Mt An 2 (5-00) Sheep and Goats Predator Loss National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released May 5, 2000, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Sheep and Goats Predator Loss" call Steve Anderson at 202-690-3236, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. U.S. Sheep and Lamb Predator Loss Sheep and lamb losses from animal predators in the United States totaled 273,000 during 1999. This represented 36.7 percent of the total losses from all causes and resulted in a loss of $16.5 million due to predators to farmers and ranchers. Coyotes caused the majority of sheep and lamb losses to predators. They accounted for 60.7 percent of the total. Coyotes were also the largest predator of goats in the three major states (AZ, NM, and TX) accounting for 35.6 percent of predator death losses. The value of goats lost from all predators was $3.4 million. Use of non-lethal predator controls is also highlighted in this publication. Farmers and ranchers throughout the United States spent $8.8 million on non-lethal methods to prevent predator loss of sheep and lambs. Another $1.0 million was spent on non-lethal predator controls for goats and kids. This report is released as a cooperative effort between the National Agricultural Statistics Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service - Wildlife Services and National Animal Health Monitoring System. Losses of Sheep and Lambs from Predators: Number of Head and Total Value, United States, 1999 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : % of Total : Total Predator : of Head : Predators : Value -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number Percent 1,000 Dollars : Coyotes : 165,800 60.7 9,637 Dogs : 41,300 15.1 2,982 Mountain Lions, : 15,600 5.7 998 Cougars, or Pumas : Bears : 7,800 2.9 555 Foxes : 8,100 3.0 400 Eagles : 10,700 3.9 522 Bobcats : 12,700 4.7 650 All Other Animals : 11,000 4.0 758 : US : 273,000 100.0 16,502 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Losses of Sheep and Lambs: Number and Percent by Coyotes and Dogs by State and United States, 1999 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Coyotes : Dogs 1/ :----------------------------------------------------------------------- State : :% Total : :% Total : :% Total : :% Total : Sheep : Pred. : Lambs : Pred. : Sheep : Pred. : Lambs : Pred. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Head Pct Head Pct Head Pct Head Pct : AZ : 400 80.0 900 60.0 400 26.7 CA : 5,000 55.6 6,500 75.6 3,000 33.3 1,000 11.6 CO : 1,000 33.3 6,400 71.1 400 13.3 1,100 12.2 ID : 1,700 60.7 6,100 82.4 500 17.9 400 5.4 IL : 300 50.0 800 53.3 300 50.0 600 40.0 IN : 100 10.0 300 50.0 900 90.0 300 50.0 IA : 600 42.9 1,400 56.0 800 57.1 1,100 44.0 KS : 300 60.0 500 71.4 200 40.0 200 28.6 MI : 100 50.0 800 61.5 100 50.0 400 30.8 MN : 100 5.9 400 17.4 1,000 58.8 1,000 43.5 MO : 400 44.4 1,600 64.0 400 44.4 700 28.0 MT : 2,800 73.7 10,000 79.4 300 7.9 200 1.6 NE : 800 66.7 1,700 73.9 300 25.0 500 21.7 NV : 2,700 67.5 8,000 80.0 N ENG 2/: 200 100.0 300 100.0 NM : 900 32.1 3,800 50.7 1,200 42.9 300 4.0 NY : 400 50.0 500 71.4 300 37.5 100 14.3 ND : 800 88.9 3,100 88.6 300 8.6 OH : 500 71.4 800 66.7 200 28.6 300 25.0 OK : 200 40.0 1,100 52.4 300 60.0 900 42.9 OR : 1,800 54.5 5,500 73.3 700 21.2 800 10.7 PA : 100 25.0 400 44.4 300 75.0 200 22.2 SD : 2,300 82.1 7,500 68.2 400 14.3 600 5.5 TX : 6,000 42.9 23,000 51.1 4,200 30.0 4,000 8.9 UT : 3,800 57.6 12,000 64.2 500 7.6 1,200 6.4 VA : 400 44.4 1,500 60.0 400 44.4 500 20.0 WA : 200 33.3 500 38.5 300 23.1 WV : 300 37.5 1,800 64.3 400 50.0 700 25.0 WI : 200 50.0 300 60.0 WY : 4,000 66.7 17,000 77.3 400 6.7 400 1.8 : Oth : Sts 3/ : 1,400 29.8 1,500 26.3 2,000 42.6 2,800 49.1 : Unpub : 300 200 : US : 39,800 51.7 126,000 64.3 19,800 25.7 21,500 