# Other than LGDs, mules?



## TRAILRIDER (Apr 16, 2007)

I know most people here who keep goats are keeping LGDs for protection. Since I have never had an "outdoor" dog before and am afraid I wouldn't deal with that very well....I am thinking about other options. 
My neighbors have a lama and an alpaca and keep telling me that I would have no predator problems if thier animals lived here. (But I think they REALLY want to find a home for them!) I'm not really wanting alpacas or lamas, I don't spin wool and don't need another pet. I have heard a donkey will keep coyotes away. Is that true? What about a mule? I have been considering getting a mule anyway as a riding animal (since my horse will not be around much longer.) 
And finally if a mule would help keep coyotes at bay, how likely would he be to kick a goat? Would it be possible to take him away from his goats for a day to ride elsewhere or would he be more "farm sour" and not want to leave his charges?


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## dlskidmore (Apr 18, 2012)

I've heard cows are protective to sheep, as well as donkeys and lamas. Any larger animal that can bond with the goats would be helpful?


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## TRAILRIDER (Apr 16, 2007)

I guess I just answered my own question. Looks like mules are out of the question, at least for predator control.


Livestock Guardian Donkeys


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## JPiantedosi (Apr 23, 2012)

we have a pair of donkeys on a lease pasture where the land owner doesnt want dogs. to date we have only had one occurance of predation, and im not sure it could have been prevented with an LGD,

Jim


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## Jimbosbaby (Oct 13, 2011)

We have a 6yr old mule named Leon and he is a great protector!!! We dont have goats or sheep but have other horses and pigs and he literally will stand between something (animal or human) strange and the animals on our farm...his previous owner (my hubby's boss) said one day a pair of strange horses swam his pond and go into the pasture with his horses and Leon...Leon fought those horses off and back into the pond protecting his other horses...now, maybe Leon is the exception to the rule when it comes to mules, but for us he's our guardian on the farm.


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## Looking4ewes (Apr 30, 2006)

I think it depends upon the individual animal. A mule could work very well.. or not. I keep my rams with my steers and the steers offer protection. I kept a guard llama when my flock was small and have now added LGD. So now I have three different type of guardians. ;-) I don't consider an alpaca as a guard, but a prey animal needing a guardian.


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## Jimbosbaby (Oct 13, 2011)

Looking4ewes said:


> I think it depends upon the individual animal. A mule could work very well.. or not. I keep my rams with my steers and the steers offer protection. I kept a guard llama when my flock was small and have now added LGD. So now I have three different type of guardians. ;-) I don't consider an alpaca as a guard, but a prey animal needing a guardian.


Oh I'm sure it does depend on each animal individually...Leon is quite a character and a favorite among the kids here on our farm...people are amazed he's a mule because he acts like a big dog...loves to have his ears scratched and to be loved on in general!

I've always heard that mules were mean, stubborn and hard to get along with so I was apprehensive when my hubby brought him home. After he got here I quickly fell in love with him, he's nothing like what I was expecting...he can be stubborn when he wants to be, but cant we all?! LOL

I've never wanted a Lama...they just aren't an animal that appeals to me...there's lots of people around here with them though.

Della


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## Kato2010 (Jun 24, 2012)

I raise donkeys, and they're wonderful guard animals. The local coyotes (and there are lots of them), know where the fences are, and stay on the other side. Once we let the donkeys into a different part of the pasture without the coyotes knowing it, and sure enough, in the middle of the night we heard howling, a big old hee haw, and then the sound of a coyote yipping and yelping and running off into the distance. Lesson learned. 

You really have to supervise the first meetings with your dogs though. Our dogs know better than to bother the donkeys. Our donkeys have actually taken out two neighbourhood dogs who were running the country chasing cattle. They made the big mistake of thinking they could chase donkeys.

If you feed grain to your livestock though, make sure the donkeys don't have access. They don't need it, and can be harmed by it.


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

I think it depends on the individual animal, like someone else said. We have a mare that takes care of our goats. She grew up here with no other horses and bonded with the goats. They are her babies. She takes them out to pasture and brings them back when she wants them back. She lets the babies play under her feet and chew on her tail. If one of them cries she gets upset. If WE make one cry for whatever reason she walks right up close and stares at us lol. She even lets them out if we lock them up if we aren't careful.

We haven't had a lgd for a few years now and won't need one till something happens to her.


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## lsarah (Jun 4, 2011)

I did not know donkeys could be harmed by eating grain - ours get a couple of mouthfulls every night, and now I am worried. We have one standard and two miniature donkeys and have only had them for a year or so. Please educate me - what kind of harm can it do? 

Thanks! ~Lori


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## Kato2010 (Jun 24, 2012)

A couple of mouthfuls won't hurt. Especially if it's oats. But they really don't need it to survive. Shetland ponies are the same. Too much grain can lead to founder. I give mine carrots for treats. 

As an extreme example, I sold a donkey to some people who kept it with their cows, and they fed the cows greenfeed, which was basically a baled oat crop. The donkey picked out the oats, got overfed, and died. It was a lot of oats though. I think he spent all day working at it.


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## lsarah (Jun 4, 2011)

Thank you so much for the information! I know something else about taking care of them now. We have always had cattle, but have only had our sheep, goats and donkeys for a little while. So I am still learning, and I like to know the "why" behind things. 

Thanks for taking the time to explain!

~Lori


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## Plantman (Nov 17, 2012)

We use llamas and have not lost any animals.. Have goats, pigs, chickens, ducks, turkeys all running in the same pasture. The llamas have bonded with them. They are also very clean and require very little feed. They brouse like goats and will establish one location for their manure. 
The manure is wonderful in our garden and we also sprinkle the pellets along the fence lines and the wild hogs will not cross it. We have to shear them every spring so they can cool off in our hot Texas summers and the wool can be spun into yarn. We donate ours to the senior citizens center where some women spin it and make sweaters, hats, socks, etc. They are also edible. Tastes much like goat. Avery useful animal. Much easier than a dog.
Also..... THEY DON'T EAT EGGS.


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