Range Sheepherder

Job description

Must have 3 months experience with 800-1000 head flocks. One reference required.

Must be able to perform the following seasonal duties at the direction of the employer: Attend to sheep flocks grazing on open range or pasture. Herd flock and round up strays using trained dogs. Attend to sheep grazing on the range to include herding on the range or in pastures while riding and ATV or on foot. Bed down flock in night corral. Protects vulnerable sheep from predators and from eating noxious vegetation. Managing vegetation to promote healthy consumption by removing seed heads from vegetation in order to ensure vegetation is more palatable by mowing. Examine and identify animals for signs of illness and administer vaccines, medications, nutritive supplements according to instructions. Provide water to animals, including mild maintenance of water systems. A range herder requires knowledge and maintenance of rangeland in order to avoid overgrazing of the range land and prevention of animals ingesting noxious weeds. The proper grazing action of these animals helps to reduce wildland fire fuel, increase soil fertility and improve vegetation. Experienced employees hired for this type of position would need to have the knowledge of maintaining a herd on a range so the animals don’t disperse in large open areas, be able to promote proper grazing of rangeland, and predator control on the range. May need to haul water (in truck) to provide sufficient and ample water to sheep in the hot summer. May assist in moving portable fence and (or) corrals. May perform incidental general repairs on fences and (or) corrals as necessary. The worker must be able to use a 4-wheeler in a safe and effective manner. Workers must be able to work alone for extended periods of time and complete tasks as instructed by the employer or their representative in a safe and timely manner without direct supervision. Some work/tasks may occur off the range, but more than 50% of work will be performed on the range. Western Range Association and its member ranches facilitate practices of good animal husbandry. Employees that are found abusing, neglecting or abandoning animals entrusted to their care may be terminated for cause. If the negligent/abusive actions of an employee result in the loss/death of 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. The employee may be held accountable for damage to the housing unit that is the result of a dishonest or willful act or by the gross negligence on the part of the employee (normal wear and tear excepted). ***Hours worked footnote: On call for up to 24 hours 7 days a week***