Donkeys and cattle

Does anyone have a donkey with your cattle herd? This is something I thought about a little before. I had two coyotes take a new born calf last week, so I'm starting to think about it again. I'm just afraid it wouldn't work and I'd have an animal around for nothing. Why would a donkey run off dogs and coyotes? Is this something all donkeys do, or do you have to find one that will? I'm also concerned about my own dog's safety. I've had people tell me a donkey will trample a dog to death if it gets a chance. That wouldn't make my wife happy if that happened. I have other questions too, but I'll see if there's any response first. Thanks Ranse.

Fido will soon learn to stay outa the cattle pen..It only becomes a problem if decides to stay.

a person I have worked with was going to do that but haven't heard yae or nay

shameless dude wrote: not cattle, but my neighbor has a lhama in with his sheep. says he don't have any problems, we do have 2 packs of coyotes running around here right now.

I did a little internet research on this subject. Surprisingly, llamas are good guard animals. My wife would be all in on a llama, she's crazy about them.


One of the things I read is chasing coyotes is something not all donkeys will do. I was afraid of that. Apparently, some will run or only chase them when they are attacked themselves. I'm 99% sure that I would end up with one that could care less what happens to the cows.

shameless dude wrote: not cattle, but my neighbor has a lhama in with his sheep. says he don't have any problems, we do have 2 packs of coyotes running around here right now.

DiyDave wrote: shameless dude wrote: not cattle, but my neighbor has a lhama in with his sheep. says he don't have any problems, we do have 2 packs of coyotes running around here right now. <ul ="SQUARE" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; color: rgb0, 0, 2; font-size: 13.28px; : rgb254, 248, 226;">An Argentine gaucho named Bruno Said, "There is one thing that I do know: Now, women are fine,  And sheep are divine,  But llamas are numero uno."

I never would have thought it, but there's actually a lot information on the internet about llamas as guard animals. I even watched a video. A woman had a llama and donkeys. It looked like the llama did most of the work, heading off the coyote from the herd. I don't know if they would fit in with cattle. It looked like it's just a sheep farmer thing. Besides, donkeys are fairly common around here with cattle. I can't say I've ever seen a llama, and I don't believe I want to become the first. People in the community might think I'm a weird-o.

What breed cattle? A local guy, similar acreage as yours, raises Galloway. They have the reputation of extreme aggressiveness toward predators, especially canines. There's a story of a man that raised Galloways, his neighbor's shepherd used to go after sheep when he raised them. The dog, it's said, only made the mistake of going in after the Galloways once. All that was left of it was the trampled spot of blood, guts and brown dog hair. They heard barking, then the cows bellowing, then sounds like a dog screaming, then nothing. The local guy claims that he knows this person in the story I read about through the Galloway Association (or whatever is the right name) and that the story, along with dozens of other similar stories, are verifiably true. I can't personally say. And we do have a substantial coyote problem around here. He's never had any issues with coyotes or dogs.

My daughter-in-law has family ranching in west central Tx.  They have had a pair of donkeys running with cattle.  They have had them for several years and I doubt they'd be there if they weren't doing some good.  They also have a problem with feral hogs and unfortunately the donkeys don't help with that.

I heard those tales years ago about donkeys keeping coyotes out of the cattle pastures, so I just had to get some. Believe me, they were nothing but trouble. Not only were they useless, some of them would actually chase the cattle and bite them on the neck as they were running them. Might have been part of a mating ritual?  Also when you decide it is time to move the cattle to the pen or to another pasture guess what animals will be the first to break and run in the wrong direction causing part of the herd to follow them. Didn't take me long to decide that they had to go.  On the other side, I did meet a gentleman last year that said he had donkeys that would get a coyote by the neck and shake him to death or back up to one and kick him to death!!!!!!! Kind of thought to myself that if coyotes were in bad enough shape to let a donkey do that to them, the coyotes weren't in any shape to harm a cow or calf. I promise he really did tell me that story expecting me to believe it.  And I will add that the man is a politician, he might just believe himself.

A little brahma in the momma, and you don't need no guard...  When the dnr started releasin coyote's here, about 15 year ago (they still deny they do it), we had 1 out in the pasture, and all the cows were on point, calves under them, standing in a tight circle.  When I saw that, grabbed the ole trusty .22 mag, and finished off the mangy mutt that thay had been chasin around the pasture.  I whistled, and he stood up from the afterbirth pile he was after, as if to say, put me outta my misery!

I never had a Jack that worked and out of 7 I had i got one little Jenny that is worth keeping. If you can trim their feet yourself a small Jenny is worth a try. The one I have left will stomp coons possums cats dogs turkeys.I've seen her stand at the fence for hours and stare at the neighbors German Shepard. As far as I know she keeps the coyote out as well. Older healthy cows don't usually need protection I've not had any turkey since I got donkeys. Now that I'm down to one on one place the turkey are coming back. As said before other things work but are costly to keep.
If you can , during calving season if managed properly during breeding season, put up a cross fence to keep them close to home. This is your cheapest way and if you got a good watch dog all ready to warn you it would be a bonus. The bear population is increasing in my area faster than cubs can be born thanks to TWRA. I dislike them as much as I do the hogs , snakes,bears and mountain lions they are rehoming near me.but that another topic. I'm sure the wildlife folks do something right but I've yet to see it. Sorry for getting off track. Good luck with your problem.

I would love to think I could have a 95% birth and survival rate of my calves and always shoot for 100% but never make it. Try farming next to a landfill . lost one all ready this year and going into the next birthing cycle around now thru December don't look good at all, weather, predators and all other sorts of issues. If it was

Any of us in the livestock business are so luck those that came before about had predators under control. But it has really gone back to the wild west days in the last 30 years.

Ranse wrote: I appreciate everyone's input. A lot of pros and cons stated. I'm still undecide. I guess I'll see what happens. This is my first coyote trouble, and the first time I've seen them on my property. I've lots of trouble with dogs in the past. Dogs usually chase cattle for amusement. It's no game for the coyotes though. I been taking a rifle with me when I go out now, but I figure I'm not likely to see them again. Not unless they are eating another calf. cabinhollow, had the nuts been bit off the first two bulls too? Just curious.

They dunged one up and yes, it had been bit on the nuts too.
I work as a shearer ( I have sheared over 150,000 animals) for 40 years, I know alot about llamas and other types of guard animals.
Fastest shearing a sheep, under 50 seconds. A llama, under 80 seconds.
That is shears on to shears off.
$5 a head for sheep, $25 a head for llamas. If you are fast/good, the pay is not to bad.
Now on a flock/herd bases, the best I did was 148 sheep in 3 hours 45 min. On llamas it was 15 head in 50 min. And 25 alpacas in 1 hour and 30 min.