Successful livestock protection in Saxony-Anhalt

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A new study from Saxony-Anhalt shows that the right herd protection measures can significantly reduce livestock damage.

When wolves recolonize areas with an agricultural component, it can lead to conflicts due to livestock damage. Since the return of the wolf in Saxony-Anhalt, where over half of the land area is used for agriculture, there has been an increase in the number of wolf kills in the state, especially of cattle. Many of the affected pastures are only secured by 1-2 electric wires, which facilitates tears.

Five strands are better than one

To test the effectiveness of improved protective measures, the State Office for Environmental Protection launched a project with frequently affected farms in 2017. They helped farmers to use a new 5-strand fencing system. The use of these measures was associated with higher costs for farmers. However, there was not a single tear on fenced pastures for the duration of the project.

Hopefully this success will be replicated with livestock protection measures in more European regions. Although livestock protection costs a little more money and time, it is not comparable to the cost of the unnecessary loss of livestock.