A herdsman is a man whose job is to look after a herd — a group of animals that live and move together, most often cows, but also goats or other farm animals. He keeps them together, walks with them, and takes them to grass and water. Though actually, in many places today you hear farmer, rancher, or herder more often. Herdsman feels a little old-fashioned or rural, and it points to the person with the animals, not necessarily the owner of the land. The -man in the word is male in form. English has no everyday word herds-woman that people really use; herder covers anyone. A shepherd is a narrower word: sheep. A herdsman is not automatically a shepherd, and a cowboy is a later, more American picture of similar work.