11.0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Unpublished States include NV and WI for sheep and lambs; AZ, ND, and WA for sheep only. 2/ N ENG includes CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, and VT. 3/ Other States include AL, AK, AR, DE, FL, GA, HI, KY, LA, MD, MS, NJ, NC, SC, and TN. Losses of Sheep and Lambs: Number and Percent by Mountain Lions, Cougars, or Pumas, Bears, Foxes, and Eagles by State and United States, 1999 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :Mountain Lions, Cougars, or Pumas 1/ : Bears 2/ :------------------------------------------------------------------------ State : : % Total : :% Total: :% Total : :% Total : Sheep : Pred. : Lambs : Pred. : Sheep : Pred. : Lambs : Pred. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Head Pct Head Pct Head Pct Head Pct : CA : 600 6.7 700 8.1 CO : 400 13.3 300 3.3 1,000 33.3 700 7.8 ID : 200 7.1 400 5.4 400 14.3 300 4.1 MT : 200 5.3 200 1.6 200 5.3 200 1.6 NV : 1,100 27.5 1,300 13.0 400 4.0 NM : 400 14.3 400 5.3 OR : 500 15.2 800 10.7 200 6.1 SD : 400 3.6 TX : 300 2.1 800 1.8 UT : 1,200 18.2 2,900 15.5 1,000 15.2 1,500 8.0 WA : 200 33.3 400 30.8 100 7.7 WV : 100 12.5 200 7.1 WY : 700 11.7 900 4.1 300 5.0 500 2.3 : Unpub : 100 200 400 300 : US : 5,900 7.6 9,700 4.9 3,600 4.6 4,200 2.1 :------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Foxes 3/ : Eagles 4/ :------------------------------------------------------------------------ : CO : 200 2.2 MT : 600 4.8 100 2.6 900 7.1 NM : 700 9.3 OR : 200 2.7 SD : 1,700 15.5 700 6.4 TX : 600 4.3 3,100 6.9 300 2.1 4,600 10.2 UT : 200 1.1 300 1.6 WY : 100 1.7 1,000 4.5 400 6.7 2,200 10.0 : Unpub : 600 300 : US : 700 0.9 7,400 3.8 800 1.0 9,900 5.1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Unpublished States includes AZ for sheep and lambs; SD for sheep only; MO and NE for lambs only. 2/ Unpublished States includes CA for sheep and lambs; NV, NM, VA, and WA for sheep only; OR, TX, and WI for lambs only. 3/ Unpublished States include ID, MN, NM, NY, ND, OK, OR, VA, and WV for lambs only. 4/ Unpublished States include CA, CO, MN, NV, and ND for lambs only. Losses of Sheep and Lambs: Number and Percent by Bobcats and All Other Animals by State and United States, 1999 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Bobcat 1/ : All Other Animals 2/ 3/ :------------------------------------------------------------------------ State : : % Total : :% Total: :% Total : :% Total : Sheep : Pred. : Lambs : Pred. : Sheep : Pred. : Lambs : Pred. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Head Pct Head Pct Head Pct Head Pct : CA : 200 2.3 200 2.2 IL : 100 6.7 MI : 100 7.7 MN : 600 35.3 800 34.8 MO : 100 11.1 MT : 200 5.3 400 3.2 NM : 200 7.1 2,100 28.0 OH : 100 8.3 PA : 300 33.3 TX : 1,800 12.9 7,000 15.6 800 5.7 2,400 5.3 UT : 100 1.5 500 2.7 100 0.5 VA : 300 12.0 WY : 100 1.7 : Oth : Sts 4/: 1,300 27.7 1,400 24.6 : Unpub : 200 300 800 1,200 : US : 2,300 3.0 10,400 5.3 4,100 5.3 6,900 3.5 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Unpublished States include CA and NE for sheep only; CO, MT, NV, OK, and OR for lambs only. 2/ Unpublished States include CO, NM, NY, OR, SD, VA, and WI for sheep and lambs; ND and WA for sheep only; AZ, CA, ID, MO, NE, NV, and WV for lambs only. 3/ Other predators include ravens, vultures, wolves, pigs, and other animals. 