Legislation was introduced to allow farmers and ranchers to eliminate black vultures threatening their livestock.

U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) introduced the Black Vulture Relief Act as a companion bill to the House bill introduced by U.S. Reps. John Rose (R-TN) and Darren Soto (D-Fla.) earlier this year.

Mullin said ranchers should have the right to protect their livestock from predators and noted black vulture attacks are often gruesome and cost ranchers an average of $2,000 for every calf killed.

“Attacks from black vultures have become far too common, and our livestock producers are suffering the consequences,” he said. “As a rancher myself, I know firsthand the implications of the rapidly growing black vulture population and the negative effect this has on livestock production.”

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 currently protects black vultures. This means farmers and ranchers must first obtain a depredation permit from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service before they can take a black vulture. However, permits limit ranchers to taking only three to five black vultures per year.

The black vulture population has increased by 468% since 1990 to over 190 million across the country, according to data from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). The growing population brings an increase in attacks on livestock.

“Black vultures are particularly nasty predators, and their attacks can be financially devastating to small, family-owned cattle operations,” NCBA Policy Division Chair Gene Copenhaver said. “The current system prevents cattle producers from effectively protecting their herd. Not only that, but black vultures are also an abundant species—millions-strong—that do not need federal protection. That’s why we urgently need legislation like the Black Vulture Relief Act.”

The bill would give ranchers leeway to take more birds, but they would be required to document kills and submit an annual report. This would allow the Fish & Wildlife Service to better monitor bird population levels.

Both Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) and American Farm Bureau Federation support the bill.

“Black vultures routinely kill calves, lambs and kid goats across the state. They even injure adult livestock during the birthing process before ranchers can intervene. The proposed legislation provides a necessary update to federal law to allow farmers and ranchers the ability to protect their livestock,” Tracy Tomascik, TFB associate director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities, said.

The NCBA, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife & Conservation, 19 state cattlemen’s associations and five other state Farm Bureaus support the Black Vulture Relief Act.

Read the full text of the bill here.