ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Herding

Okay, so you know how sometimes animals like cows, sheep, and goats all move together in a big group? This is called herding.

Imagine you're playing a game of tag with your friends at recess. If your friend is "it," they might try to tag as many people as possible by running after them. But what happens if everyone starts running in different directions? It might be hard to catch anyone because they're all going different ways.

This is where herding comes in. If you're one of the friends who doesn't want to get tagged, you might decide to follow everyone else who is running away. That way, you're more likely to stay safe. When everyone moves together in a big group like this, it's easier to keep track of where everyone is going and it's harder to get separated from the group.

The same thing happens with animals that herd. If one animal starts running in a certain direction, the other animals will follow because they don't want to be left behind or separated from the group. This can be helpful for the animals because they can find food, water, or safety by sticking together.

Sometimes, people use herding to move animals to a new place or to keep them safe. For example, a farmer might need to move their cows from one field to another, but the cows might not want to go. Instead of chasing after them, the farmer might use a dog to guide the cows in the right direction. The cows will follow the dog because they don't want to be left behind, and they'll end up in the new field without any trouble.

So, herding is like when a big group of animals move together because they don't want to be left behind or separated from each other. It can be helpful for the animals and for people who need to move them around.