4/ Other States include AL, AK, AR, DE, FL, GA, HI, KY, LA, MD, MS, NJ, NC, SC, and TN. Losses of Lambs: By All Causes and Predators, Number by State and United States, 1999 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : All Causes : Predators :----------------------------------------------------------------------- State : Sheep : Lambs : Sheep : Lambs -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Head : AZ : 2,000 2,000 500 1,500 CA : 23,000 12,000 9,000 8,600 CO : 8,000 40,000 3,000 9,000 ID : 10,000 16,000 2,800 7,400 IL : 4,000 8,000 600 1,500 IN : 3,000 6,000 1,000 600 IA : 10,000 28,000 1,400 2,500 KS : 4,500 7,000 500 700 MI : 2,500 7,000 200 1,300 MN : 9,000 20,000 1,700 2,300 MO : 2,500 8,000 900 2,500 MT : 18,000 23,000 3,800 12,600 NE : 5,000 11,000 1,200 2,300 NV : 7,000 13,000 4,000 10,000 N ENG 1/: 1,900 3,500 200 300 NM : 10,000 11,000 2,800 7,500 NY : 3,000 6,000 800 700 ND : 5,000 15,000 900 3,500 OH : 6,000 14,000 700 1,200 OK : 3,000 6,000 500 2,100 OR : 8,000 13,000 3,300 7,500 PA : 3,000 8,000 400 900 SD : 16,000 39,000 2,800 11,000 TX : 40,000 65,000 14,000 45,000 UT : 18,000 26,000 6,600 18,700 VA : 3,000 7,000 900 2,500 WA : 2,000 3,000 600 1,300 WV : 2,000 6,000 800 2,800 WI : 2,500 8,500 400 500 WY : 18,000 35,000 6,000 22,000 : Oth : Sts 2/ : 11,000 15,000 4,700 5,700 : US : 260,900 482,000 77,000 196,000 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ N ENG includes CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, and VT. 2/ Other States include AL, AK, AR, DE, FL, GA, HI, KY, LA, MD, MS, NJ, NC, SC, and TN. Losses of Sheep and Lambs from Predators: Total Value per Head and Total Value by State and United States, 1999 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Value per Head : Total Value :----------------------------------------------------------------------- State : Sheep 1/ : Lambs 2/ : Sheep : Lambs -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : -------- Dollars ------- ---- 1,000 Dollars ---- : AZ : 100.00 45.00 50 68 CA : 104.00 45.00 936 387 CO : 99.00 67.00 297 603 ID : 101.00 42.00 283 311 IL : 136.00 41.00 82 62 IN : 145.00 43.00 145 26 IA : 115.00 42.00 161 105 KS : 96.00 45.00 48 32 MI : 124.00 41.00 25 53 MN : 93.00 44.00 158 101 MO : 94.00 45.00 85 113 MT : 88.00 47.00 334 592 NE : 97.00 44.00 116 101 NV : 102.00 42.00 408 420 N ENG 3/: 171.00 66.00 34 20 NM : 81.00 45.00 227 338 NY : 118.00 50.00 94 35 ND : 85.00 43.00 77 151 OH : 141.00 44.00 99 53 OK : 128.00 44.00 64 92 OR : 80.00 40.00 264 300 PA : 115.00 49.00 46 44 SD : 93.00 48.00 260 528 TX : 71.00 46.00 994 2,070 UT : 103.00 46.00 680 860 VA : 111.00 45.00 100 113 WA : 93.00 40.00 56 52 WV : 89.00 44.00 71 123 WI : 101.00 42.00 40 21 WY : 88.00 46.00 528 1,012 : Oth : Sts 4/ : 146.00 47.00 686 268 : US 5/ : 97.00 46.00 7,448 9,054 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Sheep value per head is based on a two-year straight average of the value of ewes reported in the January 1 Sheep Survey from 1999 to 2000. 2/ Lamb value per head is based on the market year average lamb price. An average lamb weight of 60 pounds was used in all States except Colorado, where a 90 pound average was used. 3/ N ENG includes CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, and VT. 4/ Other States include AL, AK, AR, DE, FL, GA, HI, KY, LA, MD, MS, NJ, NC, SC, and TN. 5/ US value per head rounded to the nearest dollar. Losses of All Goats (Angora and Other): Number by Specific Predators and Total Value, 3-State Total, 1999 1/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Predator : Losses : Total Value -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Head 1,000 Dollars : Coyotes : 21,700 : Dogs : 10,700 : Mountain Lions, : 800 Cougars, or Pumas : : Foxes : 3,800 : Eagles : 5,300 : Bobcats : 11,700 : All Other Animals 2/: 7,000 : 3-State Total 3/ : 61,000 3,355 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Goat value per head is based on a two-year straight average of the value of all goats reported in the January 1 Sheep Survey from 1999 to 2000. 2/ Other predators include bears, wolves, ravens, vultures, and other animals. 