“At a time when the beef industry is trying to recover from several years of poor market prices and the BSE crisis, the coyote attacks could be the last straw for many producers,” MacDonald declared.
The beef producer added, “The devastation experienced by beef producers underlines the importance of a wildlife compensation program to at least offset some of the financial losses incurred by affected producers – a program operating in all other provinces where governments recognize the need to protect farmers from wildlife damage to both crops and livestock.”
Coyote populations are growing throughout NB, and urban areas are also experiencing an increased incidence of coyote sightings and human encounters.
“Preventative measures, such as fencing, are inadequate responses to coyote attacks and prove costly to producers who should not have to incur this cost to safeguard their herds from public wildlife depredation,” the AANB president noted.
