Donkeys protect livestock from wolves at Michigan cattle farm

Cattle farmer Cliff Lindberg says he's had no problem with wolves since he added donkeys to his farm at Bruce Crossing in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. He says donkeys are fairly low maintenance and other farmers should consider adding them.
Read more: www.mlive.com/...

[@joepohr3104]

I like this rancher he's not crying like the other ranchers he found a solution that works for both sides

[@downsouthn.o.1537]

Best comment 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯

[@ascendant95]

I lived in Texas for 1 year. Donkeys are also used to protect livestock from giant feral wild hogs. Donkeys are no joke.

[@jamescc2010]

Yes, wild hogs are real problems. Might need more donkeys to protect farm land.

[@aage3060]

@@jamescc2010 Hello, l got several questions of interest from Americans. Do you guys let your cattle to graze by themselves in open pasture or keep them grazing in fenced area? Second question is, what is the herd structure of your cattle? Do you keep bulls, cows, calves and steers together or your keep them separately. I am urban Mongolian who was born in city. What I learnt from my countryside relatives they keep calves in small fence near their home and let the rest of herd including yearlings to graze themselves in open pasture. In the mornings the herd moves to the pasture land and returns in the evenings, to feed their calves. I was in countryside during my teenage years, and seen how herd returns home, it was kind of impressive scene, a herd returning loud mooing and calves are excited. Basically there wasn't any involvement of herders. Another interesting thing what I've learnt was the steers. According to my relatives the steers provided backbone of herd safety. As you know Mongolia is densely populated with still abundant wildlife including wolves (third after Canada and Russia). When the herd has higher proportion of steers, it frequently spends night in the pasture during the late summer and autumn, without returning home. A bull is certainly dominant over steers and individually stronger any of them, yet they don't provide as much defense to herd from wolves as much as steers, because they tend to protect their vulnerable areas/testicles. While steers have no worries on that matter and far more aggressive to wild animals. Plus they said longer and curvier horns of steers are much more efficient against wolves than thicker, straighter and shorter horns of bulls. In fact that family sold a dozen of steers for meat during previous autumn, because of incoming harsh winter. Because of that, the herd had became much more docile and returned every evening to home, which resulted higher milk extraction than that of previous year. Do Americans have similar strategy of keeping adult steers in the herd to ward of predators?

[@johnauvin]

Great story. Not sure why, but always liked donkeys. We saw our first wild ferel donkeys last year on a road trip thu Nevada. One tough animal ... 😃

[@My_cats4748]

Donkeys will protect the livestock. I had donkeys. They were very protective of us and livestock.the best

[@inferno0020]

that is awesome

[@shable1436]

Most ppl don't know anything about donkeys, I've owed seven of them, and are so sweet, but on the same hand are vicious killers, and super smart

[@fedupwitumboth]

Love donkeys!

[@AbeDallas68]

Smart man

[@Qublidon]

Donkeys are rad.

[@yazziecakes7190]

My pastor told me abt this I had to see it for myself 😅

[@andysgaming77]

what a blueballs experience

[@cyankirkpatrick5194]

Get two is the safest.

[@davidwilliamson4937]

My neighbor runs two donkeys with his cattle….no losses

[@brandstradamus]

Every animal is afraid of donkeys 🫏

[@duskycat2326]

Donkeys will literally fight anything to protect their herd. There are reports of donkeys attacking cougars, gators, and even massive Grizzly Bears to protect their herds.

[@teacup3133]

wow

[@jamescc2010]

Amazing and useful cool animals that are underrated.

[@jakeleggett5867]

I heard they have a natural hatred to all canines, I thought they just acted on self defense but no they actively chase them down and try bite/stomp them out o.0

[@marcietree1674]

Working with Nature, not against her. Brilliant in its simplicity and efficacy♥️

[@elainebowman4449]

Donkeys are widely used in the South as well; they protect against coyotes and snakes. Goats do as well.

[@Drumpro31]

what do they do when they see snakes?

[@cyankirkpatrick5194]

Best protection anyone can get for any type of livestock.

[@starrystarrynight9822]

I I appreciate his understanding that the wolves are just doing what's natural and I appreciate his solution of not killing them but instead getting donkeys!! Donkeys are awesome!!!

