Winter Range Goat/sheepherder

Job description

Required to be available up to 24 hours per day, 7 days a week and spend the majority of workdays on the range. Worker must have 4 months experience. All job duties are closely and directly related to the production of sheep. Perform any combination of the following tasks to attend to sheep on the range during the winter season: administer emergency minor medical care to sick/injured pregnant ewes using roping methods to gently immobilize animal without causing undue stress; assist with hauling water when winter and drought conditions eliminate natural sources of water for sheep; move sheep to winter wheat pasture during the day and to shelter/small pen in the evening; assist with supplemental feeding (when weather or quality of forage precludes use of range forage); attend to pregnant ewes in cold winter temperatures; break ice over frozen water sources; detect direction from which the wind or prevailing storms are coming to keep ewes gathered and safe; detect through winter tracking methods where other rancher(s)' livestock has been to avoid overgrazing of forage; feed, water and tend to the dogs (both guard and working dogs) and horses; guard against predators prevalent during the winter months using appropriate tracking, trapping, and hunting methods ; herd sheep to appropriate grazing areas using winter trailing methods to avoid undue stress; intensely monitor and treat sheep vulnerable to the colder temperatures and sickness; move pregnant ewes at a pace sufficient to ensure they receive ample water/forage during daylight hours before bedding down at night; properly use/store food supplies for herder/horses/dogs; monitor fence status and perform repairs as needed; report to employer dehydration & other indicators of deterioration in animal body condition/behavioral changes indicating malnutrition or disease; report to rancher on water/forage/weather conditions; use proper animal husbandry skill to prevent hypothermia/abortion/death.

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 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***