Wild dog activity: Prevalence of bitten young cattle in the Northern Territory

1. Details of the Station and Management Group

For assistance please contact Kieren McCosker (0889739771 or kieren.mccosker@nt.gov.au)

The overall aim of the study is to establish a practical system that captures frequency data on wild-dog damage on calves and weaners within breeding herds of the Northern Territory. The resulting data will be analysed to derive overall regional, and property estimates for the frequency mauled young cattle present at muster. The variation in prevalence of young cattle with signs of non-fatal attacks will be described, and associations between risk factors (cow-age class, baiting method, proximity to a national park, etc.) investigated. Equally of interest is the determination of indicators of wild dog activity and gauging the effectiveness of practices to regulate the control of wild dogs.

To streamline data entry and minimise respondents having to re-enter similar data multiple times, two surveys have been created. A single one-off survey to record property-level information on the approach to wild dog control and quantify the scale of the problem (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/dogmanagement) and a second (with which this survey relates) to capture actual bite rate data and paddock level information to record paddock or mustering data.

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* 1. Station Name:

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* 2. Name of the paddock mustered

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* 3. In which month did this muster occur?

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* 4. What muster round do you consider this muster relating to

First

Second

Third

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* 5. How would you describe the current season

Excellent

Above average

Average

Below average

Poor

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* 6. Please select the cow-age class that best represents the management group

maiden heifers (females calving for the first time)

first-lactation cows (females that had had one calf)

mature cows (>4yrs of aged)

Mixed ages

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* 7. Please select the mating management system that best represents the management group

Control mated less than 4 months

Control mated for between 4 to 7 months

Segregated based on either lactation or expected time of calving

Continuously mated

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* 8. Does data exist that would allow the calculation of calf loss for this management group? This could be all were confirmed pregnant or individual data recorded.

Yes

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25% of survey complete.