[@C.Fecteau-AU-MJ13]

My godparents keep donkeys on their dairy farm in Australia to protect against feral dogs and pigs... Apparently they're making a big difference and they're kinda fun to have around. They're pretty friendly to the humans on the farm (plenty of carrots and apples is key) and become absolutely savage when a threat comes into the property. They've found a bunch of mangled dogs and trampled pigs out there and the aggressive behaviour of the donkeys will encourage the cows to join in on giving the threat something to think about before trying to take off with a calf. They hire guys with rifles and spotlights too to hang out all night and the noise the donkeys make give the professional animal control guys (and some girls) an alert to go take them out. Fascinating animals, ya don't fck with a donkey. I want a pet donkey, I'm going to get me a pet donkey 🐴

[@C.Fecteau-AU-MJ13]

@PatricKelly-xb2ir Do you have something you want to tell your family about there buddy?... Seems like you've got something on your mind

[@swolltron]

Haha , now I want one too!

[@sarajanesmith3892]

Donkeys don't mess around!

[@Binknew]

Donkeys are Badass

[@marcietree1674]

Working with Nature, not against her. Brilliant in its simplicity and efficacy.

[@DISEASEOFNORM]

Its nice to hear no blame

[@conniewolf7300]

Please educate other farmers and ranchers instead of murdering wolves!

[@jesusislord7733]

Murder is such a awful term here for what you are describing that correlates to the video. I would consider the only murdering being done is by the wolves! Protecting an investment (cattle here) by doing aware with predators killing them. Wouldn't be considered murder at all.

[@PanicByNumbers]

If I ever got livestock, I'd get a trio each of donkeys, alpacas and llamas and send them put with the herd. Of course, I'd also have to be a rancher/farmer.

[@alvinkraycraft763]

Let the cows have horns

[@jamescc2010]

Use nature (donkeys) to protect our lockstock and farms is a great and smart idea that I have learnt as a city guy. Love to see them against invasive wild hogs in Texas and other state but maybe not ways due to large areas. Love donkeys and their very low maintenance.

[@chrispeak6707]

I Love DONKEYS 🫏 they are a BADASS animal

[@joshuagumpert8910]

The middle launch drop kick perfected by the Rock N Roll Express. Broken bones and separated facial stuff

[@Hakkeholt]

But why does he keep the donkeys and cattle seperate ? Do donkeys sometimes kill a calf like they do with lambs ?

[@jeezy7751]

They aren't kept separate. Did you watch the video?

[@BoutTime73]

Lived in UP for four years.

[@chantaloo2058]

Explain... how do donkeys protect cattle against wolves?

[@teacup3133]

A donkey will kick the sh&% out of any predator, they are cute but stubborn

[@jeezy7751]

You ever been kicked by a donkey? I doubt you'd want to fuck with them either.

[@mafinalmessagechangedaworl7131]

Donkeys hate anything dog shaped. Be it an actual dog, wolves, foxes, coyotes, hyenas. Whatever is dog shaped they will run towards and won’t back down like other animals.

[@Pizzlier]

1 v 1 the wolf has no chance. The donkey is too big, strong, and aggressive. It takes a pack 5+ to kill just one donkey. Imagine if the farmer has 4 guard donkeys. There are no wolf packs big enough for that challenge.

[@edithboozy1000]

​@@PizzlierI love it

[@JonSmith-cx7gr]

Jesus Christ. Cliff Lindberg is one weird looking cattle farmer.

[@ascendant95]

That's not nice. I didn't think that while watching the video.

[@snugbug5067]

Different regions have different gene pools. The upper mid west has a lot of people descending from Norway, Sweden, and Germany, and UK of course and Russia too. In large numbers. We dont all look the same.

[@JonSmith-cx7gr]

@@snugbug5067 He looks the same as Marty Funkhauser from Curb Your Enthusiasm. Except with a thousand yard stare.

[@snugbug5067]

I also didnt mention French Canadian and a multitude of Native tribes of people too.

[@JonSmith-cx7gr]

@@snugbug5067 Yes. He looks like all of those things.