Wolves

Interesting when experiences from different countries come together, the paragraph below is as I would have expected. Not the best optics for Mr Wolf massacring Valais Blacknose sheep.

"Peter Aschaber says that nature conservationists and politicians always reply to urgent emergency calls from Tyrolean farmers that there are no problems in other countries either: Italy, France, Sweden ... Germany. This saying should sound painfully familiar to German grazing cattle farmers. "

Google translate for all you not fluent in German ;)

 
What do people expect to happen?

It's not just livestock, pets are also victims of wold attacks.
During some of my trips to Germany I've asked various questions about wolves, and it seems that in winter when livestock are housed and wolves come closer to towns a lot of domestic pets get mauled.

One up side is that wolves and badgers don't generally coexist particularly well together.
But I think I'd have badgers over wolves.
 

Jackov Altraids

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Devon
What do people expect to happen?

It's not just livestock, pets are also victims of wold attacks.
During some of my trips to Germany I've asked various questions about wolves, and it seems that in winter when livestock are housed and wolves come closer to towns a lot of domestic pets get mauled.

One up side is that wolves and badgers don't generally coexist particularly well together.
But I think I'd have badgers over wolves.


What do badgers and wolves have in common?

They both kill with consumption.
 

Turnip

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Aberdeenshire
Lots of breeds get forgotten about, or at least their original purpose. Just look at the Crufts pastoral group.

Article from our friends across the pond

They use them for wolves and grizlys.
 

primmiemoo

Member
Location
Devon
The article says that guard dogs are not suitable in tourist areas. There's video somewhere elsewhere in TFF which shows an encounter between trail cycling tourists and what seems to be a polite but huge guard dog that's just doing his duty by the flock of sheep he lives with.
Albania, maybe?
 

Turnip

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Aberdeenshire
The article says that guard dogs are not suitable in tourist areas. There's video somewhere elsewhere in TFF which shows an encounter between trail cycling tourists and what seems to be a polite but huge guard dog that's just doing his duty by the flock of sheep he lives with.
Albania, maybe?
good video from Switzerland.

Source:
 

Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
Judging by the standards of dog training here in the UK, I for one will not be venturing out into the countryside if guardian dogs are introduced!

But I very much doubt that wolves will in fact be released. Or if they are, they will quickly escape and be dealt with by the ever ready night-vision-gun-toting rural community. We get some pretty severe storms up here in the hills and it doesn't take much to snip a few fence wires.
 
I’ve seen a lot of mental photos from Germany of wolf attacks and kills, it’s deffo a big issue!

Got some mates in use / Canada who hve LGD and often come out in the morning and the dogs have killed a fair sized predator.

Wolves would be a right pain in the arse here but probably (sadly) not out greatest issue. And I wouldn’t mind having a run on a few, reckon it would be good crack. Coyote coursing is cool as and a wolf is just a bit yote.
 

Boso

Member
We (NL) have wolves for a few years now. They crossed three major rivers and several main motorways in Poland and Germany to get here, but appareantly they have been able to do so without any help.....

Big issue for livestock farmers. Guardian dogs in a country which is like a big city with 17 mln. inhabitants and all the people walking their dog is an accident waiting to happen. Apart from that, animal welfare legislations requires your lgd to have a mate and shelter 24/7.

In a canadian or US or Alpine context they probably work but no magic bullet in every context.
 

Optimus

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
North of Perth
We (NL) have wolves for a few years now. They crossed three major rivers and several main motorways in Poland and Germany to get here, but appareantly they have been able to do so without any help.....

Big issue for livestock farmers. Guardian dogs in a country which is like a big city with 17 mln. inhabitants and all the people walking their dog is an accident waiting to happen. Apart from that, animal welfare legislations requires your lgd to have a mate and shelter 24/7.

In a canadian or US or Alpine context they probably work but no magic bullet in every context.
Isn't NL the most populated part of Europe? How has their not been any issues or has there?

Every time I see the wolves up at highland wildlife park.they just stare at you.I'm sure all they see is a ready meal to go.
 

Boso

Member
Isn't NL the most populated part of Europe? How has their not been any issues or has there?


Every time I see the wolves up at highland wildlife park.they just stare at you.I'm sure all they see is a ready meal to go.

They have not been here long enough to cause massive issues (like in france). Several 100 sheep and some calves killed in the last few years. If a pack will eventually settle I'm holding my breath. All those texels behind a single wire around here must be like being a kid in a candyshop.

Some farmers have been spoiled, being able to keep sheep behind a single wire, now they are switching to using 1.2m high electric netting. Which is expensive and heavy.
Appearantly a sheep farmers collective from over here has been in contact with kiwitech to make a 5 strand setup.
 

Turnip

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Aberdeenshire
We (NL) have wolves for a few years now. They crossed three major rivers and several main motorways in Poland and Germany to get here, but appareantly they have been able to do so without any help.....

Big issue for livestock farmers. Guardian dogs in a country which is like a big city with 17 mln. inhabitants and all the people walking their dog is an accident waiting to happen. Apart from that, animal welfare legislations requires your lgd to have a mate and shelter 24/7.

In a canadian or US or Alpine context they probably work but no magic bullet in every context.
apparently it does work in some way in NL, not a silver bullet but not something to be disregarded immediately.

As it is behind a paywall: There was a 2 year trial and for larger herds it works, finances might not balance for smaller herds.

Another article:
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.2%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 65 34.8%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.0%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,289
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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