Wildlife Services

Assistance at Dairy

Facilities

The Wildlife Services (WS) program, part of the U.S.

Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service (APHIS), helps reduce

wildlife damage to agricultural, urban, and natural

resources. WS also addresses threats to public

health and safety and protects natural resources from

wildlife damage.

Using an integrated approach that combines a

variety of science–based methods, WS assists dairy

producers in resolving problems associated with bird

contamination, wolf depredation, and bovine tuberculosis transmission, among other things.

European Starlings

European starlings often congregate in feedlots

and dairies during winter months and cause damage

by consuming livestock feed and by defecating on

feed and water supplies—potentially transmitting

harmful diseases to livestock. The birds also defecate on building structures and equipment, shortening their useful life span and increasing cleanup

costs.

Upon request, WS can provide on–site assistance to any affected facility where starlings are

causing damage and develop plans to reduce the

damage caused by the birds. These plans may

include recommendations for exclusion, harassment,

or lethal methods. For example, trained WS specialists may assist producers through the use of an environmentally sound avian toxicant—DRC–1339—that

reduces starling numbers without posing a threat to

other nontarget species or livestock. Bird populations

can also be managed by trapping.

Wolf Depredation

Wolves are making a strong comeback in many

parts of the Midwestern United States. They can be

found in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. While

the expanding wolf population is an ecological success story, it also creates challenges for farmers and

ranchers who must protect livestock and domestic

animals from these predators.

Although most wolves tend to inhabit remote

forested areas, their range sometimes brings them in

close proximity to poultry and livestock farms, especially farms located in isolated areas. When this happens, livestock predation can occur. Wolves may

also prey upon companion and hunting dogs.

WS, in cooperation with State wildlife agencies,

can provide assistance to those who experience suspected predation of livestock by wolves. Such assistance may include direct assistance in the form of a

trained WS specialist who can capture and remove

individual wolves. Some States offer compensation

programs and producers may be eligible for monetary

compensation from the State for their losses. A State

government agency would make that determination.

It is important to note that wolves are protected

under Federal law. It is illegal to harm or kill a wolf,

except in defense of human life or under authorization by an appropriate government agency. Any

attempt to disperse a wolf away from a farm site must

be done without physically harming the wolf. Contact

WS to obtain more information about nonlethal methods for preventing wolf depredation.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Research by USDA’s Agricultural Research

Service’s National Animal Disease Center has

demonstrated that deer can transmit bovine tuberculosis (TB) to one another and to cattle through feed.

WS personnel are dedicated to helping producers

prevent the spread of TB from deer to cattle. In

Michigan, WS assists producers by providing fencing

to keep deer out of stored feed and by removing

infected deer under disease management permits.

WS is also carrying out research to determine other

ways to prevent the transmission of TB between

wildlife and cattle.

If you would like more information or if you would

like assistance from WS to resolve these or any other

wildlife damage issue, please call 1–866–4USDAWS.

You can find more information on WS programs

by visiting our Web site at

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws.

Factsheet

Wildlife Services September 2004

APHIS
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination

in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national

origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to

all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative

means for communication of program information (Braille, large

print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at

(202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of

Civil Rights, Room 326–W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence

Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250–9410 or call (202) 720–5964

(voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and

employer.

United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture