Maggie Harris is a sales support officer with Elders in Ballarat, looking after livestock. Come sale day, she is part of the Elders team at the saleyards, helping to draft and move the sheep.

Also part of that team are two young kelpies. Regardless of the weather, they work as hard as anyone else in the yard. Lilly is two years old and already an experienced hand in the yard. Young Sid is eight months old and is still learning the caper.

Ms Harris says getting sheep to move in the yards would be substantially harder without the canine members of the crew.

"Sometimes the sheep won't run without the dog," Ms Harris said.

"When I've not had a dog and had to push them up by myself it is a lot harder work. Generally it makes it so much easier with them.

"I like Lilly in particular. A lot of dogs who have worked for men don't work with women. Because she has worked and lived with me, she listens to me. There are dogs who don't seem to hear me and do not respond to females but when of the guys tell them to do something they just do it."&Up to 300 people are expected to attend the annual conference.#13;

Lilly and Sid are full siblings but from different litters.

They were bred by Matt Gray .

Dogs working in the yards at the Ballarat Saleyards must be muzzled and, for their own safety, can work sheep, but not cattle.

When we met Lilly and Sid last week it was quite wet and not exactly warm. Nevertheless, they got the job done.

"Kelpies have a fair bit of heart and generally want to please their owners, regardless of the weather. They might actually be better in the cold because the heat can wear them out if it is really hot," Ms Harris said.

"Kelpies just suck it up and get it done. They are better suited to the Australian climate than some other working dog breeds.

"They're worth an extra person in the yards. "

� If you have a working dog which deserves to have his day in Farmers' Weekly, email farmers.thecourier@fairfaxmedia.com.au