What Makes a Shepherd? –June 1986

Some thoughts at large this month-
as opposed to large thoughts.
Somebody asked me recently, after
dutifully noting that “not just everybody
can raise sheep,” what personality traits
were common to good shepherds.
I leaned far back in my chair for a mo-
ment, starry-eyed at the prospect of heap-
ing flowery adjectives upon myself (and
all other self-righteous, er, I mean self-
respecting sheepmen). Words like hard-
working, patient, attentive, and innovative
came immediately to mind. I was about
to go on when my audience of one inter-
rupted by saying those traits could apply
to any livestock producer-or someone
manufacturing micro-chips for that mat-
ter. He queried again: “What bit of
chemistry is it that binds some people to
a lifetime of satisfaction, contentment and
perhaps even profit raising the animals,
while others, even those successful in
other areas of livestock production, may
try sheep only briefly before throwing their
arms up in exasperation and walking
away mumbling to themselves?”
I leaned back again, glassy-eyed this
time because I was drawing a complete
blank.
I thought of some neighbors who had
done well for years with sheep. Both are
decent human beings, but the similarities
taper off abruptly after that. One’s
management philosophy leans toward ap-
parent bewilderment on the good days,
while total despondency takes over on the
bad. He is patient-to a fault. The other
is so organized that he plans ahead just
to make plans. He is meticulous and
impatient-to a fault.
Year in and year out, both consistently
market a high percentage of top quality
lambs …
After a few more feeble attempts to
identify that certain intangible common to
all sheepmen, I surprised myself by giv-
ing up-said I guessed I didn’t know. Hav-
ing thus admitted my inadequacy as an
authority on the sheep industry, my inter-
rogation soon ended.
But the question has since then con-
tinued to beg for an answer. This month’s
column wasn’t intended to be funny, so

please don’t laugh at the answer I finally
came up with.
Respect!
That’s it. Webster defines it as holding
something or someone “in unusually high
regard or esteem.”
Though temperaments vary greatly
among shepherds, as do production
methods, and even reasons for raising
sheep, I’m hard pressed to think of any
veteran sheepmen who don’t, above all
the shortcomings, have an abiding
respect for the animals-an appreciation
for what they can do, along with a clear-
eyed knowledge (and acceptance) of their
limitations.
I’m not sure yet what creates the
respect or what kills it. I just know when
it’s gone, so are the sheep!
*****
A few months ago I lamented in this col-
umn that the Suffolk breed was perhaps
sacrificing some rather important traits in
its tunnel vision dash for height.
I appreciate getting folks’ reaction to
some of the things I write about, and this
topic predictably seemed to generate a lot
of interest. What caught me rather off
guard was that most of the feedback I
received agreed with me.
One note from Ontario, Canada, was
typical. “It’s a tragedy to see a good
breed being mongrelized to produce an

animal that isn’t tough enough to com-
pete … and, in my opinion, the sooner we
get away from “grain-burning, goose-
necked, long legged-monsters,” the
sooner we’ll have useful sheep again.
Everything wasn’t cheesy, of course.
One writer accused me of being cynical.
(Me? Never.) He said I was probably either
a frustrated, white-faced breeder, or one
who had the old “chunky” Suffolks-and
couldn’t give them away. He said the
reason modern Suffolks were tall was
because they had the genetic potential to
be that way-and we should use it!
Along those lines, biotechnologists tell
us that it is possible to breed corn plants
capable of growing two to three times as
tall as those commonly used now-but
the practical applications are limited
because the plant could not support itself
under field conditions, let alone with the
extra weight of an ear of grain.
I don’t wish to debate or belabor this
topic further right now. Your letters were
appreciated. But on this and all the other
important issues facing our industry, don’t
just write me. Contact those who hold our
future in their hands-your friends and
neighbors.

Originally published The Shepherd Magazine June 1986