Cattle Herder

Job description

Worker must have at least 3 months of experience with herds of 200 head of cattle or larger. One reference required.
Attends cattle herd in pens or in pasture. Will perform tasks at the direction of the employer. Attend to cattle to include: Herding cattle while riding on horseback, riding ATV'S, or walking on foot. Protect cattle from attack of predatory animals, i.e. coyotes, mountain lions, bears, wolves etc. Observe and/or examine animals to detect illness or injury; treat ill or injured cattle as directed by employer; Assist with branding, castrating, vaccinating, tagging, weaning, trailing sorting and loading cattle onto trucks for transfer to new range or to transport to market. Maintain meadows and repair/maintain fences to keep animals in the assigned range/pasture and to protect them from dangers such as roads, noxious weeds and poisonous plants. Feed cattle and ensure they have access to water.
Must be able to saddle and ride a horse in a safe and effective manner such as to avoid injury to self, coworkers, bystanders, and the horse itself. As needed, worker will be required to shoe horses.
May assist with irrigating crops. Must be able to operate tractors while maintaining adequate air pressure in tires and oil/fuel levels in machinery. Will be required to operate tractors and farm machinery as it pertains to the farm production of crops and supplemental livestock feed including but not limited to disking, planting, spraying, ground preparation and harvesting. Will be required to operate and maintain a 4-wheeler in a safe and effective way.
Western Range Association and its member ranches facilitate practices of good animal husbandry. Employees that are found abusing, neglecting or abandoning livestock entrusted to their care may be terminated for cause. If the negligent/abusive actions of an employee result in the loss/death of livestock/animals or cause harm to another person, the employee may be held accountable for these actions.
The worker will live in the employer provided range housing. Said housing will be clean and in good repair at the time it is provided to the employee. The employee is responsible to maintain the housing unit in a reasonable level of cleanliness in order to avoid flies, mice or other vermin. The employee is responsible to alert the employer of damage to the housing unit within a reasonable amount of time.