Cattle and wildlife interactions bring uncertainties and will add debates in the future as we face predators and animal disease.
I was wondering what I was going to write about this month when I got the call that my article was due. I have been focusing on USDA program changes, federal administration changes and cuts, and the state legislature bills that I am supporting this session. However, another important issue has come up that needs to be talked about.
In the middle of spring, I received an email from a livestock producer in southern Nevada that had a request for our 2026 Cattlemen’s Update agenda. The email said that there needed to be more education to producers about wildlife and livestock interactions, and the impacts to the industry because of these interactions. This communication was followed by a training that we held in March for all Nevada Tribes with USDA, Animal Plant and Animal Service (APHIS). We held this tribal training online, so that all USDA staff could participate to encourage tribes in Nevada to begin their planning efforts. It was this two-day training that educated me about what wildlife we are dealing with in Nevada that could have impacts on our livestock.
While I am no expert in feral horses, I have colleagues that are very involved in the issues and provide me with input and education whenever I ask. What I did not know is that we have wolves and feral pigs in Nevada that are being monitored and watched. Both species add concerns to wildlife interactions with livestock, not to mention the disease interactions between elk, deer and wild birds.
Wild birds are on everyone’s radar, as we got an update on the Avian Flu by experts yesterday in a UNR Extension poultry workshop. Avian flu is here to stay, and we better be prepared for foot and mouth disease when it arrives. Yes, these wildlife and livestock interactions are something we all need to monitor and be aware of. I encourage each one of you to pay attention, and let people know if there is something different or unique that is happening in your part of Nevada. Extension has recently just set up a biosecurity program under livestock specialist Tracy Shane, and I believe this program will also provide information about wildlife and livestock interactions.
I opened my Facebook account yesterday, and I saw a video of Dave Stix discussing wolves and the attacks on his livestock right over the Nevada border. These attacks are devastating for the producer to witness and have definite economic impacts on the livestock operation. Wolves are in parts of Nevada and the number of sightings and reports are increasing.
What I realized is that I did not educate myself and gain the knowledge to understand what is happening in Nevada. Knowledge is power and I did not have the knowledge. Now, I have a passion for understanding and sharing knowledge. I would like to thank the livestock producer for reaching out to me to put this important issue on my radar as an identified need. Don’t be surprised if you see in my day job that my program teams are holding forums and educational events around these wildlife and livestock interactions.
By Staci Emm | Editorial