Help on the hoof

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. -- There's no green ogre in this story. But there is a donkey. And instead of battling a fire-breathing dragon and a powerful fairy godmother to help Shrek woo his princess, this donkey's nemesis is an unknown predator killing cattle owned by farmer Brian Stevens.

Unlike the movie version, this donkey has a name: Herbie.

Stevens introduced Herbie this spring to a herd of about 20 cows on his farm northeast of Carl Junction, not far from the Missouri-Kansas border.

Donkeys are known for their stubbornness and obnoxious braying, said Leah Patton of American Donkey and Mule Society. They also are strongly territorial and will take on the responsibility of another animal's well-being, making them popular among sheep and goat producers. While donkeys are a rare sight in Missouri cattle pastures, that is not the case in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico, she said.

Their surly attitude, strong teeth and hard hooves become weapons when fending off coyotes and other predators, Patton said.

"They will chase and stomp a predator to death," she said.

Donkeys also are inexpensive to buy and maintain, and they can be used for 10 to 15 years as guard animals, she said.

Stevens enlisted Herbie's help after losing two cows and seven calves, valued at $6,000, last fall.

Stevens moved his herd in November to another pasture in a neighboring town to give him time to work on a solution.

Trouble was, no one could agree on what was sneaking in under the cover of darkness and preying on his cattle. The animals were taken down by a bite to the neck. Their bellies were opened and the internal organs eaten, but their flesh was intact.

The kills were not typical of a coyote. Stevens and the other farmers who also have lost cattle in similar fashion believe it might be a bobcat or a mountain lion. A black bear also has been spotted in the area.

While contemplating moving some cattle back to the 80-acre pasture behind his house this spring, Stevens decided to get a guard animal. Llamas and dogs also make good livestock guardians, but Stevens recalled his grandfather had used a donkey on his farm in Kansas to guard his horses.

Stevens' friend had purchased a donkey to get rid of a wild dog problem, but he was no longer using it. The friend offered to sell the donkey for $100.

"I thought it was worth a try," Stevens said.

So far, there have been no losses.

Bryan Dierlam, legislative affairs director for National Cattlemen's Beef Association, said his father kept a burro named Clementine with his herd.

"Most cows are very protective of their cattle," he said. "I'm not going to say it's a common practice to put a donkey in with a herd. But those who do it believe it works."

Steven's cattle spend the better part of the day grazing under the shade of a half-dozen trees. Herbie, a gelding, casually patrols the fence line.

"Herbie is kind of a loner," Stevens said. "He doesn't mingle with the cows unless he gets bored. Then, he'll chase them until he gets tired."

But Herbie has made it known that it's his pen. Whenever Steven's dogs attempt to enter, Herbie immediately sends them packing.