An Assessment of Coyote and Dog Predation on Sheep in Southern Iowa

Abstract
A questionnaire survey, field necropsies, domestic-animal claims and a postcard survey were used to assess coyote and dog predation on sheep in southern Iowa. Of 1251 questionnaire respondents, 41% reported they had sheep killed by dogs or coyotes (C. latrans) during 1975. Of the total losses reported, 41% were attributed to predation, 30% to disease and 13% to unknown causes. Three percent of all sheep owned by the questionnaire respondents allegedly were killed by coyotes, and 1% were killed by dogs. Both field necropsies and domestic animals claims showed that dogs killed more sheep per incident and sheep per operator than did coyotes. Almost 60% of the postcard respondents attributed sheep losses to predation during 1976 and 1977. Coyote predation varied during summer and fall, with 80% of the incidents occurring from May 1 to Oct. 1, dog predation did not follow a distinct chronological pattern. Field necropsies of 227 alleged predator-caused sheep losses revealed that sheep producers correctly assessed the cause > 94% of the time. The results of the questionnaire and postcard surveys were similar. Domestic-animal claims underestimated the actual number of losses that occurred.