Herd Management

What is it?

Some ranchers have found that they were able to lower their risk of carnivore conflict by adding a few strategies to their animal husbandry, grazing management, and/or stockmanship practices. One strategy is to use livestock’s herding instinct to keep herds bunched. Another strategy is to consider removing or separating weak, diseased, or injured individuals from the herd, as wolves may target those that seem more vulnerable than the rest. Wolves use a powerful range of senses that can detect disease, infections, and other weaknesses, making livestock health another important component of mitigating risk. In addition to high quality feed, a thorough health plan includes mineral supplementation, parasite control, and vaccinations.

Why does it work?

Herding is one of the best defenses livestock have against wolves because there is safety in numbers. This natural instinct, common in wolves' wild prey, is also found in many types of livestock. However, on large-landscape ranches, livestock often wander widely and scatter. This makes them more vulnerable to carnivores like wolves.

Unlike bears and lions, wolves hunt by pressuring potential prey to flee. Getting their prey to run allows them to find the weakest animals to single out so that the pack can use the least amount of energy to take out the easiest target. Through low-stress livestock handling techniques, you have the ability to form strong cow-calf bonds and teach the herd to remain gathered. This can reduce the likelihood of individuals scattering in the presence of wolves. In many cases, if wolves are unsuccessful in getting a flight response, they will back away from livestock and find easier prey somewhere else.

When is it effective?

There are very few limits to what can be accomplished with stockmanship and husbandry. These principles and techniques are applicable year-round on any terrain or size of operation, but must be practiced consistently and correctly to produce results that will minimize your risk of wolf-livestock conflict. When practiced effectively, ranchers can see results in as little as a week. Younger livestock are easiest to teach, but any animal can be conditioned, even if they have been handled differently in the past.

How to implement it?

Keeping herds bunched and bonded can be accomplished by various principles of planned grazing and stockmanship. The best way to get started is to work with and receive training from experts and ranchers who have already adopted these herd management and stockmanship practices. This is because every operation will already be using some of these practices at different degrees and will have different needs. There is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach.

In Colorado, Working Circle and Colorado Department of Agriculture host stockmanship workshops led by producers that have had success ranching with wolves. They also offer site assessments and can discuss recommendations around livestock health, range riding, and grazing plans. Livestock nutritionists can work with you on a health plan unique to your operation. Most operations will not need additional staff to adopt these strategies.

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