The Most Practical Calibers for Protecting Goats, Sheep, and Other Small Livestock

If you’ve got goats, sheep, or other small livestock, you know predators always seem to test your fencing at the most inconvenient times. One night it’s a fox slipping between wires; the next week it’s a stray dog sizing up the weakest kid in the herd. The last thing you want to do, half-awake in the dark, is argue with a rifle you don’t trust.

Practical here means: reliable, manageable recoil, not overly expensive to feed, and versatile enough to handle the most common threats you’ll see around a small barn or pasture.

Start with your predator list, not your favorite caliber

Goats and sheep attract a mix of trouble: foxes, coyotes, stray or feral dogs, and sometimes bobcats. In some areas, you might also have to think about bigger predators, but on many small homesteads it’s that fox-to-coyote range that causes most of the damage.

So ask yourself: what have you actually seen on cameras or in person? If you’re mostly dealing with foxes and smaller coyotes inside 150 yards, you don’t need a big deer rifle. If you routinely hear coyotes howling on the ridge and see fresh tracks near the pen, you might step up a bit.

Why .223 Remington is hard to beat around small livestock

For many homesteads, a .223 is the most practical “first” choice. The recoil is light enough for smaller-framed shooters to handle well, the guns are lighter to carry, and ammo is widely available. With good soft-point or varmint ammo, it has more than enough punch for foxes, coyotes, and feral dogs at typical barnyard distances.

It’s also a caliber you can afford to practice with, which matters. Protecting livestock isn’t a situation where you want your first real shot of the year to be at glowing eyes outside the fence. You want something you’ve shot enough to be confident with in the dark and under stress.

When a .243 Winchester becomes the better fit

If your terrain is more open and your coyote problem is serious, or if you also hunt deer, a .243 can be a very practical “do both” caliber. With the right bullets, it anchors coyotes and larger dogs decisively and can be used later in the fall to put meat in the freezer.

The tradeoff is more recoil and a little more overkill close to the barn. It’s not the first thing you reach for at 40 yards off the back porch, but for shots ranging out across a pasture, it’s reassuring and proven.

Considering smaller rounds when buildings and fences are close

There are spots where even .223 feels like a lot—tight barnyards, pens close to the house, and areas where fences, T-posts, and sheds sit right behind the predator. In those situations, a .22 WMR or .17 HMR can be worth a look for small predators at closer ranges.

These calibers still require good backstops and responsible angles, but they carry less energy downrange than larger centerfires. They’re not ideal for bigger dogs or long-range coyotes, but they can be helpful if you’re mostly seeing small, quick predators dancing just outside the fence.

The quiet truth: shot placement and routines matter more than caliber

Your goats and sheep are counting on you to be steady, not flashy. Whatever caliber you choose, you’ll get more protection from consistent routines—locking up stock, good lighting, cameras, and regular patrols—than from any particular cartridge label.

Pick a rifle that fits your shoulder, a caliber you can control and afford to shoot, and bullets designed for the animals you’re actually seeing. Then spend more time practicing and walking fence lines than arguing online, and your herd will be better off for it.