Veterinarija ir Zootechnika

One of the most important problems of the small ruminant sector are economic losses due to predators. The problem is mostly caused by wild predators and manifests itself especially by the damage caused to sheep and goat flocks, while the presence of these very same predators is absolutely necessary for the ecological system. Because sheep flock generally graze in the pasture at night, guarding them from wild predators is an important aspect of pasture-based sheep farming. For this purpose, livestock guarding dogs have been used primarily against predators such as foxes, wolves, bears, coyotes, hyenas, and big cats. In this study, a specific research survey form was developed and used to determine predator damages and the current status of shepherd dog use. Sheep and goat flocks were randomly selected from 12 different provinces where the research was implemented. Among the farms included in the research, 40.4% of them breed sheep, 52.5% breed goats, and 7.1% breed both sheep and goats. The flock size varies between 100 to 500 heads, and the breeding system is traditionally based on pasture, with some flocks being bred as nomadic herds on plateaus or pastures during summer. Among the provinces included in this research, the average number of wolf attacks and the number of animal casualties were 6.01 ± 0.704 and 12.17 ± 1.329, respectively and the differences between provinces were statistically significant (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The average of total economic damage caused by wolf attacks on sheep and goat herds was determined to be 2,299.7 ± 235.2 US$ and losses between provinces differed significantly (P < 0.01).