Abstract

Bovine tuberculosis (Myobacterium bovis) (TB) is established in wild white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the northeastern portion of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. The NWRC is developing and evaluating means to potentially minimize direct and indirect contact between potentially infected deer and livestock. One research endeavor has involved livestock protection dogs. Dogs have been used successfully for thousands of years to reduce predation on livestock, primarily sheep. We evaluated the ability of livestock protection dogs to minimize contact between wildlife and cattle. We conducted the study within the TB-endemic area of Michigan on 2 privately-owned deer farms. Both farms contained unnaturally high deer densities (243 deer/km² and 93 deer/km²), insuring a challenging evaluation of the dogs. Protected pastures contained a dog and 4 calves and unprotected pastures contained just 4 calves. We used 3 methods of data collection to establish how effective the dogs were: direct observations, motion-activated video, and track plots. Through direct observations, we documented deer using cattle feed 113 times in unprotected pastures and never in a protected pasture. Deer came within 5 m of cattle 79 times in unprotected pastures and 3 times in protected pastures. From video data, we found the dogs to be effective in virtually eliminating deer use of cattle feed (protected = 2 deer visits, unprotected = 303 deer visits), direct contact within 5 m (protected = 0 deer visits, unprotected = 114 deer visits), and deer use of cattle pastures (protected = 3 deer visits, unprotected = 426 deer visits). Through the use of track plots, we also found less deer use of protected pastures (protected = 278 deer visits, unprotected = 1,020 deer visits). Currently, we are evaluating the efficacy of the dogs on actual cattle operations in the endemic area.