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I need a Jackass...

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mytfarms

mytfarms

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Not for my wife, she's already married to one! ;)

Seriously, I need a little help getting a donkey and/or mature guard dog tracked down. I'm fixing to jump head first into the shallow end of the sheep raising pool, and I need assistance on the predator prevention side of things.

Of course, I need a creature that isn't going to harass my heavy bred ewes, and I'm more than willing to pay the fair price for that. The problem is most folks have a "pet" donkey or doggie for sale for premium pricing. We will get a proper puppy on order for this summer to raise with the lambs, but getting started from scratch, we obviously need something ready to engage in flock protection in concert with lights and my trusty .223.

Since I've been flouting my livestock addiction on here for over a decade, I figure some of the internet family might be willing to help pitch in and keep me from getting cheated by a mule skinner. 😁

Much appreciation for any leads you might offer, distance isn't a major issue.

~myt
 
mytfarms said:
Not for my wife, she's already married to one! ;)

Seriously, I need a little help getting a donkey and/or mature guard dog tracked down. I'm fixing to jump head first into the shallow end of the sheep raising pool, and I need assistance on the predator prevention side of things.

Of course, I need a creature that isn't going to harass my heavy bred ewes, and I'm more than willing to pay the fair price for that. The problem is most folks have a "pet" donkey or doggie for sale for premium pricing. We will get a proper puppy on order for this summer to raise with the lambs, but getting started from scratch, we obviously need something ready to engage in flock protection in concert with lights and my trusty .223.

Since I've been flouting my livestock addiction on here for over a decade, I figure some of the internet family might be willing to help pitch in and keep me from getting cheated by a mule skinner. 😁

Much appreciation for any leads you might offer, distance isn't a major issue.

~myt
Click to expand...
@jodywy will offer good advice.
 
We had a friend that was having trouble with the yotes in his goats. So we loaned him an old female gp and a six month old pup....He tied up the pup and let the female loose......she stuck around for a few days, then headed out, even though she was getting fed well because they had a freezer go caput,
Long story short.....the female took several days to find her way back to our place, a little tired and sore footed......she traveled 30 miles as the crow flies......Last I heard the pup is working fantastically.....and he is never lonely with all the yotes around....
We have tried mules and donkeys.....they didn't work for us.
there are plenty of outfits on fb that have pups.
 
mytfarms said:
Not for my wife, she's already married to one! ;)

Seriously, I need a little help getting a donkey and/or mature guard dog tracked down. I'm fixing to jump head first into the shallow end of the sheep raising pool, and I need assistance on the predator prevention side of things.

Of course, I need a creature that isn't going to harass my heavy bred ewes, and I'm more than willing to pay the fair price for that. The problem is most folks have a "pet" donkey or doggie for sale for premium pricing. We will get a proper puppy on order for this summer to raise with the lambs, but getting started from scratch, we obviously need something ready to engage in flock protection in concert with lights and my trusty .223.

Since I've been flouting my livestock addiction on here for over a decade, I figure some of the internet family might be willing to help pitch in and keep me from getting cheated by a mule skinner. 😁

Much appreciation for any leads you might offer, distance isn't a major issue.

~myt
Click to expand...
If coyotes are your major concern and you have lots of open pastures where the sheep will be grazing, then get a Komondor. They are not herd dogs, but fast-running protector dogs that will even take on wolves and bears. If you were to shear a Komondor, they look like a Greyhound.

I have seen them in action on more than one occasion. Depending on your pasture situation, I would say one Komondor for every 200 sheep. Breeds like Border Collies and Australian Shepards are great herd dogs but don't offer the same protection 24/7 that a Komondor will. Komondors don't herd, they watch and wait and then run down predators without hesitation. I see no reason for a herding dog in a fenced pasture, except to bring the sheep in. While you may see two Collies or Shepherds resting on the front porch of the ranch house while the sheep are grazing, the Komondor is on duty in the pasture watching and waiting.

The Great Pyrenees are also great flock protectors, but they are slow compared to the Komondor. If you just want to see the predator's runoff and not harmed, the Great Pyrenees is a good choice. If you want the coyotes run down and killed, then only one dog answers the call, the Komondor.

Get a trained Komondor and that .223 will be either a wall decoration or a target rife. One thing about having a Komondor is they also protect against domestic dogs at large that can tear up ewes and kill lambs by the dozens. If you shoot these "pets" just out for a run, it can make for bad neighbor relations, but if your Komondor is just doing his job and kills them, then no one can fault you.
 
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If anyone's dog comes on my property it doesn't leave. Bad neighbor relations only happen when bad neighbors allow their dogs to leave their property. If my sheep go to the neighbors and their dogs raise hell then it's my fault. But if their dogs come here, they die. End of sentence.

Some folks use lamas as protectors too. Lots of GP out here. Good luck Mytfarms.
 
Always learn something! Never knew the 'mop dogs' were bonafide killers.

Well, we will see if it's possible to get a pup in here. Herding sheep is not the concern, it's essentially strictly protection. We'd like to be able to use whatever guard creature in concert with chickens. Going to attempt pasturing them around this year as well.

Thanks folks!
 
jodywy said:
we used Pyrenees x Akbash crosses. They worked great for us. what we got from a migratory outfit that runs 18,000 ewes, in winter bands of 2000 and summer bands 1000-1200.
Click to expand...
Is this mix more like the Pyrenees or the Akbash? Are they bigger than the Pyrenees? I know the Akbash are large and powerful and have been known to kill wolves and run-off bears. How many dogs per number of sheep do you use?
 
"My" ewes brought $470/hd yesterday, and I had gotten a haul quote with another group of lambs headed for CO at over $100/hd. $570/hd plus hay being $300/ton didn't quite work out on paper. So, good luck to the new owner, hope they have great success with them.
 
mytfarms said:
"My" ewes brought $470/hd yesterday, and I had gotten a haul quote with another group of lambs headed for CO at over $100/hd. $570/hd plus hay being $300/ton didn't quite work out on paper. So, good luck to the new owner, hope they have great success with them.
Click to expand...
my ewes are eating $140/ton hay with the cows.
 
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Wished we could find anything at that price point. I don't believe in feeding ruminants super green/delicate feed!

It doesn't appear to exist up here. If it does, trucking it in at $6/mile kills the deal pretty rapidly. Best deal Dad has found is $135/bale on 800 lb oat hay. Cows are cleaning up the straw right along with the grain, so it's making good feed. But it ain't cheap.
 

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