Small Ruminant production has grown by leaps and bounds in the state of Kentucky in the past few years.   Leading the way in this grow, has been sheep production.  Since the rise in small ruminant production, especially sheep production, Russell, Pulaski, and Casey Counties have also seen a huge rise in sheep production.  With this in mind, and the growing number of sheep, and goats, in the Lake Cumberland Area, a workshop was developed with other organizations to bring a workshop to Russell County to educate producers on predator control.  The first workshop of this kind was developed and presented at another Extension office in Eastern Ky.

Russell, Pulaski, and Casey County Extension Offices, Southeast Kentucky Sheep Producers Association, University of Kentucky Wildlife Specialist, Kentucky Office of the State Veterinarian, members of the United Trappers of Kentucky, and an expert on guard dogs hosted a second workshop focused on small ruminant protection and predator control.  When producers think about predator control, they tend to think mainly about coyote, but during the workshop we also discussed black vultures, bobcats and domestic dogs as predators.  Guard animal management techniques, and health care were also a big part of the classroom portion of the workshop.  During the course an on-farm demonstration was also held to show different techniques for predator trapping, hunting and exclusion.

While in the field, trappers from United Trappers of Kentucky demonstrated techniques on predator hunting, coyote trapping, bobcat trapping, and predator snaring.  Predator hunting discussed tools needed, locations to hunt, and regulations for hunting predators in the state.  During the coyote and bobcat trapping sessions, producers were shown how to properly set foot hold traps for each species and what equipment was needed, as well as locations to make sets to attempt to catch predators.  The predator snaring session of the workshop gave participants the opportunity to see a common cable snare being built as well as how to properly set a snare.   Also participants were able to see how to find game trails to put snares in and how to properly set a snare to catch the target animal, and to try to avoid none target animals.

In total 30 participants attended the workshop, with multiple counties from across the state taking part in the day’s workshop.  At the conclusion of the workshop participants were ask a series of questions about the course and what they had learn from the workshop.  100% of participants said that they had learned new ways to protect livestock from predators, 93% said they were very likely to implement control techniques for predators on their operation, 85% said they had learn how to better care for their guard animals, 90% said they learned out new predators to small ruminants, 100% said they would recommend this workshop to other small ruminant producers.