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LOW-STRESS HERDING FOR COEXISTENCE WITH LARGE CARNIVORES IN THE NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAINS.
Author
Barnes, Matt
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2016
Body

Strategic grazing management is based on the patterns of wild grazing animals in the presence of their predators, which tend to increase group size (comparable to stock density) and movement over landscapes (comparable to grazing management). Managing livestock based on these patterns, especially with low-stress herding, appears to reduce predation losses. Partnering with progressive ranchers, we field-tested approaches to herding cattle at relatively high stock density. In western Montana, we applied two close herding methods. First, we used night penning and daily herding to enforce constantly high stock density. Then, we used low-stress herding to train the co-mingled heifers to function socially as a single herd. Low-stress herding required more skill, and significant initial labor, but less labor overall. In a second project, at the beginning of the grazing season, with a herd of co-mingled steers, we combined daily low-stress herding with night penning, to maximize stock density when potential predators would be most active and to impact portions of the pasture that were otherwise under-utilized. Increased herd instinct lasted beyond the daily herding period, throughout the summer grazing season. The yearlings apparently did not interact with potential predators in either of these projects. A year after the second project, areas where we night-penned cattle had up to 55% more forage production than adjacent areas grazed at moderate stock density. In northwestern Wyoming, we provided training in low-stress livestock handling for permittees on a National Forest allotment with two herds and a history of losses to predation by grizzly bears and wolves. One of the two herds showed consistent herd instinct, and one showed slightly improved herd instinct. During the first two years, there have been no confirmed predation losses. Herding appears to potentially reduce both encounters with large carnivores and the likelihood that such encounters result in predation.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Conference Name
SRM Corpus Christi, TX
Collection
SRM Annual Meeting Abstracts