Predation Losses of Domestic Sheep in Alberta

Abstract

This paper provides estimates of predation losses of domestic sheep in Alberta in 1974. These estimates were obtained from personal interviews. Unlike the United States, Alberta had a predator control program which emphasized the use of toxicants. Province-wide predation losses averaged 1.6% of the ewes and 2.8% of the lambs. However, predation losses varied widely among five major ecosystems; i.e., between 0.8% of the lambs and ewes in the southern parkland and 3.2% of the ewes in the northern parkland and 6.8% of the lambs in the mixed forest. Predation accounted for 24 and 18% of the total annual mortality of lambs and ewes, respectively. Thirty-nine percent of the flocks had no predation losses and another 31% of the flocks had predation losses of 3% or less. Larger flocks tended to be more susceptible to predation than smaller flocks. Coyotes, dogs, and other large predators were reported to have caused 88, 8, and 4% of predation losses, respectively.