Droving

Droving is the practice of moving over long distances by walking them "on the hoof".

Droving stock to market, usually on foot and often with the aid of dogs, has a very long history in the Old World. There has been droving since cities found it necessary to source food from distant supplies. Romans are said to have had drovers and their flocks following their armies to feed their soldiers.

An individual owner of livestock cannot both take care of animals on his farm and take other stock on a long journey to market. So the owner might entrust this stock to an agent, usually a drover, who will deliver the stock to market and bring back the proceeds. Drovers took their herds and flocks down traditional routes with organised sites for overnight shelter and fodder for men and for animals.

The journey might last from a few days to months. The animals had to be driven so they would be in good condition on arrival. There would have to be prior agreement for payment for stock lost; for animals born on the journey, for sales of produce created during the journey. Until provincial banking developed, a drover returning to base would be carrying substantial sums of money. Being in a position of great trust, the drover might carry to the market town money to be banked and important letters and take with them people not familiar with the road.

Drovers might take the stock no more than a part of their journey because stock might be sold at intervening markets to other drovers. The new drovers would finish the delivery.

Cattle drives were an important feature of the settlement of both the western United States and of Australia. In the year 1866, cattle drives in the United States moved 20 million head of cattle from Texas to railheads in Kansas. In Australia drives of sheep also took place. In both countries these drives covered great distances (800 miles Texas to Kansas), with drovers on horseback, supported by wagons or packhorses. Drives continued until railways arrived. In some circumstances driving very large herds long distances remains economic.

Droving

Sheep droving in Kings Canyon, Utah

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Wikipedia