'I've never had to reboot my dog' - Kiwi farmers say no to robot sheepdogs

New Zealand farmers will stick to traditional sheep herding methods. Photo / New Zealand Herald

Hard-working sheepdogs need not worry - it is unlikely robotic sheepdogs will be replacing them anytime soon, Federated Farmers says.

Late last month, scientists from Swansea University in the United Kingdom released a study outlining an algorithm they had discovered for herding sheep.

Scientists found that rounding up sheep relied on two basic rules - herding the sheep together and then driving them forward.

By programming robots with the algorithm, scientists believe they can replace the need for sheepdogs on the farm.

The algorithm could also be applied to crowd control, cleaning marine oil spills and other engineering problems.

So far the model has been tested using a GPS system attached to a sheep dog and a flock of sheep.

However, Federated Farmers is skeptical robotic sheepdogs could ever replace the real thing.

Its meat and fibre spokesman Rick Powdrell said it was unrealistic to believe a robot could predict the behaviour of a herd of sheep based on just two rules.

"At this time of the year, when sheep have got lambs, you will get some sheep that will stand up to the dog to the point of even chasing it - how's a robot going to handle that?

"Within a mob of sheep you will get animals that will behave differently, you get some sheep that are quite happy to lead and others which you call trailers.

"As well as keeping the back moving, dogs have to be controlling the sheep on the sides, leading them where you want them to go."

He said although it was an interesting study, it raised many issues.

"For starters there is a primordial instinctive connection between the two animals. How you stimulate that I have no idea."

Mr Powdrell also questioned a robot's endurance and ability to work across unforgiving terrain.

"After a few dog biscuits and water, dogs are ready to go, but since my smartphone struggles to get through a full day, the idea of a robotic dog running out of puff in the back blocks doesn't excite me.

"I don't think I have ever had to reboot one of my dogs either."

Mr Powdrell said drones had a significant future in agriculture, but didn't see the same future for robot sheepdogs.

"Our guys are increasingly using drones and autonomy may be massive for rural security, but that last element is for the future. Robotic dogs seem a bridge too far."