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You may often watch the presence of donkeys along with other livestock animals at many farms and mostly on all horse farms. Have you ever thought about the role of donkeys on farms? Do donkeys kill coyotes?
Donkeys are perfect guard animals that protect livestock animals from predators. Among other guard animals i.e. dogs and llamas, donkeys gain more popularity by their sharp eyesight, low cost, and easy compatibility with other livestock animals.
Donkeys are often kept in the same stalls as other animals. People think of this placement as a mistake but the real farming lovers do know the actual purpose of this placement.
In south/central Florida, the major problem of livestock farms is the killing of sheep by coyotes, dogs, and wolves. But the attacks by coyotes are the most common.
You will notice a donkey at every ranch or farm in Australia, Canada, and the United States for the protection of sheep from wolves and coyotes.
But the actual thing is to get the general knowledge of coyotes; what they actually are and how they attack and in return how donkeys protect the animals from them.
Let’s get started.
Do donkeys kill coyotes
Yes, donkeys kill the coyotes. Both of these species do not much like each other. You may say that coyotes are not actually fond of donkeys so whenever a coyote sees a donkey at guard duty at a sheep farm, it quickly slinks before getting caught.
But in some cases, when the coyotes fail to sense the donkey guard duty and enter the sheep flock, it gets caught by the donkey. Donkeys do not like dogs, wolves, and coyotes naturally and it runs behind the coyotes.
Mostly, the coyotes succeed in running away but sometimes get failed and donkeys caught them and injured them by kicking with legs.
Donkey attacks the coyotes by biting with teeth and kicks through hind legs and makes them injured badly. Bites by tooth are unbearable for coyotes and it goes to die.
To protect the flock and horses from the coyote’s attack, the first thing is to consider the behavior and presence of coyotes. Then, upgrading the guard duty of barn and ranch through donkeys or trained dogs. ( source)
Why do donkeys kill coyotes?
Donkeys do not like wild dogs, coyotes, foxes, and the other members of the canid family. So whenever a donkey sees any animal of this family its temperament gets out of control and it runs behind them to run them away.
When a donkey is kept at the farm as the guard of a flock of sheep, they take their job very seriously and when a coyote comes to attack the sheep, the donkey gets them killed.
Are coyotes afraid of donkeys?
It is true that coyotes don’t like donkeys but the actual enmity goes both ways and it is not less likely to say that coyotes are actually afraid of them. But even knowing the guard duty of dogs at sheep farms, coyotes still try to jump in the fence and slink among the sheep.
This hard relationship between these species is much harder to get longer as both of them don’t like each other.
Where are Coyotes?
Coyotes are actually found in almost 67 counties of Florida state. Being very shy and elusive, they get fewer encounters with humans.
Coyotes are medium dog-sized animals and have many similarities with ordinary dogs so come under the same umbrella.
They have many positive roles in balancing the ecosystem through maintaining the population of rabbits, foxes, raccoons to a controllable limit. Meat and berries fruits are the diets of coyotes.
How do donkeys protect the animals?
Donkeys have a strong relationship behavior with their barn fellows and this relation only builds strong by spending more time together. When the donkeys are naturally bonded to livestock animals, they stay most of the time with them and in case of any attack, protect them.
Donkeys have strong eyesight and can see very clearly at night time. Whenever a donkey feels any threat, it makes them bray loudly that ultimately alerts the shepherd and animals.
When the coyotes attack the barn, donkey brays and attack with their teeth and hooves for protection. Coyotes or wild dogs often run away and donkeys chase them out of the pasture.
If the coyotes do not retreat quickly, in this case, donkeys attack them by rinsing their hind legs and kicking the coyotes hardly. This act sometimes gets the coyotes injured and in most cases, dead.
How many donkeys for a particular flock size?
Most of the farms having donkeys as the guard animal have small numbers of sheep. Commonly, Shepherd keeps a single donkey as the guard from coyotes to protect the small flock.
Donkey appears to be the best guard animal against coyotes for the farm flocks of less than 100 ewes. It is commonly observed that a single donkey is enough to guard the flock having sheep up to 200.
The surface or terrain also impacts the number of donkeys to keep. Generally, the flat terrain and a single pasture for sheep grazing can be managed with a single donkey. However, rough and rolling lands, that is scattered with bushes need more donkeys for ideal cover.
Impact of Donkey’s Gender to keep as guard animal
It seems like all the donkeys have the same habits and even temperament. But you will notice that only some donkeys do adjust with the flock and build a strong friendly relation.
Female donkeys(jennies and foals) are observed to be more caring for sheep and best guard animals than male ones. Male donkeys(jacks) have less temperament and often kick the flock animals.
It is commonly observed that most of the donkeys become extra caring and do not adjust with the younger lambs and ewes. They do guard the adult sheep against the lambs.
Final Words
Yes, donkeys kill the coyotes whenever they try to intrude on the farm boundary. Donkeys have an aggressive nature and are not much fond of wild dogs and coyotes so they are the best guard animal.
Donkeys prove to be the best guard animal for livestock animals against the attacks of coyotes and wild dogs. Female donkeys have a more guarding and caring nature over male donkeys.
While buying a new donkey for your farm or ranch, try to get the miniature or adult donkeys as they are the best protective animals against the donkeys. Both of these types have an aggressive nature against the coyotes and provide the desired protection.
