FREDERICTON -- Cattle producers in New Brunswick say their herds are being ravaged by coyote attacks.

Jennifer MacDonald, president of the Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick, says coyotes are killing calves, despite their best prevention efforts.

She says at a time when the beef industry is trying to recover from poor market prices and the mad cow crisis, the coyote attacks could be the last straw for many producers.

MacDonald says the province needs a compensation program to at least offset some of the financial losses.

She says preventative measures, such as fencing, are inadequate responses to coyote attacks.