Source: WCFCourier, By MATTHEW WILDE, Courier Staff Write, January 12, 2009
Dogs can be more than just man’s best friend.
To many Northeast Iowa farmers, canines are co-workers saving them time and money. Despite the changes in agriculture — more and more livestock confined instead of roaming in pastures — producers say herding dogs remain a vital part of their operations.
And in some respects, the president of the Iowa Herding Dog Association said demand for well-trained four-legged helpers is growing.
“This is a transitional time for the entire country,” said Deb Meier of rural Alden, co-owner of Leaning Tree Cattle Dogs and Border Collies. “There’s work to be had, but we need to educate people on stockmanship and training.”
Throughout the years, Meier said the focus of the association shifted from farm dogs to competition and show animals. She believes the time has come for the association to get back to its roots.
The association offers herding dog clinics upon request, Meier said. Northeast Iowa Community College in Calmar does the same.
As agriculture continues to evolve, Meier said seminars covering breeds, training, good characteristics to look for when choosing a dog and other topics are useful.
Rotational grazing of dairy and beef herds is making a comeback in the state, livestock experts said. Though farmers still rely on confinement buildings and feedlots to produce milk and beef, many are now using pastures as a low-cost way to get into farming and to save on feed costs.
Vineyards are also popping up with more regularity throughout the state. Meier said sheep are often used as natural lawn mowers, just like in orchards.
To get the animals from point A to point B, Meier said there’s not a better helper than one or more herding dogs.
“A properly trained dog can replace two or three employees,” she said. “I can let my sheep in an open cornfield with no fences. That’s no problem; I have a dog.”
Jed Becker of rural Cresco started using herding dogs in 1999 on his dairy farm. His two border collies and a terrier/blue heeler cross help get cows in from the pasture, move bovines from one lot to another and keep cows standing in the barn during milking time.
Becker isn’t sure how he managed without his employees that require nothing more than food, shelter and a scratch behind the ears.
“They take a lot of aggravation out of farming and moving cattle,” Becker said.
With 65 head of cows, heifers and calves on hand at any one time, Becker said moving them is too difficult by himself. If he didn’t have the dogs, Becker said he would have to hire help, put up more gates and fences or wait until his wife got home from work.
In other words, a waste of time and money.
“I wouldn’t do grazing without a dog. It makes things so much easier,” Becker said.
Herding dogs, depending on breed and pedigree, typically cost $500 to several thousand dollars, said Meier, who trains and sells herding dogs. It’s not uncommon for top dogs to cost more than $30,000, she said.
On average, Meier said training costs $300 to $500 per month. A working dog typically takes less training than one aimed at competition, she said. The training period usually takes one to several months.
Though popular herding dogs like border collies and Australian cattle dogs have a natural instinct to work livestock, Meier said training is still important. Without proper direction, dogs could push livestock too fast or get into the habit of nipping at legs too much. The safety of animals or the handler could be in jeopardy, not to mention equipment.
“There’s no purpose in chasing. They (livestock) could run into fences,” Meier said. “Stock will defend itself. … There’s a fine line between being a benefit or a liability.”
On Scott Koether’s farm six miles west of McGregor, he knows first-hand that a good herding dog is a benefit despite the initial purchase and training expense.
It used to take Koether and Topher, an Australian Kelpie, 30 minutes to an hour to move 200 meat goats from a 40-acre pasture to buildings on the farm.
On July 4, Topher died after getting hit by a car. After Topher’s death, it took Koether, his wife and three neighbors a couple of hours to get the goats in.
“I lost a good friend. He would work so good,” Koether said.
Topher’s grandson, Gunner, a border collie/Kelpie cross, is now Koether’s assistant. He keeps animals corralled in pens while gates are open and helps gather stock.
Koether said herding dogs, for the most part, are an under-utilized asset on farms. He said many of his neighbors with livestock realized as much after a visit or two to his farm.
“I would ask them to come over and help get in animals. They (neighbors) expected to be on foot,” Koether said. “I would send the dog out and we would visit by the gate and the animals would come in. The neighbors went out and got dogs.”
Northeast Iowa Community College last held a herding dog clinic in April 2007. About 70 people attended. Becker and Koether were on hand to answer questions.
Mary Steen, the school’s continuing education program manager, said area farmers are curious about herding dogs. If people continue to show interest, she said another clinic could be held.
“Dogs can be a tremendous asset,” Steen said. “It’s not just a farm dog, but a valuable member of the staff.”
