A Border Collie Bringing In The Cattle

The drought was bad, so bad in fact, that we had the cattle grazing on the sides of the road.

Electric fencing kept them safe from passing traffic.

We lived about 4 km from where they were contained.

One day we had to bring them home, the bush there was Lancewood (Acacia shirleyi) country. It was so thick with Lancewood, plus the hazards of fallen Lancewood branches even mustering on a horse would be a nightmare. I was not sure how the cattle would navigate through this dense stand of Lancewood. 

After making an opening in the top corner of the fenced of area, we drove around in the Cruiser to the opposite side.

I just leaned out the window and said Molly bring’em home girl.

Molly jumped of the back and headed of towards the cattle.

Stopping at a point where we wanted the cattle to cross the road to our place.

We knew that our working Border Collie Molly would bring them down the fence line to where we were waiting.

It wasn’t long and they all arrived, dust billowing.

We told Molly to hold them, checked the road for traffic.

Then said “Up to the yards Molly!” she took the herd across the road and up into the yards.

We followed up in the Cruiser, closing the front fence gate, then the gate to the yards.

Another job done, no stress, no frustration, no cursing the cattle and no huge amounts of physical exertion to coerce the cattle in the direction we wanted them to go.

God Bless Border Collies.

More Border Collie Tales

A Border Collie Named Keily
The Value of a Working Border Colie Called Molly