Plural of "staff" (stick) — "staffs" or "staves"? [closed]

Solution 1:

For staff in the sense of "a body of employees", the plural is always staff; otherwise, both staffs and staves are acceptable, except in compounds, such as flagstaffs. Staves is rare in North America except in the sense of "magic rod", or the musical notation tool; stave of a barrel or cask is a back-formation from staves, which is its plural.

Solution 2:

When referring to a staff in the sense of the following definitions (as you seem to mean, given your example regarding shepherds), both the plural forms staffs and staves are permitted. [source]

. . .

6) a stick, pole, or rod for aid in walking or climbing, for use as a weapon, etc.

7) a rod or wand serving as a symbol of office or authority, as a crozier, baton, truncheon, or mace.

8) a pole on which a flag is hung or displayed.

. . .

11) Archaic. the shaft of a spear, lance, etc.