Immigrant sheepherders from South America working in western Colorado routinely are paid low wages and live in small campers without electricity or toilet facilities, according to a report to be released today.

However, officials with the sheep industry vehemently dispute the report's findings, calling them anecdotal and unsubstantiated.

The report by Colorado Legal Services was based on interviews over two years with 93 of the estimated 300 immigrant sheepherders working in the state under H-2A visas.

The workers, mostly from Peru, are brought in to work for up to three years herding sheep.

But there are few safeguards for the workers, the report said.

"A lot of the actual shocking stuff is allowed under current law," said Jennifer Lee, a Colorado Legal Services attorney who oversaw the report.