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Grazing management and low-stress herding to prevent livestock predation by grizzly/brown bears: a case study in the Rocky Mountains, USA
Author
Barnes, MK
Publisher
XII International Rangeland Congress
Publication Year
2025
Body

Low-stress herding is a method to apply strategic grazing management, and possibly to reduce vulnerability to predation by rekindling herd instinct and increasing effective stocking density, facilitating collective anti-predator behaviour —similar to the group-size effect in wild prey species (Barnes 2015 a,b). We collaborated with ranchers and agency partners on a grazing allotment in the Wind River Range of northwestern Wyoming, USA, where permittees were having difficulty implementing a grazing rotation without cross-fences, and cattle had been lost to grizzly bears (North American brown bears; Ursus arctos) and other predators including gray wolves (Canis lupus). For 3 years, we hosted workshops on low-stress livestock handling, including hands-on practice in the field, and we attempted a grazing rotation through 7-9 mostly unfenced units, with at least one rider on the allotment most days. In the 3 years prior to the project (minimal grazing management), cattle tended to scatter, and the ranchers lost 0.8-19.1% of calves per year, as well as a few yearlings and adult cattle, to all causes during the summer grazing season. In the year of highest losses, one rancher lost 19.1% of calves, and bear predation accounted for 6.7% of calves (about 1 of every 3 deaths). During the 3 years of the project (rotation by low-stress herding) the cattle self-organized into larger groups, although never a single large group: a modest improvement over previous years (but not all that is possible with low-stress herding). Losses to all causes were 2.8-7.7% of calves per herd per year, as well as a few yearlings and adult cattle, with 0 confirmed predation losses. This reduction in both total and predation losses followed a modest improvement in handling skill, herd instinct, and effective stock density. While we cannot conclusively attribute causality, this result continued for the 3 years of the project.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Additional Information
This paper is part of the larger XII International Rangelands Congress Proceedings. Page Numbers: 921-925. Theme: Theme 4 / Management for biodiverse rangelands
ISSN
978-0-646-72121-7
Conference Name
International Rangeland Congress
Collection
International Rangelands Congress
Keywords
depredation
livestock-carnivore coexistence
low-stress livestock handling
range riding
stockmanship