In order to get a definite answer what happened when a match with the sheep what betrefd ability, there is a medical examination has been during the Hanseatic Trial 2007 with outruns of 250, 325 and 400 meter.
The report is below.
Topsport sheep approve in Zwolle
Saturday 17 March we had asked our bed out towards farm “the old Mars” Zwolle. Through a vet with his Border Collie by Mr.. Dick heeft getraind zijn we gevraagd de conditie van de schapen eens te onderzoeken. Conformation but not endurance!
The sheep of Dick, clean cups and Drenthe Heath Sheep, be used at almost every week in training or matches with some border collies, than those using their handler’ the herding by a trail. Dick wanted to know if the sheep could handle the work and whether it is a problem if the sheep two distances in one day late run. We had thought it would be fun this sport to take a closer look, but doubted greatly advance or determining the condition of a sheep sport would work, and uberhaupt was possible!
Our design of this little experiment was as follows: we Meten hartfrequentie, respiratory rate and temperature of the sheep. This with the help of thermometer and phonendoscope. I have these measurements for the start and Giliam done immediately after arrival of the couple sheep and five minutes later.
The sheep are leaving all (a hundred, depending on the number of participants at the distance) in a pen ( some fences in the whey separation barrier) established. There are always four couples who separated into two smaller pin will remain until start of the distance. In each small pen was therefore a pair of four. These were two clean beakers and two Drenthe heath sheep, or four Drenthe heath sheep.
At the “outrun” these days there was a trail at three distances traveled, Morning 250 meter, later in the day 325 and 400 meter. In the morning we have a number of couples each time a sheep measured (1 was feasible due to time between the arrival of two couples and the “ease” that the sheep must measure up). This was a short distance. In my readings, I found that often what values above the reference values were. This is understandable because of the stress caused by temporarily separating the four sheep of the larger torque and by my presence and the measurements that I did. Both breathing and heart rate was measured with phonendoscope, and I had the most success on the right side of the sheep. It turned again to search for your clear one or the other could hear well enough, and on the frequency and the impatience of et sheep was 10 sec. count the most realistic. This we have multiplied by six to the minute values to determine. The temperature measurement was not always as equally pleasant experience by sheep (why weird?), and included not really know what to us later result so I tell nothing about.
If the start-measurement was done and the sheep noticed the couple was released as the race dog and master were ready. The couple is then by some helpers, so called 'erectors’ with dog and stick, brought to the starting point on 250 meter. The handler and dog walk the contest are on the other side of the field, on 250 m. The dog is then sent off to the couple sheep to retrieve. This alone is very special to see because every dog his own detour so he invents the sheep fast and unseen from behind can approach, through an arc so. If the dog behind the sheep, at a distance of approximately 10 meter, he sneaks into the sheep so that they begin to walk in the direction of the boss. This is called the “lift”. That handler with the dog whistles instructions. The dog, the sheep without doubt or run fast in a straight line towards the first “fetchpoort” drive. It should he contact with the sheep do not lose. The fetch is the distance in a straight line must be passed to pass those gates. Then, the rest of the route to be taken; “drive” where the shelves between two fences and then have the item “shedden s singles”. The dog must be one of the sheep of the group can separate and control. This occurs in addition to specific sheddingvaardigheden, a strong appeal to balance feeling, superiority and power.
If successful, the couple together in a pen driven (a pen 1,80 meters at 2,70 meter. The movable fence is provided with a rope or cord of 1,80 meters long). From the moment the handler the cord pendeur firm has, he may – under penalty of disqualification – not let go until the pin is complete. If this works, time stops and the sheep are ready.
Those were Giliam collected in a small pen, and immediately became the marked sheep measured. This again after five minutes. After that the couple at the other sheep that were done in a larger pen. The handler and his dog are therefore reviewed in good and smooth running of the trail, obedience of the dog, and proper instructions and actions of the boss. This provides points or penalty.
A number of sheep that we have measured in the morning after 250m ran again in the afternoon (but now 400m) so we could see beautiful or two distances in one day recovery period extended or not. Another part of the sheep was the only 400 's Dinner. What if we conclude from our measurements have found that the sheep so slightly above the reference value started, and after arriving there at baseline significantly increased heart rate and respiratory rate were measured, that are already noticeably decreased during the measurement. Five minutes after arrival, the values returned to the initial values or even lower, ie within the reference. It can be said that we believe these sheep have an excellent condition. The respiratory rate was not always useful, heart rate was a good parameter. The sheep that morning and afternoon have walked five minutes were back to normal, only took you by the first measurement immediately after arrival is not the fall that, So went in the first minutes slower than the sheep who once walked. Because these sheep so again after five minutes were fully restored, we believe that the heavy load as the sheep two distances in one day walk. (see chart)
What we also noticed was that when the sheep after measuring the larger pen were almost all of them after a while quietly what layers to ruminate or what grazed.
Regarding welfare, the use of sheep for this training and competitions not detectable negative. There is also in the contest rules properly taken into account welfare; there has been a disqualification if the dog physical contact with the sheep. Only if the sheep dog may attack defending themselves through a “nip”: with open mouth against the sheep punches but certainly not grasp! When the dog to defend himself seizes the sheep, or bite harder than occurs anyway disqualification.
Finally, a little explanation of how these dogs have become so smart. From the evolution of the border collie breed which is the lowest in rank condition and always prey to a- male and female to drives. Therefore let the dog is so well trained. It begins with the teaching of various commands and whistles that the dog learns driving sheep to the boss. If properly manage, the dog listens well and goes well with the sheep, then comes a difficult turnaround point in the training. The dog must learn the sheep from the boss to drift. Obviously this goes completely against his instinct. After many hours, days, weeks of training will be a good dog the penny drop. However, we have a Saturday in our eyes fantastic dog seen, after some questions showed no matches to do so because he was too smart and too much self-performed. The sheep ran at him, no half inch from the direction the dog before she had conceived!!!
As can be seen in the graph are the 5-min values and starting values close to each other.
Dierenartsen Lindsay van de Ven en Giliam van der Straaten