There are a lot of ways to stop a Yolo County coyote. A rancher might start with a sturdy fence. He could electrify it. Or he could add "propane guns," loud, gas-powered noisemakers designed to scare off wildlife. Jim Yeager's tried everything from leaving late-night talk radio blasting in the pasture to counting sheep all night. After five decades of ranching, he's learned that given enough time, a coyote will learn to get around all these things. So he's found some of the best help grass can buy -- Jennifer the donkey and Socks the llama -- to guard his sheep on the outskirts of West Davis. "All I know is we don't lose sheep to coyotes and dogs anymore," Yeager said. When it comes to furry, four-legged guardians of sheep, dogs still hold the top spot in pop culture. But Yeager said four hooves can be as good as four paws when it comes to saving sheep...more
Jimmy Bason swears by his burros - that's what he uses to protect his famous BOB cattle - that's Bason Organic Beef for those who don't know.
Bason's neighbors say he now has a whole herd of burros - Bason Burro Bodyguards - and he's taken to riding them instead of horses. They say he looks kinda funny with his long legs hanging off the side, but the only complaint they've heard from Bason is he keeps wearing out the heels on his boots.
Someday I need to get up there to his place so I can see his cute little donkey saddle made out of certified organic leather. They say it was hand made by Bill Richardson's former Secretary of the Environment.
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