Livestock can be prey for predators, such as Poachers, Coyotes, Dogs, Wolves, Bears, Mountain Lions, Lynx, Mink, Raccoons, etc. Trying to kill off all the predators is bad for the environment, impractical and illogical. A livestock guardian is a practical way to guard your livestock 24 / 7 and deals only with the actual predators on your farm.

We use a combination of a burro and a Great Pyrenees Dog. The combination works well, and we’ve had no predation since we’ve had the combination. Our main predators are coyotes. Great Pyrenees were bred to guard against Mountain Lions and Wolves. To them, a Coyote is a snack. Our dog has killed at least three coyotes that I know of, and I’ve heard her fight more than that.

A dog will work as an offensive guard, and actually seek out and attack a predator. A burro will act as a defensive guard. They have a higher point of view for their visual field, so can see danger sooner. They then round up and warn the other animals, when danger is near, and will also attack if pursued. Llamas can work well in this niche too. From what I’ve heard, if you are going to use a burro, it should be a single burro, so that it bonds with your flock, otherwise the burros will form their own group and ignore the rest.

You might prefer females as Livestock Guardians or castrated males. Intact male Livestock Guardians might interfere with the normal mating of your livestock.