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The challenges of modern mountain pasture management
The return of large predators such as wolves and bears to many regions of Europe poses new challenges for livestock farmers. The risk of predation is increasing, particularly on alpine pastures where grazing animals often graze without constant human protection. While herd protection measures such as electric fences are an effective solution in many areas, they are often impractical on large and inaccessible mountain pastures. This is where Livestock guarding dogs come into play – a centuries-old method that has proven to be an indispensable tool for the protection of grazing animals.
Why Livestock guarding dogs?
Livestock guarding dogs are specially bred to guard their herd independently and deter predators. In contrast to herding dogs, which are led by humans, Livestock guarding dogs work largely independently. Their permanent presence with the grazing animals significantly reduces the risk of attacks and helps to minimize conflicts between livestock farmers and large predators.
Modern scientific studies confirm the high effectiveness of this method: where well-trained and correctly deployed Livestock guarding dogs are in operation, the number of tears is drastically reduced. At the same time, they promote sustainable pasture management by making it possible to continue managing alpine pastures in the traditional way without having to worry about high losses due to predators.
New video tutorials: knowledge from practice for practice
Although Livestock guarding dogs is a tried and tested method, its successful use requires in-depth knowledge. Not every dog is suitable for use as a livestock guarding dog, and mistakes in handling or training can lead to the dogs not working reliably or even causing problems with hikers or livestock owners.
To remedy this situation, Eurac Research’s Institute for Regional Development has developed a series of video tutorials. These provide practical knowledge for farmers, shepherds and anyone interested in learning more about the use of livestock guarding dogs.
The topics at a glance:
- Breed selection & genetics: Which breeds are best suited and which characteristics are decisive?
- Acquisition & integration: How do you get a young livestock guarding dog used to its herd?
- Behavior & working methods: How do dogs react to wolves and other predators?
- Conflict management: What measures help to avoid problems with hikers or other livestock owners?
- Breeding & training: What constitutes good training and how does certification work in Austria?
- Health & husbandry: What are the requirements for feeding, care and health care?
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