With newborn livestock on the ground, predators can increase on your lands. Depending on where you live, some of the most common predators include; coyotes, birds, dogs, hogs, and snakes.
Coyotes are one of the most common predators of livestock and cause the most losses of sheep, goats, and cattle. When attacking sheep and goats, coyotes normally go for the throat areas. When it comes to cattle and calves, the injuries are normally to the hindquarters. One interesting fact about coyotes, if you are able to see traces of the scat, you may be able to tell just exactly what they are feeding on.
Domestic dogs and feral dogs often run in packs. Most domestic dogs do not kill for food but they often harass livestock, chasing them for hours. If you are trying to decipher between dog and coyote tracks, dog tracks are typically more round and show more prominent nail marks.
Wild hogs normally feed on livestock more often during droughts or when their other foods are scarce. When they do attack livestock, it is normally during lambing or calving. If you have experienced a hog attack, the soil and vegetation will most likely be rooted up.
Snakes are on nearly all livestock ranges in the Southern and Western United States. It is inevitable that livestock are going to be bitten. Most of the time, these bites occur in young animals as they are less cautious and more curious and the bites occur on the head or the nose.
For a list of more predators and more information on how to evaluate them, be sure to read the full publication here. This publication is currently being updated and will be released with a new edition in the Fall. Dr. John Tomeček who leads the Predation ID program and his student Jordan Guthrie have been working hard on this new edition.
Gallagher, J. Procedures for Evaluating Predation on Livestock and Wildlife. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. AgriLife Communications. College Station, Texas.