As a prepper, you must be aware of the ways to protect your livestock when disaster hits. This is because you’re not only prepping to keep you & family safe when SHTF, but you are also planning to avoid damage to everything you own — and livestock makes an important part of this.
It is ironic that there are rarely ways to protect livestock when SHTF because they are apparently the first potential casualty when things go wrong. I mean, these are guys on four legs jumping around in fright without any understanding of why the surface on which they walk appears to be parting & swallowing them up. Without your help, these animals are completely helpless.
So, apart from the need to protect the fellas you’ve invested so much in & may have grown very fond of, you may be touched by the fact that the animals you keep are helpless without you. Thanks, another responsibility, but it’s one to encourage since it’s a noble cause.
Plus, protecting your livestock in the event of a catastrophe isn’t a difficult thing to do. The most important thing is to be prepared ahead. This article will look at the various ways to adopt or things to do to ensure you don’t have any dead deer on you when things go haywire.
4 Off-grid Ways to Protect Your Livestock When Disaster Hits
You have to note that you’re protecting your livestock from several things when poop hits the fan. Preparing ahead will ensure they survive the first attack, which is the disaster itself. With this cleared, you have to keep off people who use disasters as avenues to take what does not belong to them. And, oh, when the saints come marching, you’d better have your golden crown on to welcome them.
Firearms
Firearms are an excellent consideration if you’re interested in protecting your livestock when SHTF. I tell you, the bad guys won’t let your animals dwell in peace. Your first point of call is your gun — of course. It goes without doubt that guns are the surest form of defense to have. I mean, come on, I don’t see a stick-wielding maniac taking you out with an AK-47 in your arms.
There’s the possibility that you’ll have a pasture or an open area for your livestock if you have many, so the ideal gun for you would be a rifle or any long-range weapon equipped with a scope. This way & with this, you can keep an excellent watch on the area, giving you the opportunity to identify threats before they are fully formed.
A pistol or short-range gun would make a lot of sense too. Just attach a silencer & wait for the bad guys to get close before taking them out with a whiz. That way, you’ll remain concealed & deadlier.
Guard Dogs
There are so many types of ferocious dogs to make guards over your property, and I assure you that they can make criminals have a rethink about 13 times before setting foot on your property. I recommend the large breeds, such as the Kangal or the Caucasian shepherd — both of which are among the best guardian dogs across the globe.
The Caucasian shepherd is the most robust, most massive dog you can find anywhere and remains the only canine confirmed to have killed a Grey Wolf and taken down bears. They are religiously protective of their territory, so be rest assured of safety with a couple in your hands. However, these are not dogs that are trained by novices — you must be an expert to get these dogs trained.
Dobermans are also very good with protective duties, but I suspect they wouldn’t be perfect for a firm filled with chickens, goats, or cows. Go for a Caucasian shepherd if you can.
Trenches
Digging trenches requires some labor and is not a common livestock protection tactic. It is nonetheless a great method to keep your animals from getting stolen. If dug wide & deep enough, trenches can protect your livestock from being stolen or keep them from running. Note though that bridges can be formed to maneuver this trap, but that should give you enough time to take them all out with your rifle.
Trenches are especially advisable in areas with plenty of scavengers after SHTF. These guys will be making their way about on the search for whatever is worth it and won’t stop coming until your livestock is finished, should they discover it. A firearm may not be enough to keep plenty of scavengers out, but a trench & a gun will be.
Construct a trench that’s about 5 feet deep or even deeper around your livestock area, so reaching them is impossible for criminals. Note that this tactic may not save all your animals sometimes, but it will save most. I recommend removing all fallen tree branches from your surrounding to make it difficult to construct a bridge.
Fencing
There are various fence designs to build to keep your livestock secure. I would advise a design featuring razors & barbed wires. Thieves can’t get into an area enclosed with a fence like this, and if they would, it will take time, which is just what you need to shoot life out of them all.
The least height of your fence should be 9 feet, and depending on what you’re guarding, you can erect a double wall, which will make it much harder to force entry.
Take note of coyotes that can dig underneath your fence to get to the other side. You can keep these intruders out by running your fence 2-3 feet deep into the ground. If this is too costly, a great alternative is to plant barbed wires or electrically charged wires in the earth they’ll be digging through. Are you up for some barbecue?
Concluding the Ways to Protect Your Livestock When Disaster Hits
There are other ways to protect your livestock when disaster hits, but they are on-grid methods — meaning that they make use of technology. We’ll look at these ways in our subsequent articles. For now, let’s hear from you: what are the protective measures you’ve put in place for your livestock when SHTF?