Owning your own barn entails countless responsibilities, which can easily become overwhelming for anyone. One of the most important parts of your job is also the most crucial to the continued success of your farm or homestead. You will need to focus on ensuring the safety and protection of your livestock. Unfortunately, your animals are quite vulnerable, so you need to know about the top livestock predators that can harm them.
Birds of Prey
Birds of prey are aerial predators that can be challenging to protect your livestock from. These predators can easily swoop in from way up high at a moment’s notice. Moreover, we can’t always stay on watch of our livestock when they’re grazing in open land. The most dangerous birds are owls and hawks, as they enjoy hunting your rabbits and chickens. One of the best ways to mitigate bird prey is to keep your feedlots free from grain, which tends to attract those feathery pests.
Coyotes
The top livestock predator you need to know about is the coyote, as they live in just about every area, suburban or urban, and thrive nationwide. Coyote tends to go after cattle, goats, lamb, and sheep who are small, young, or weak. If you suspect a coyote may be attacking your livestock, you likely want to know what you can do to protect them. An essential piece of equipment you need to keep your livestock safe is to install electric fencing. It’s best to keep your fence at about five feet or longer to deter coyotes.
Badgers
It may seem surprising since they seem quite unassuming, but badgers pose a significant threat to your livestock. Badgers are incredibly strong and brutish. These predators tend to prey on small creatures such as rabbits, prairie dogs, gophers, and chickens. A fence does well to protect your animals. However, if badgers are a persistent problem on your farm, you might need to turn to trapping and hunting them to control the situation.
