Shepherds historically managed sheep on public lands and were responsible for their safety, predator control, and veterinary assistance. Changes in sheep raising and fencing have made shepherds largely obsolete, but they can still be found in some regions and are iconic figures in some religions.
A shepherd is someone who takes care of the sheep. Herding is one of the oldest occupations in the world, with the first documented instances of herding appearing in Asia. Once upon a time, these nomadic loners were a key part of the agricultural economy, though changes in the way sheep are raised have rendered shepherds more obsolete. In particularly harsh and dangerous regions of the world, shepherds can still sometimes be found at work.
Other pet breeders can be found, including pigs, goats, and herds of cows. In any case, the shepherd is responsible for ensuring that the animals are kept safe and sound and for managing animals belonging to multiple people, separating animals as necessary. Shepherds must also be very resourceful and strong people, as they might be required to survive harsh conditions for months while traveling with their loads.
Historically, sheep were grazed openly on public lands. A shepherd might look after one large flock, or manage sheep belonging to several farmers. Some shepherds took the sheep out every day, collecting the animals and returning them to the fenced pastures in the evening, while others moved the sheep between pastures over the course of weeks and months, returning to their home villages only periodically. In mountainous regions, sheep were often grazed on high peaks for months during the summer, giving the lowland pastures a chance to recover.
Classically, shepherds were young men who were willing and able to live solitary lives. In addition to managing the sheep, they were also responsible for predator control, supervising lambs and providing veterinary assistance to their managers. As public lands began to shrink, shepherds moved to large estates, where they managed sheep for wealthy landowners. Eventually, the advent of secure fencing and the decrease in predators made shepherding largely superfluous, except in areas where sheep are driven into highland areas that may not be fully fenced in during the summer months.
Shepherds can also be seen in impoverished regions of the world, where maintaining a shepherd can be less expensive than managing fence posts. In other areas, public lands are still being developed and maintained and shepherds are maintained because they are part of a traditional way of life.
The shepherd has become an iconic figure in some world religions, especially Christianity. Sometimes God himself is referred to as a “shepherd,” like Jesus, with the implication that Christians are a flock that needs to be cared for and cared for. Images of shepherds frequently appear in Christian iconography, and the term “shepherd” is sometimes used to refer to a religious officiant.
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