Description

Practice abstract

Gudrun Haglund-Eriksson and Bengt Göran Eriksson run the farm Bengtstorp in central Sweden with lamb production with 300 ewes. The farm has 90 ha arable land and 60 ha semi-natural grasslands. The area is characterised by hilly and rocky terrain and is suitable for animal production and grazing. The latest two decades have seen presence of wolves, and predator attacks is a constant threat. There are also lynx in the area. 

To master the challenge of predator attacks Gudrun and Bengt Göran installed predator-deterrent fences in 2018. The fences have five wires, the lowest wire at 30 cm and the highest wire at 110 cm. There are also sheep fences with an electric wire above and on the inside. The fences have reduced the attacks from both wolves and lynx. The farm has not been attacked by wolves but by lynx. 

The fence is expensive. Initially it cost 8–10 € per meter and the price has risen since then. The shape of the land also effects the costs. At this farm the whole distance of 20 km was fenced as a single project, but many farms install fences one segment at a time as it’s expensive and labour intensive. 

The county administrative board grants agri-environmental payments of 50% of the costs upon accepted application. There are requirements for the installation of the fences that must be met in order to be accepted. Therefore, it’s important to have an agreement with the firm that install the fence. Gudrun is president of the Swedish Sheep Breeding Association and also promotes the issue about predators and lamb production on national level. Important issues are regulations that ensure that the population of predators and especially wolves is held on a suitable level and that the right animals are removed. The licensed hunting could be expanded and the procedures for hunting as nuisance wildlife management could be simplified. 

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