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Use of Livestock Guarding Dogs
as a
Conservation Tool on Michigan Farms
Graduate Student: Megan Provost
Email: provo1ml@cmich.edu
The limited use of livestock
guarding dogs (LGDs) in the U.S. has mainly been
to protect
sheep from coyote-caused predation. Our study will evaluate
livestock guarding dogs (Great Pyrenees) to reduce wolf predation and deer
use of pastures on beef
cattle farms in Michigan. It also will explore more general
use of LGDs for other efforts to promote conservation of wildlife
resources on private lands. Results of this research will
provide important baseline data on wolf ecology in agricultural
lands, and it will lead to important guidelines for implementing
LGDs as a conservation tool.
This research is being conducted in cooperation with MDNR and numerous Michigan
farmers. This study is currently funded by CMU, Animal Welfare
Institute, and Defenders of Wildlife.
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