Range Livestock Herder
Employer
21304 SD HWY 45
Miller, SD 57362
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 livestock.
Perform any combination of the following tasks to attend to livestock on the range: administer emergency minor medical care to sick/injured pregnant animals using roping methods to gently immobilize animal without causing undue stress; administer medication as needed; apply medications to cuts and bruises; assist in the shearing of sheep by herding sheep into corrals and through the shearing plant; assist with docking; assist with gathering and sorting lambs for shipping; assist with hauling water when drought conditions eliminate natural sources of water for livestock; assist with irrigating forage; assist with loading and unloading livestock according to shipping schedules; assist with loading trucks with lambs and/or ewes for transportation; assist with sorting and cutting of culls; assist with supplemental feeding (when weather precludes use of range forage); assist with weed control on grazing areas (including noxious, invasive and poisonous plant species); attend to calving cows (including night checks); attend to pregnant livestock and newborn offspring (including night checks); attend to pregnant livestock and newborn offspring in hot fall months and cold winter months; bed down flock at appropriate night site; brand, tag, clip or otherwise mark young animals for identification purposes; 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 livestock gathered and safe; ensure newly born offspring stand and nurse; 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); feed, water and tend to the dogs (both guard and working dogs) and horses; guard against predatory animals and from eating poisonous and/or noxious plants; help with maintenance of meadow lands and repair fences; 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; identify cows that are preparing to give birth; identify livestock that are preparing to give birth; intensely monitor and treat both mother and young offspring vulnerable to hot or cold temperatures and sickness; intensely monitor and treat both mother and young vulnerable to the colder temperatures and sickness; keep accurate record of new offspring born; make certain animals have access to fresh water; 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; monitor young for diseases, thrift and weight gain; move livestock to spring and summer grazing areas; move pregnant livestock 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; report to rancher dehydration & other indicators of deterioration in body condition/behavioral changes indicating malnutrition; round up strays using dogs and/or fence; spray livestock with insecticide. Perform any combination of the following tasks to attend to livestock at the ranch: administer emergency minor medical care to sick/injured pregnant animals 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 handl
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, dogs and livestock, to operate equipment and machinery required to perform job duties indicated in a safe and responsible manner, to maintain equipment and machinery to a standard established by the employer, 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,