April 22nd, 2025
Below are quotes from a few shepherds in the Hortobagy National Park. These comments reflect on the decreasing number of available skilled and knowledgeable shepherds in the region. They offer a somewhat superficial but still valuable insight. The two primary shepherds I heard from on this two-day period in late April, 2025, were Laylos and Sandor. Laylos (Lay-osh) lives alone during weekdays and is visited on weekends by his wife and grandkids. His wife works at a hospital in the nearby city of Debrecen. One of his sons is a cattle herder. Sandor (Shan-door) lives alone at the sheepfold in the summer. He is knowledgeable of and carefully selects bells based on sheep size, tone, and his goals for the herd on a given day. He described his daily grazing circuits as west (sheep like to graze facing away from the son) in the morning, and east (again, away from the son) in the evening. The western and eastern ends provide different areas he can go, and selects based on forage availability specifically where to go each day. Here are their quotes:
The salary for shepherding is too low. I own some of my own livestock to help increase salary but it’s not enough still. Two things that would make my life easier are increased salary, and a younger person to work with. I could teach them and they could help keep watch over the animals, move straw bales for the sheepfold, and other things. But also [not wanting to sound like he is asking too much] I have a family, and I am happy.
Shepherds are the missing piece, and I don’t drink [alcohol] so I am valuable. This is a hobby and a job, I love it. On the weekends my wife and my grandkids are here.
Whether the pasture plants are big, little, their color. I am there next to the pasture, and I can see which will be good for the next morning. The fence can’t see this. The dog is the electric fence, and with the dogs we can graze pastures better.
Farmers want fence because it is cheaper. Electric fence is not the solution because we really need people for the livestock, it is the most important thing.
The destination is grazing slow. The goal for the sheep is one step, three bites.
My method, shepherding with dogs, is better than electric fence. The electric fence doesn’t see the pasture or if the sheep are sick, but I do. Whether the pasture plants are big, little, their color. I am there next to the pasture, and I can see which will be good for the next morning. The fence can’t see this. The dog is the electric fence, and with the dogs we can graze pastures better.
Farmers want fence because it is cheaper. Electric fence is not the solution because we really need people for the livestock, it is the most important thing.
