Winter Range Sheepherder
Employer
1004 Blair Road
Whitewater, CO 81527
United States
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. 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; administer medication as needed; assist with gathering and sorting lambs for shipping; assist with hauling water when winter and drought conditions eliminate natural sources of water for sheep; assist with sorting and cutting of culls; 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; examine animals to detect diseases and injuries; feed and water and ensure adequate provision of both; feed, water and tend to the dogs (both guard and working dogs); 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; monitor pregnant ewes for abortion/malnutrition/pregnancy toxemia and other pregnancy related conditions; repair and/or maintain fence and facilities to ensure the safety and health of animals and forage.
Perform any combination of the following tasks to attend to sheep on the ranch 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; administer medication as needed; assist with sorting and cutting of culls; attend to pregnant ewes in cold winter temperatures; break ice over frozen water sources; cut and clear noxious trees and shrubs that harm grass and plant species in grazing areas; feed and water and ensure adequate provision of both; feed, water and tend to the dogs (both guard and working dogs); intensely monitor and treat sheep vulnerable to the colder temperatures and sickness; monitor pregnant ewes for abortion/malnutrition/pregnancy toxemia and other pregnancy related conditions; repair and/or maintain fence and facilities to ensure the safety and health of animals and forage.
Special Requirements
Required to: perform tasks capably and efficiently without close supervision, spend the majority of work days on the range, live and work singly or in small groups of workers in isolated areas for extended periods of time, to operate equipment and machinery required to perform job duties indicated in a safe and responsible manner, work outdoors in all types of weather and may experience occasional exposure to hazards such as poisonous snakes, biting insects and extreme temperature, attend animals during all hours of the day as required for their safety and well-being, maintain and manage remote housing locations in a safe and responsible manner, work with and around farm machinery such as tractors, UTVs and ATVs for supplemental feeding purposes and movement of livestock, handle animals using low stress handling methods, work with, repair and maintain both set field fence and temporary electric fence, able to perform strenuous work at high altitudes for extended periods of time.