Farm Laborer - Farm, Ranch, And Aquacultural Animals

Job description

In general, the workers are responsible for grading and moving fish from pond to pond, harvesting eggs, placing fish in rearing troughs, feeding and monitoring fry and fingerlings, and harvesting mature fish. They are also responsible for repairing and maintaining fish farm equipment. Baxter Land Company is a land owner in Desha County, Arkansas, involved in the production of cotton, rice, soybeans, corn, and grain sorghum, as well as timber, white tail deer conservation, and the breeding and raising of hybrid catfish fingerlings.

The majority of the ponds are used to house and grow the catfish fry to fingerling size for sale to customers to raise for food or for research. All water used in this operation is headed and conditioned, then it is returned for irrigation purposes. The majority of the work in the catfish operation is done by foreign nationals from Mexico. Some have returned annually to work for Baxter Land Company for more than ten (10) years; most have
been working each year at Baxter Land Company for at least five (5) years.

Due to the technical nature of some of the work, it takes time to learn the procedures and techniques necessary to be successful with the work of the hybrid catfish operation. The catfish fry and fingerlings are very delicate and must be handled with care to avoid damage and/or death to the fish. Likewise, during the breeding portion of the operation, time is of the essence as the eggs and sperm will quickly die if they are not handled properly. The manner in which the sperm and effs are harvested takes skill and expertise.

Baxter Land Company raises all of its own male sperm donors and female brood fish. The males must be five (5) years old before they can be utilized as a sperm donor and are sacrificed at the time they donate their sperm. The female brood fish must be three (3) years old to be mature enough to be an egg donor. The breeding of the fish is accomplished essentially through artificial insemination. The onset of the ovulation process is induced in the female catfish when the ambient temperature and water temperature are optimum, and hastened through the use of hormone injections to encourage ovulation. Temperature variations of only three (3) degrees can produce all males or all females so timing of the commencement of the breeding cycle is
critical.

Special Requirements

Must be able to lift 50lbs.