08/29/06 Predator and non-predator losses

Washington Ag August 29, 2006 Washington livestock producers lost 25-hundred head of mature cattle and calves valued at 1.5 million dollars to predators in 2005. Those figures are from a report issued earlier this year prepared by the Washington Agricultural Statistics Service in cooperation with USDA's Wildlife Services. The loss of 900 adult cattle to predators last year was up three hundred head from 2000. The 16-hundred calves lost was the same as in 2000. Cougars are listed for 22 percent of the predator losses of cattle over 500 pounds in 2005. In 2000 cougars accounted for 83 percent of those losses. For calves under 500 pounds, 37 ½ percent were due to coyotes last year and 37.5 percent to cougars. Washington producers also lost 20,100 head of cattle to various diseases in 2005 along with 21,400 calves. Those losses were valued at 28.7 million dollars. Respiratory problems accounted for the loss of 11,500 head of cattle and calves followed by digestive problems at 92-hundred head. Calving problems caused the loss of 13-hundred adult cattle and 32-hundred calves. Three hundred head of adult cattle were lost to theft in 2005. I'm Bob Hoff.