Schäferschippe

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The shepherd's shovel is a traditional tool used in sheep farming and sheep farming .

Historical shepherd's handles in a museum in Skopje

meaning

Schäferschippe (with wheel) in the coat of arms of Amstetten (Württemberg)

Migrant shepherds in particular with herds of more than 100 animals have been using them as a universal, multifunctional tool for hundreds of years. Therefore, in addition to the still current functional aspects, it also has symbolic importance. As a coat of arms, tattoo or ear studs, the shepherd's shovel represents the increasingly declining profession of the traveling shepherd in Germany.

Functions

Their multiple functions can be divided into 1. functions of the small shovel, "shovel", 2. functions of the leg catcher and 3. functions of the handle:

1. The shepherd can use the shovel to give the herding dog signs that enable it to push the flock of sheep in the desired direction. In the case of the herding dog's obvious insufficiency (not understanding the shovel signal; pushing in the wrong direction; indolence due to old age; inattentiveness) the shepherd can also act directly on the flock of sheep with the shovel by taking up some earth from the ground and thus the sheep tries to hit those grazing most averted in the desired direction. Since the advent of modern diagnostics in veterinary medicine, another possible function of the Schäferschippe has been the collection of faecal samples for analysis for endoparasites. Obtaining a representative collection of excrement samples is made significantly easier by using the shepherd shovel, especially with large animal populations. Finally, the shovel can also be used to cut out poisonous plants in the pasture so that they are not eaten by the sheep. Small sheep farmers in particular, shepherds with a herd of less than 100 animals, find the shovel to be an ideal tool for removing dog excrement from the pasture and thus reducing the risk of tapeworm infections.
2. The leg catcher attached next to the small shovel primarily serves the shepherd to catch sheep by their legs. Especially sick and slow animals can easily be brought under control in this way by skillful shepherds. However, the use of this hook must be practiced if one wants to avoid distortion injuries to the lower extremity of the sheep and the upper extremity of the shepherd.
3. The upper end of the shovel handle is often equipped with a rubber knob to provide a comfortable support for the patient shepherd who often has to lean on the shovel for many hours in a standing position.

execution

The execution of the Schäferschippe is classically simple. The shovel is still made of forged iron, more recently mostly galvanized or made of stainless steel. The handle is made of one of the local hardwoods, often ash, as well as black and hawthorn; Shepherds usually perceive designs with a plastic handle as a despicable imitation and therefore hardly sell. The rubber knob can also be missing in simple models and is then replaced by a textile overlay, usually made from an old shirt, wrapped by the shepherd.