Are there any harder workers than your dogs?
In a standard day, your hardest workers can run over 60km, that’s more than a marathon. Over some pretty rough terrain, come rain, hail or shine. In human terms, that’s more than you’d expect from an elite athlete. Add in the work of managing hundreds of cattle and unpredictable merino sheep, and it’s easy to see why working dog teams are such an integral part of farming in Australia.
Thankfully, your dogs are up to the job. Working breeds like the kelpie, heeler, koolie and Smithfield lines are specifically bred for Australia’s unique climate and conditions. With their exceptional endurance and unique temperament, these dogs are the real unsung heroes of Aussie farms. It is estimated that each of your dogs does the equivalent of $40,000 in working hours every year. Which is about five times what it costs you to keep them.
All of that work takes a lot out of a dog. It pays to make sure that they’re getting everything they need to stay happy, healthy and fighting fit. A huge part of this is their diet. Just like us, your four-legged friends need a balance of nutrients to stay in peak condition. While fresh meat is probably one of their favourite things in the world, and it certainly has a place in their diet, it won’t by itself provide working dogs with everything they need.
Like everything else on your farm, your dogs will give you back as much as you put in. A feed formulated by nutritionists who understand the requirements of working dogs is the best way to give them the right balance of nutrients to keep on keeping on.
The right feed will help prevent your hardest workers from losing condition. Help protect them from injury and keep them performing at their best. Look for:
- Sufficient calories in the form of protein, fats and complex carbohydrates, to replace all that energy they’re burning.
- Anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory agents protect their muscles from damage caused by free radicals, which are released during sustained activity.
- Quality essential amino acids to help repair and maintain their muscles after strenuous exercise/work.
- Bio-active nutrients like DHA and EPA to help support alertness and help prevent mental fatigue and joint inflammation.
- Cooked Dry feed in a form that will be easily digested and absorbed in a dog’s short digestive system.
The good news? It doesn’t have to be complicated. A quality commercial feed will give you all of this in an easy, all-in-one product, which you can supplement with anything else your dogs need. It’s a simple way to make sure you’re taking good care your hardest workers, so they can keep taking care of you.
by David Nash & Dr Emma Bradbury
