Range Winter Sheepherder

Job description

Must have 3 months experience with 800 - 1000 head flocks. One reference required. The employee must be able to identify approaching storm periods and make precautions to prevent the herd from drifting against a fence line where they pile up and get drifted over with snow and freeze to death. The herder must be experienced in handling extreme winter conditions on a range to prevent death in sheep, goats, horses, and dogs. 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. Herder will need to move pregnant ewes to lambing grounds and into lambing jugs at the appropriate time. Be able to identify signs of parturition and identify potential problems during the process including hypothermia of newborn animals. Know how and when to assist during difficult births and able to graft orphan lambs to mothers. Ability to identify herd health issues. May need to provide supplement feed for the ewes and lambs. Ability to monitor and maintain newborn lambs in winter like conditions. Manage livestock to increase the success of mother and lamb bonding. Protect vulnerable livestock (lambs & ewes in labor) from predators. Assist in branding, castrating, vaccinating, tagging, and worming.

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. The employee may be held accountable for damage to the housing unit that is the result of 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***