ACD job losses in favour of the English Border Collie

[Guil]

Here is an analysis of the situation (attached) - Would the Koolie slowly take over? Or is there, not a breed or training issue (as work dogs are sold trained and ready to work) but a handling issue caused by lack of knowledge from new generation farmers? One thing I'm worried about this shift and the taste of our steaks, is that the dogs are using force to move the cows, being physical (ACD) and psychological (Border Collie), which of the 2 makes the tastiest? Me wonda.

 

My questions were:

Here is a question I would like a thorough deep research about, or several questions around the same subject. I have noticed that it's been a while now, in Australia, Border Collies have replaced Australian Cattle Dogs in beef farming. It's frustrating as this dog is actually made to herd sheep but it's attitude as actually preferred by farmers for some reason. So according to reputable sources (if you have to go on social media or forums, if it's necessary, please separate them from the reputable sources, as the latter sometimes is not worth of trust so we will keep them as an alternative stock of information):

 

1) Why do some Australian farmers now do prefer Border collies or some type of random cross breed rather than the ACD?

2) What is the the percentage of stations that do not use ACD any longer?

3) Why would they also use dogs that I can't recognise what breed they are?

4) Is there one or multiple other breeds that are used instead of our Bluey? 
4.1- If so what are they and why?

5) Are there any issues that farmers complain about, according to the new breed they have chosen?

It seems to be a new thing, not sure how long it's been but indeed, at shows it's all about the Border Collie, so if you can find the date of when that shift happened it would be of interest, at least for you so look for this first and then concentrate the questions onto the date it happened until today. Only Australian farmers, no matter what size the station is, family or else.

Trend_ From Heelers to Collies and Crossbreeds.pdf

Edited 9 hours ago by Guil

[Dogsfevr]

Farmers have been using the more agile /multi purpose breeds for a long time & i imagine the fact that there are many great working BC,Koolie <Working Kelpie breeders out there compared to Bluey breeders 

[DogsAndTheMob]

I’ve spent a lot of time in rural NSW over the past 50 years, including during droughts when I saw a lot of farmers and their livestock on “the long paddock”. I’ve rarely (if ever) seen ACDs working livestock; most farmers I’ve seen have used kelpies, border collies or kelpie x border collie crosses with both sheep and cattle. I did see a lot of ACDs used by tradesmen and farm workers as travelling companions and guards for their utes and equipment but that is much less common now.

 

I believe (although I can’t be certain) that there are fewer border collie x kelpie crosses now because more farmers buy their dogs from professional breeders, whereas in the past one farmer would breed his best working bitch to a neighbour’s top working dog, irrespective of breed. This may have had the benefit of producing dogs that were better suited to the local conditions but also the downside of not accessing the best available genetics in the state or country.

 

Edited to add: When I was competing in ANKC herding with my border collie, one of the best dogs I saw was a red cattle dog bitch. She worked sheep very gently but effectively, which was totally different from the stereotyped depictions I’d heard of cattle dogs on stock. I can’t remember seeing any other ACDs working stock, although I can remember seeing border collies and kelpies mustering, droving and working in stock yards.

 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by DogsAndTheMob

[DogsAndTheMob]

The Australian Cattle-Dog by “Sir Bedivere” (includes photographs)

 

Out of interest, I have started searching for references to cattle dogs in papers accessible on Trove.