3/ AZ, NM, and TX. Non-Lethal Methods Used to Prevent Losses of Sheep and Lambs to Predators, by State and United States, 1999 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State : Fencing : Guard Dogs : Llamas : Donkeys : Lamb Shed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : AZ : 21.7 23.2 60.9 6.0 23.8 CA : 69.1 21.6 12.4 5.2 56.1 CO : 31.3 23.0 9.1 3.4 66.6 ID : 46.4 55.2 9.9 2.5 45.5 IL : 38.0 18.8 6.7 5.6 68.3 IN : 29.9 27.8 5.2 3.9 57.4 IA : 25.9 38.4 20.9 8.1 28.1 KS : 64.5 27.2 3.2 7.5 82.8 MI : 67.6 37.1 18.6 5.2 45.2 MN : 66.8 41.4 4.4 5.5 53.7 MO : 44.3 56.3 5.2 9.1 26.0 MT : 36.0 27.5 22.7 15.1 65.6 NE : 50.0 24.2 10.9 0.5 68.5 NV : 47.3 50.7 8.3 2.8 57.0 N ENG 1/ : 78.3 16.3 3.9 7.3 19.6 NM : 83.9 8.4 70.4 1.9 78.6 NY : 77.6 16.2 15.2 14.7 45.3 ND : 45.6 42.8 8.6 19.7 45.5 OH : 73.9 15.6 5.1 6.5 40.5 OK : 46.2 49.3 9.0 10.2 17.6 OR : 61.9 27.2 37.4 2.1 49.9 PA : 72.0 14.9 3.4 2.8 49.5 SD : 10.4 22.7 5.9 21.6 41.6 TX : 46.7 34.6 6.1 24.4 29.8 UT : 53.6 28.5 7.4 2.3 46.5 VA : 69.1 32.2 15.7 25.1 43.5 WA : 82.6 39.3 14.3 1.3 60.6 WV : 58.7 13.9 5.3 16.8 35.5 WI : 73.2 12.1 6.4 3.5 49.5 WY : 27.0 36.0 20.0 7.9 55.7 : Oth : Sts 2/ : 67.0 32.5 14.4 15.4 32.5 : US : 57.0 28.2 13.2 9.0 46.0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ N ENG includes CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, and VT. 2/ Other States include AL, AK, AR, DE, FL, GA, HI, KY, LA, MD, MS, NJ, NC, SC, and TN. Non-Lethal Methods Used to Prevent Losses of Sheep and Lambs to Predators, by State and United States, 1999 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State : Herding : Night Penning : Fright Tactics : Other -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : AZ : 8.7 20.4 6.3 0.3 CA : 8.4 54.0 7.3 11.5 CO : 7.1 79.4 5.6 3.6 ID : 11.3 50.2 7.3 0.8 IL : 3.2 58.1 1.5 4.1 IN : 7.2 36.4 0.6 15.9 IA : 3.2 43.8 2.8 2.5 KS : 1.6 80.0 10.9 18.0 MI : 1.1 36.6 3.3 2.3 MN : 3.4 37.0 15.3 0.6 MO : 2.6 50.2 1.1 2.9 MT : 12.9 44.4 3.3 1.2 NE : 14.8 43.4 5.0 7.0 NV : 7.5 52.1 1.4 1.4 N ENG 1/ : 2.9 24.2 3.1 7.8 NM : 5.0 86.0 3.6 2.2 NY : 11.1 49.2 5.6 13.6 ND : 9.2 49.5 14.6 6.8 OH : 0.6 13.9 4.0 8.8 OK : 0.2 59.7 3.3 2.9 OR : 4.3 28.1 5.4 2.0 PA : 0.6 33.9 1.2 2.0 SD : 1.7 50.6 1.3 5.3 TX : 9.3 35.0 9.2 7.3 UT : 11.9 34.4 5.8 0.9 VA : 21.4 36.5 8.6 9.2 WA : 14.8 60.9 4.7 0.0 WV : 7.0 40.2 2.9 8.6 WI : 3.3 29.3 0.5 1.1 WY : 13.4 53.5 9.2 4.0 : Oth : Sts 2/ : 10.9 34.6 6.0 14.0 : US : 6.6 42.6 5.1 6.2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ N ENG includes CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, and VT. 2/ Other States include AL, AK, AR, DE, FL, GA, HI, KY, LA, MD, MS, NJ, NC, SC, and TN. Reliability of Sheep and Goat Predator Loss Estimates Survey Procedures: A random sample of U.S. producers was surveyed to provide data for these estimates. Survey procedures ensured that all sheep producers, regardless of size, had a chance to be included in the survey. Large producers were sampled more heavily than small operations. About 13,800 operators were contacted during the first half of January by mail, telephone and face-to-face personal interview. Estimation Procedures: Total death losses from all causes for sheep and lambs were as reported in "Meat Animals, Production, Disposition, and Income - 2000" (released April 27, 2000). In setting the predator loss estimates, first total predator losses were estimated as a percent of total losses, then specific predator losses were estimated as a percent of total predator losses. Revision Policy: Revisions to previous estimates are made to improve the current estimate. Previous year estimates are subject to revision when current estimates are made. Estimates for losses from all causes are subject to revision in next year's "Meat Animals, Production, Disposition, and Income". No revision to predator losses is planned. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C., 20250-9410, or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). 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