A livestock guardian dog, LGD, field day is slated for Oct. 8 in Fredericksburg.
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service event will run from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. at Roeder Ranch, 6918 White Oak Road. The cost, if registered by Oct. 1, is $25 per person or $40 per couple. After that date, the cost is $30 and $50, respectively.
Contact the AgriLife Extension office of Gillespie County to register at 830-997-3452 or via email at donna.maxwell@ag.tamu.edu.
The field day is part of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo’s ongoing effort to help producers.
“We want to help them adopt the practice of using specially bred and trained dogs with livestock as a deterrent to predation,” said Bill Costanzo, Texas A&M AgriLife Research LGD specialist, San Angelo.
Livestock guardian dog protection
The field day will include a ranch tour of Fritz Southdowns. There will also be LGD breeders with LGDs for sale, exhibitors and a producer panel.
Topics and speakers include:
– LGD Fact vs Fiction — Reid Redden, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension sheep and goat specialist and AgriLife Research and Extension Center director, San Angelo.
– Predators and LGDs — John Tomecek, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension wildlife specialist, Thrall.
– Canine Health Care — Susan Fritz, DVM, Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital, Fredericksburg.
– Canine Parasites — Meriam Saleh, Ph.D., Texas A&M College of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Medicine associate professor, Bryan-College Station.
– GPS Tracker Technology — Costanzo.
The AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program focuses on research and projects related to expanding the industry’s use, understanding and appreciation of LGDs. These dogs serve as deterrents to predators such as coyotes, eagles, feral hogs and mountain lions -– anything threatening goats, sheep and their young.
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