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| Feeding multiple LGD is not cheap, the annual costs of the use of LGD needs to be weighed against the benefits. |
The Economic Tipping Point
©Louise Liebenberg (2021)
Dan Macon, in an article he wrote, took a closer look at some of the points
made by Saitone and Bruno. Macon questions how to put a value to some of the
costs/benefit calculations; “how do I know how many sheep didn't die because we
had dogs with them? What is the value of my own peace of mind? (https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=31326).
What was clear from both articles was that quantifying the cost /benefit is not
a simple calculation of feed, purchase, and veterinary costs versus livestock
lost/saved because of using LGD. It is
hard to quantify what was not lost or what was saved because of the presence of
the dogs, or even the number of dogs a certain operation needs, labor costs
will vary dependent on a variety of factors.
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| Cattle who are accustomed to large dogs, tend to be less stressed and calmer around wolves. Calmer livestock have a direct and positive effect on gains and well being of the animals. |
Many of the costs/benefits are hidden and hard to quantify. Cattle who get
harassed regularly by wolves tend to wean lighter weight calves, they expend
more time and energy being on the lookout for predators and the cattle tend to
be more nervous. They spend less time grazing and confine their grazing to
safer areas. Calves can be lost due to abandonment because of predator
harassment. These calves are often not even found. These losses are not direct deaths however
they do have an economic impact on the wellbeing of the livestock. How do you
put a value or benefit to keeping cattle/ sheep calmer? Research (Weber et al, 2015)
at the U.S. Sheep Center in Dubois, Idaho, found "that ewes grazing with
accompanying LGD will travel greater daily distances compared with ewes grazing
without LGD accompaniment. As a result of traveling greater distances, ewes may
also be exposed to more and varied foraging opportunities." (https://d1cqrq366w3ike.cloudfront.net/http/DOCUMENT/SheepUSA/SGRJ_V30_18-23_Webber_7-15.pdf)
I have found in our own flock that having the LGD with the sheep allows for the
sheep to spend more time grazing, they will go and graze in heavier bushed
pastures. Before using LGD, the ewes
would not venture into these areas. They are more comfortable grazing when the
LGD are present. Similarly, with the cattle. As our cattle are accustomed to
large, big dogs in amongst them, they do not spook/scare easily. Wolves like to test a herd by spooking them,
they will make runs at the herd to create some panic where younger or older
animal will split off from the main herd making it an easier target for wolves.
We have seen wolves around our cattle, the cows do not spook, they tend to
remain calmer and tighter together. It
would require the wolves to put a lot more effort into making the cattle run. How
do you put a value to this? Having
calmer cattle that do not scatter or run through fences when approached by
wolves, helps with overall cattle management and a saving in labor costs, plus
the bonus is that the chance of an animal getting predated on becomes
significantly reduced.
Another point to consider when looking at cost/benefit calculations is the
do-ability and affordability of some of the other predator control methods
versus the implementation of LGD. It is
not always feasible or cost effective to fence off a few thousand acres of land,
or to hire a full-time range rider. Not
every area lends itself to rotational grazing, or where electric nets can be
set up. Changing lambing time may require the building of large barns. Not everyone can afford to pay for some of the
other deterrent measures and some are simply not an option for many operations. LGD in themselves might not always be cost
effective according to Saitone and Bruno, but in comparison to many other
options, it is still affordable and do-able for a variety of ranches. The cost
of using LGD does need to be compared to the cost of other management tools. Most
professional livestock keepers can implement and afford using LGD. Many
operations find a large capital investment, such as fencing or barns, too high
for their operation despite it perhaps being the “best” solution for the
predation problems, affordability becomes an issue.
Taking it a step further, the benefits may not just be
directly to the rancher in how many lambs he can save but could incorporate a
wider range of values. Can one quantify
what the value is of having predators on the landscape with regards to biodiversity,
intact eco-systems, and populations?
In Portugal, the Grupo Lobo, is an independent, non-profit ENGO that
works for the conservation of the Iberian wolf and its ecosystem. They provide
LGD to shepherds, pay for the veterinary care and the first year of food for
the dogs to encourage, and offset some of the initial costs of acquiring and
caring for LGD. A similar program is run
through the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia where LGD are provided to
sheep and goat farmers as means to reduce potential conflict between farmers
and the endangered cheetah. If conflicts are reduced due to LGD being present
in the flocks, then farmers are less inclined to kill the cheetah. The costs of
the LGD program are far below the benefits of saving every single cheetah due
to the fragility of the population. What
is it the value of saving an endangered species?
In some countries there are compensation programs to
encourage people to utilize LGD. In Saskatchewan, Canada the province wants to
encourage producers to find ways to reduce the possibility of predation, they
have a LGD rebate program run through the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance
Corporation where they contribute; “$100 to help producers offset the cost of
purchasing a livestock guardian dog. The use of guardian dogs can be an
effective method of preventing predation; however, it does require the
commitment from the producer to develop the potential of the dog. Livestock
guardian dogs are most effective when complemented by other predation
management practices.” (https://www.scic.ca/wildlife/predation-prevention/).
It is in this case, it is cheaper to pay towards the purchase of a LGD than to
compensate for livestock that is predated on.
Using LGD is costly and for many ranchers it is a serious
consideration. Many calculate this cost and write it off as an operating
expense. Similarly, to a store that needs to invest in a security system. It is the cost of doing business in certain
neighborhoods. Cost estimates for keeping one LGD per year, range between $350
to $1600 per dog, this estimate includes direct costs such as veterinary care,
food, purchase price, replacement costs and labor. This is a significant amount.
This brings me to the tipping
point. Where do you draw the line
between if need or want an LGD? When
does the cost override the benefits? If your livestock consists of 5 hens then
spending on average of $750 per year to maintain the dog, might not be
proportional to the value of the livestock. It may be cheaper and an easier
solution to build a solid chicken coop or good fencing, that will last many
years. In this scenario you might not
really “need” the LGD. Even smaller
professional operations can often have good results with other management
strategies to reduce predation, things like fox-lights or electric netting might
be more profitable than working with an LGD. I often chuckle when reading
through some of the social media platforms, where some people advise folks with
a handful of sheep to use 3 to 5 LGD. Obviously, these people have not had to
feed and provide veterinary care for this many dogs!
Each situation is unique, and it is not quite so simple to make a cost- benefit
analysis. However, it is an important consideration because having LGD in the
flock or herd is not “free” or cheap. Sometimes economically, it may be
sensible to investigate other options than LGD for keeping the livestock safe.
For many operations having LGD is a necessity and worth the financial and time
investment. In other situations, having
a LGD is simple a “want” and not necessarily a “need” and that is okay too!
Each operation needs to find their own tipping point where economic implications
are weighed against the benefits. LGD are essential for my livestock operation,
but I also value their companionship, the safety they provide me when I am in the
bush and the fact that I can sleep a little easier at night knowing the dogs
are watching over the sheep.
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| A night corral for livestock in Portugal. The cost of this type of anti-wolf fence might not be affordable or do-able to most livestock owners. |