Livestock Guardian Dogs: Do the Benefits Outweigh the Costs for Sheep Producers?

Ellen M. Bruno and Tina L. Saitone
from ARE Update Vol. 22, No. 6, Jul/Aug, 2019
View Article PDF: Livestock Guardian Dogs: Do the Benefits Outweigh the Costs for Sheep Producers?
Abstract
We evaluate the economic viability of livestock guardian dogs (LGDs) as a tool to reduce predation of sheep by coyotes. Cost-effectiveness hinges largely on the ability of the dogs to eliminate coyotes as a threat, which is driven by site-specific factors. Our results suggest that the benefits of LGDs do not always outweigh the costs.
Keywords
Benefit cost analysis, livestock guardian dogs, predator control, coyotes, sheep
Citation
Ellen M. Bruno and Tina L. Saitone. 2019. "Livestock Guardian Dogs: Do the Benefits Outweigh the Costs for Sheep Producers?" ARE Update 22(6): 9-11. University of California Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics.
https://giannini.ucop.edu/filer/file/1565891668/19229/