Winter Sheep Ranch Worker

Job description

The sheep duties will be performed within driving distance, no overnight stays on the range.
Identify signs of ewes going into labor and identify potential problems during the labor process. Gather ewes about to lamb in lambing barn during poor weather and bring in sheep using quads and herding dogs. Identify warning signs of chronic and acute sheep diseases and procedures for treatment. Know how and when to assist during difficult births. Be able to properly constrain lambs and mothers for difficult births and able to skin graft orphan lambs to surrogate mothers or bottle feed. Ability to identify and treat herd health issues including but not limited to malnutrition of ewes and lambs, prolapse and mastitis. Dock and castrate lambs. Splint broken legs Hooking and roping sheep from a quad Must be able to safely treat and follow farm policy pertaining to lamb fungus, sore mouth disease, and Orf virus, worker must employ strict personal hygiene protocol to avoid self or cross contamination. Tag ewes by flipping and controlling them while cutting the wool around sensitive areas of the udder prior to lambing at efficient speeds and without injuring the ewe or unborn lambs. Identifying and earmarking lambs with notches, tags, tattoos, and paint. Clean lambing pens in barn and maintain clean bedding. Vaccinate lambs and mature sheep
Administer oral wormer Identify sheep to be culled based on culling factors determined by owner. Feed grain and winter supplemental hay, rain or shine in correct quantities in relation to available grass. Must be able to climb up on haystacks to retrieve bales and repeatedly lift bales and sacks. Set up, repair, clean, and monitor water troughs and water levels Keep sheep safe from predators by visual checks and use of livestock guardian dogs Trim hooves of all sheep ranging from small lambs to large rams by flipping and holding them during procedure, unassisted. Identify and eradicate invasive or poisonous weeds from sheep pastures.

The worker will live in the employer provided 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 a dishonest or willful act or by the gross negligence on the part of the employee (normal wear and tear excepted).

Special Requirements

One reference required