OCR Text |
Show PREDATOR LOSES SEVERE National Farmers Union witnesses strongly urged Congressional approval of H.R. 6725, contending that recent federal changes in predator control policy has resulted in a severe upturn In livestock losses. Some sheep producers told the subcommittee that sheep and lamb losses to predators in Utah had increased in-creased to 16 in 1978 and 18 in 1979. Studies were cited indicating in-dicating that more than 12 of total lamb losses and about a third of adult sheep losses are attributable to predators and that about 14 of calf losses in the western states are caused by predators. The bill would authorize the use of effective lethal and non lethal animal control con-trol devices and toxicant while also spurring research re-search on selective and environmentally preferred control measures. The aim of the Animal Control legislation is not to exterminate coyotes and other predators but to keep their numbers within reasonable rea-sonable balance so that livestock grazing can be maintained without unacceptable unac-ceptable losses. |