Range Winter Goat Herder

Job description

Must have 3 months experience with 800 - 1000 head flocks. One reference required.
Due to animals exerting more energy during the winter months especially in extreme winter weather, the herder will need to monitor the nutritional needs of an animal throughout winter. Ensure that animals have access to unfrozen water and to distribute emergency supplemental feed. Monitor snow levels to prevent sheep/goats from being paralyzed in deep snow or caught up against a fence. Herders need to have experience in identifying animals who are not getting enough nutrition, keeping a fresh supply of water in freezing temperatures, and how to maintain animals in extreme weather conditions.
May assist in kidding. The following seasonal duties will need to be performed. Herder will need to move pregnant does to kidding grounds. Be able to identify signs of does going into labor and identify potential problems during the labor process. Know how and when to assist during difficult births. Be able to properly constrain does for difficult births and able to graft orphan kids to mothers. Ability to identify herd health issues including but not limited to malnutrition of does and kids, prolapse and mastitis. Provide water to animals, including minor maintenance of water troughs and water lines. May need to haul water in truck to supplement animal water needs. May need to provide supplement feed for the does and kids if the range has insufficient forage. Disperse livestock on the range to reduce overcrowding and increase the success of mother and offspring bonding. Protect vulnerable livestock (does & kids in labor) from predators. Move does and kids and assist in branding, castrating, vaccinating, tagging, and worming. Move does and kids to summer range grounds.
Some work/tasks may occur off the range, but more than 51% 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 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. ***Hours worked footnote: On call for up to 24 hours 7 days a week***