This study suggests that livestock predation by big cats can be
reliably determined and predicted by biomass of wild prey species.
Predation rates significantly increase when prey biomass decreases
below certain minimum thresholds, which are higher for cattle
(812.41 kg/km2) than for sheep and goats (544.57 kg/km2). Being optimal
for net energy maximization by larger big cats and snow leopards,
cattle are expected to be killed by these species firstwhen prey biomass
becomes insufficient.