Most larger farms (or heck, even smaller ones) have multiple livestock guardians. They work well in pairs, often one stays with the flock/herd while the other patrols/sleeps, etc. And especially if they're showing for confirmation, they've probably got several prospective dogs that they're watching to see who is going to go into the show ring.
For me, the most important thing is a healthy line. Breeding poorly bred dogs creates more poorly bred dogs. A livestock guardian that has hip dysplasia and has to be put down by the age of 5 isn't the best sire or dam for your future generations. I learned a bunch before I got Cosmo, my golden retriever, who, as a breed, are riddled with hip, elbow and eye issues... and frequently die of cancer.
And I'm 100% not an expert in any of this, but it's just what I've managed to fill my brain with while browsing/researching LGDs recently, lol.
