How to know a Guard Donkey is doing his job...

[dirkwood]

How would you know a Guard Donkey is protecting your calves?
Do you buy your donkey first and later your calves..or maybe all at the same time?
I am learning before dumping in the deep end so in my view it would be a disaster to have your first animals and finding out the donkey is useless.
Please don't tell me that after finding a dead one she does not do her job is the only
answer.

 

[Bossroo]

I am sure that one is aware that there are individual donkeys and then there are other individual donkeys. Those donkeys will actually run a calf or sheep or goat to exhaustion and some will play with them like ragdolls and some of these playtoys will end up with 4 feet in the air.

 

[jhm47]

Got a neighbor who had a donkey for a guard animal. Things seemed to be working just fine till the cows started calving, and then the donkey guarded the cows from the calves. Killed many of them till the neighbor figured out what was going on. The neighbor made donkey baloney out of it, and it wasn't too bad. 'Course, we washed it down with adult beverages.

 

[bcnewe2]

I've seen mini donkeys guarding but they had to be trained not to harass babies or humans. IMO to many better choices for guards. And if I'm not mistaken, I don't think cows need much guarding. Have you ever tried to get close to a momma cow and her calf? Not me! But I raise sheep so don't know first hand only stories and watching the neighbors with cattle.
Of course adult beverages make everything better jhm47!

 

[dirkwood]

The thing is that I will have only calves....no mamma....and no dog as I am only in the weekends at the farm.We have lots of coyote and wolves...so what to do..a donkey is my only option but need to make sure she is doing her job before I spend my money on calves.

 

[bcnewe2]

If its got nothing to guard or learn to guard how will you know? Are you buying one that is already guarding? That would be about the only way, a history of guarding. And I'd want it to be used to guarding what your going to have it guard. Hope that makes since.

 

[bcnewe2]

Something else I'd like to know would be how successful is it to have only calves without cows. If I only had lambs (the stock I do raise) without ewes and only checked on them once a week, I just don't know if they'd be smart enough to stay out of trouble or alive. But calves could be smarter.

 

[dirkwood]

I have not got a donkey yet but definately will buy from a breeder whom is breeding guarders.I was hoping to hear caractistics from farmers whom have been dealing with this.I like to know how to introduce calves and donkey at what time and how long it would take they stay together and. accept each
other and if there are specific signs to know that the donkey indeed is protecting.

 

[woodsie]

I am biased as I can not sing the praises enough about LGDs...if you get a dog that has thousands of years of breeding to be independent defenders of livestock and has been trained (grown up guarding stock) you will not lose stock to predators...particularily if you have two. These dogs are bred to think independently (God knows that they do not take instruction from humans super well...they think they know better, and most of the time they do).

I think it is risky raising any stock without being there daily or at least every other day. So many little things can and do go wrong which may not be a big deal if you are there but best of luck...could you find someone else to check in on them?

If you are set on the guard donkey, I would agree with bcnewe2 that get one with a history of guarding...same goes with a LDG dog.

 

[dirkwood]

I am biased as I can not sing the praises enough about LGDs...if you get a dog that has thousands of years of breeding to be independent defenders of livestock and has been trained (grown up guarding stock) you will not lose stock to predators...particularily if you have two. These dogs are bred to think independently (God knows that they do not take instruction from humans super well...they think they know better, and most of the time they do).

I think it is risky raising any stock without being there daily or at least every other day. So many little things can and do go wrong which may not be a big deal if you are there but best of luck...could you find someone else to check in on them?

If you are set on the guard donkey, I would agree with bcnewe2 that get one with a history of guarding...same goes with a LDG dog.

I agree.....not being there every day is not ideal and yes...wish I could have a dog but can definitely not leave them on attended. Yes I could ask the neighbors to keep an eye out.I have been told by others on here that it's not a big of a deal to have them on there own for 5 days.The donkey I will get from a special breeder who only sells guards.