Meet Rooster, Georgia Farm Bureau’s 2025 Farm Dog of the Year

Rooster is a full-time farmhand, right-hand man on Shawn Raff’s cattle and dairy operation in Eatonton, Georgia.

EATONTON, Ga. (Farm Monitor) — Before the sun rises, before the gates open and the work begins, one small shadow is already by his side. His name is Rooster, and he is not just a dog—he is a full-time farmhand, right-hand man, and winner of the 2025 Georgia Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year.

On Shawn Raff’s cattle and dairy operation in Eatonton, Georgia, Rooster is there for every spray, every roundup, and every stubborn cow. Whether it is moving 300 head on his own or gently guiding dairy cattle through the barn, Rooster does it all—instinctively, precisely, and with a heart as big as Texas.

In this powerful story of loyalty and labor, Rooster proves that the best farmhands do not need to walk on two legs to make a lasting impact on an operation. Watch as we follow this remarkable border collie through daily life on the farm, his unshakable bond with Shawn, and the quiet, unseen work that earned him statewide recognition.

Related Stories
Cattle imports from Mexico remain stalled amid the New World screwworm outbreak. At the same time, Tyson closures add pressure on Nebraska producers and markets ahead of the USDA’s upcoming Cattle on Feed Report.
Georgia has regained its HPAI-free status after a swift response to October’s detection. Commissioner Tyler Harper urges producers to stay vigilant and maintain biosecurity.
Southern producers head into 2026 with thin margins, tighter credit, and rising agronomic risks despite scattered yield improvements.
Water access—not acreage alone—is driving where irrigation expands or contracts.
The Lexington shutdown pushes national slaughter capacity utilization nearer long-run averages, underscoring how tight cattle supplies are reshaping packer operations.
Raulston Acres Christmas Tree Farm in Rock Springs, Ga., has been in the same family for three generations.
Texas livestock producers face a heightened biosecurity threat as New World screwworm detections in northern Mexico coincide with FDA approval of the first topical treatment.
Milk output is rising, but steep drops in Class I–IV prices are tightening margins heading into 2026.

Rural Lifestyle & Entertainment Shows
“Today’s Wild West” is a documentary-style, half-hour TV seres on all-things-Western: horseback adventures, cattle drives, dude ranches, Western art, artisans, music, movies, historic sites, Native American culture and more.
How do you define Texas? It starts with wide open spaces. It’s a beautiful, enchanted land full of amazing people and places. Then there are the cities and towns—big and small—each with its own culture and way of life. When you add these things together, you have an incredible mix of personalities that make Texas what it is today.
“Positively Paula,” is a nationally-syndicated lifestyle/food show that invites viewers to share a moment with their friend: Paula Deen, who we know and love.
Richard “Red” Skelton, reigned as the virtual King of TV Variety Show Comedy throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Airing for a total of of 20 seasons, from 1951 through 1971, Red’s hilarious facial contortions and colorful cast of boneheaded personas – including indept Sheriff Deadeye, inebriated boxer Cauliflower McPugg, hillbilly Clem Kadiddlehopper, and hobo Freddie the Freeloader – kept a whole generation of Americans in stitches during the earliest decades of television. Memorable guest stars included John Wayne, Phyllis Diller, Mickey Rooney, Audrey Meadows, Michael Landon, and many more.
Experts from the University of Nebraska Medical Center discuss health and how it impacts farmers, ranchers, and rural Americans on this special LIVE call-in show.