Winter Range Sheepherder
Employer
57840 W 17913 N. Loghouse Lane
Park Valley, UT 84329
United States
Job description
Required to be available 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; apply medications to cuts and bruises; assist with hauling water when winter and drought conditions eliminate natural sources of water for sheep; assist with irrigating forage; assist with sorting and cutting of culls; assist with supplemental feeding (when weather or quality of forage precludes use of range forage); assist with weed control on grazing areas (including noxious, invasive and poisonous plant species); attend to pregnant ewes in cold winter temperatures; brand, tag, clip or otherwise mark young animals for identification purposes; break ice over frozen water sources; build and/or maintain fence and facilities to ensure the safety and health of animals and forage; care for newly born offspring; 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; examine animals to detect diseases and injuries; feed and water and ensure adequate provision of both; feed supplemental rations; 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 ; guard against predatory animals and from eating poisonous and/or noxious plants; herd sheep to appropriate grazing areas using winter trailing methods to avoid undue stress; herd to appropriate grazing area; identify and administer appropriate medication for various health issues such as internal parasites, respiratory issues, injuries, etc.; identify and locate the more nutrient dense cool season grasses within grazing areas; intensely monitor and treat sheep vulnerable to the colder temperatures and sickness; maintain and set up supply wagon in appropriate direction to provide wind break/shelter/protection for horses & dogs; make certain animals have access to fresh water; make sufficient water from snow for horses/dogs at camp; monitor animals for weight gain, thrift and health problems; monitor for birthing problems and take correct actions when problems are identified; monitor grazing areas for poisonous and/or noxious plants and take action to prevent animals from consuming any identified; move pregnant ewes at a pace sufficient to ensure they receive ample water/forage during daylight hours before bedding down at night; operate camp stove appropriately to
provide/conserve heat in extreme cold/high winds; properly hobble camp horses; properly use/store food supplies for herder/horses/dogs; report to employer dehydration & other indicators of deterioration in animal body condition/behavioral changes indicating malnutrition or disease; report to rancher dehydration & other indicators of deterioration in body condition/behavioral changes indicating malnutrition; report to rancher on water/forage/weather conditions; round up strays using dogs and/or fence; spray livestock with insecticide; use proper animal husbandry skill to prevent hypothermia/abortion/death.
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; apply medications to cuts and bruises; assist in the maintenance of tools, equipment and handling facilities necessary to production; assist with castration of livestock; assist with
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 ride, handle and tend horses in a manner to assure the safety and health of the worker, co-workers, horses and livestock. 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 for haying and supplemental feeding purposes and ATVs for irrigating and the movement of livestock. demonstrate commonsense and awareness of safe equine handling procedures, i.e. no running in barns, shouting, abusing animals, leaving gates/stall doors/feed rooms open or