Safe cattle thanks to livestock guard dogs and electric fences

When I came to my pasture in March 2017, I found a dead cow and two torn calves. Of course I had heard of the wolves, but I was not worried about my animals. After some searching, I called the regional competence center . A genetic test proved that it was a pack of wolves. 

This is how Swen Keller described the attack on his free-roaming herd of 25 animals. After the attack, the first thing he did was to remove his animals from the pasture, but he knew that this was not a long-term solution, because free range was his promise of quality. Swen Keller was and is determined to protect his herd.

Four weeks after the attack, the herd were grazing outside again. Together with Andreas Berbig from the Wolf Competency Center Iden, Swen Keller analyzed possible herd protection measures and found that there was hardly any experience in Germany of cattle protection. In a pilot project with the support of WWF Germany, Swen, who is also a dog trainer, bought two herd protection dogs and fenced the pasture with a mobile electric fence. The combination of the two measures is crucial for their effectiveness, because individual wolves succeed every now and then to jump over a fence or dig through it.

Swen Keller has spent a great deal of time trying to find the best possible solution for his herd, breaking new ground. He was able to finance the necessary purchases through the pilot project. Today, he advises other pet owners in a newly founded association on suitable protective measures and their application in practice.

I am always asked how much it costs and the anticipated expenses. Of course, it does involve extra work at first, but I'm convinced that I can protect my cattle without killing wolves. I therefore pass on my knowledge today in workshops to other livestock owners. ―Swen Keller