict that is costly and requires managing. Livestock predation is a good example of the challenges involving coexistence with wildlife across shared landscapes. Integrating new technology into agricultural practices could help minimize human-wildlife conflict. In this study, we used concepts from the fields of robotics (i.e., automated movement and adaptiveness) and agricultural practices (i.e., managing livestock risk to predation) to explore how integration of these concepts could aid the development of more effective predator deterrents. Methods We used a colony of captive coyotes as a model system, and simulated predation events with meat baits inside and outside of protected zones. Inside the protected zones we used a remote-controlled vehicle with a state-of-the art, commercially available predator deterrent (i.e., Foxlight) mounted on the top and used this to test three treatments: (1) light only (i.e., without movement or adaptiveness), (2) predetermined movement (i.e., with movement and without adaptiveness), and (3) adaptive movement (i.e., with both movement and adaptiveness). We measured the time it took for coyotes to eat the baits and analyzed the data with a time-to-event survival strategy. Results Survival of baits was consistently higher inside the protected zone, and the three movement treatments incrementally increased survival time over baseline except for the light only treatment in the nonprotected zone. Incorporating predetermined movement essentially doubled the efficacy of the light only treatment both inside and outside the protected zone. Incorporating adaptive movement exponentially increased survival time both inside and outside the protected zone. Our findings provide compelling evidence that incorporating existing robotics capabilities (predetermined and adaptive movement) could greatly enhance protection of agricultural resources and aid in the development of nonlethal tools for managing wildlife. Our findings also demonstrate the importance of marrying agricultural practices (e.g., spatial management of livestock at night) with new technology to improve the efficacy of wildlife deterrents.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating robotics into wildlife conservation: testing improvements to predator deterrents through movement

Breck,

Schultz,

Prause

et al. 2023

PeerJ

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show abstract

“…The use of non-lethal strategies is practical in small-scale farms, while its implementation in large areas could become inefficient. In the USA, the most used non-lethal mitigation measure across different farms sizes are livestock guardian dogs [70]. However, their use should be subject of a cost (acquisition and maintenance) versus benefits (reduction in losses) analysis [70].…”

Section: Exposure To Wild Animalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the USA, the most used non-lethal mitigation measure across different farms sizes are livestock guardian dogs [70]. However, their use should be subject of a cost (acquisition and maintenance) versus benefits (reduction in losses) analysis [70]. The use of donkeys or camelids present lower maintenance costs due that part of their diet is provided by forages grown in the farm.…”

Section: Exposure To Wild Animalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Animal Welfare and Production Challenges Associated with Pasture Pig Systems: A Review

Pietrosemoli

Tang

2020

Agriculture

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A review of published literature was conducted to identify pasture pig production system features that pose risks to animal welfare, and to develop recommendations aimed at improving the wellbeing of the animals managed in those systems. Pasture pig production systems present specific challenges to animal welfare that are inherent to the nature of these systems where producers have little room to make improvements. However, these systems present other challenges that could be reduced with a carefully designed system, by adopting appropriate management strategies and by avoiding management practices that are likely to negatively affect animal wellbeing. In pasture pig production systems, exposure to extreme temperatures, potential contact with wildlife and pathogens (especially parasites), vulnerability to predators, risk of malnutrition, pre-weaning piglet mortality, complexity of processes for monitoring and treating sick animals, and for cleaning and disinfection of facilities and equipment are among the main threats to animal welfare.

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Mesocarnivores of Western Rangelands

Young,

Butler,

Holbrook

et al. 2023

Rangeland Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

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There are 22 species of mesocarnivores (carnivores weighing < 15 kg) belonging to five families that live in rangelands of the western United States. Mesocarnivores are understudied relative to large carnivores but can have significant impacts on ecosystems and human dimensions. In this chapter, we review the current state of knowledge about the biology, ecology, and human interactions of the mesocarnivores that occupy the rangelands of the central and western United States. In these two regions, mesocarnivores may serve as the apex predator in areas where large carnivores no longer occur, and can have profound impacts on endemic prey, disease ecology, and livestock production. Some mesocarnivore species are valued because they are harvested for food and fur, while others are considered nuisance species because they can have negative impacts on ranching. Many mesocarnivores have flexible life history strategies that make them well-suited for future population growth or range expansion as western landscapes change due to rapid human population growth, landscape development, and alterations to ecosystems from climate change; however other mesocarnivores continue to decline. More research on this important guild is needed to understand their role in western working landscapes.

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Cost Effectiveness of Livestock Guardian Dogs for Predator Control

Cited by 8 publications

References 28 publications

Integrating robotics into wildlife conservation: testing improvements to predator deterrents through movement

Integrating robotics into wildlife conservation: testing improvements to predator deterrents through movement

Animal Welfare and Production Challenges Associated with Pasture Pig Systems: A Review

Mesocarnivores of Western Rangelands

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