Context Dingoes and hybrid domestic dogs (wild dogs) are lethally managed, principally by large-scale baiting programs, to protect Australia’s AU$11.4 billion beef cattle industry from predation. This strategy is promoted by pest management agencies as best practice. Aim To investigate the impact of baiting frequency and rainfall on percentage fetal and calf loss. Methods Using 64 property-years of data from 31 properties located across Queensland and the Northern Territory, 14 171 mating outcomes were investigated to assess whether annual rainfall, relative to 124-year mean annual rainfall, and the frequency that wild dogs were lethally controlled on each property, influenced predicted fetal and calf loss. Key results No effect of baiting frequency on fetal and calf loss in mature cows was observed. Predicted fetal and calf loss was significantly higher in dry and very wet years than in moderate-rainfall years (P < 0.001). Losses were observed to be higher in first-lactation cows when baiting was either: not conducted, conducted every 2–5 years or several times per year (P < 0.05) when compared with baiting annually, suggesting that factors other than baiting frequency are likely to have a stronger impact on calf loss. Conclusions Only limited empirical evidence was found to support lethal control. Further investigations may clarify whether the calves of first-lactation cows experience increased predation risk and whether the effect that dry conditions have on cow nutrition, milk supply and, consequently, the vigour of the cow and calf, may also increase predation risk. Implications Lethal control of wild dogs to protect calves is mostly unnecessary.

中文翻译：

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澳大利亚北部牛群的繁殖性能。8. 降雨和野狗控制对胎儿和小牛损失百分比的影响

背景 野狗和杂交家犬（野狗）主要通过大规模诱饵计划进行致命管理，以保护澳大利亚价值 114 亿澳元的肉牛产业免遭掠夺。害虫管理机构将这一策略作为最佳实践加以推广。目的探讨投饵频率和降雨量对胎儿和小牛损失百分比的影响。方法 使用来自昆士兰和北领地 31 处房产的 64 房产年数据，调查了 14 171 次交配结果，以评估年降雨量与 124 年平均年降雨量相比，以及野狗被致命控制的频率每个属性都会影响预测的胎儿和小牛损失。主要结果 未观察到诱饵频率对成熟奶牛的胎儿和小牛损失的影响。预测的胎儿和小牛损失在干旱和非常潮湿的年份显着高于中雨年份（P < 0.001）。与每年诱饵相比，当诱饵为：未进行、每 2-5 年进行或每年进行数次（P < 0.05）时，观察到第一泌乳牛的损失更高，这表明可能存在诱饵频率以外的因素对小腿损失有更大的影响。结论 只有有限的经验证据被发现支持致命控制。进一步的调查可能会澄清第一泌乳牛的小牛是否会增加被捕食风险，以及干燥条件对奶牛营养、牛奶供应以及母牛和小牛活力的影响是否也可能会增加被捕食风险。