Cattle Farmhand

General Description:

The Cattle Farmhand supports the daily care, feeding, and management of the cattle herd. The role is hands-on and helps keep animals healthy, facilities in good condition, and operations running smoothly. 

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities:

• Oversee and ensure health of cattle
  
  
  
  • Daily observation
    
    
    
    • Check for open wounds on tails, feet and/or ears
    
    
    • Cattle are eating and drinking on a regular basis
    
    
    • Able to walk with no limp on all four hoofs
    
    
    • Cattle are not by themselves, sunken in, with their head down as that can indicate sickness
    
    
    • Environment is maintained by cleaning pens weekly by the removal of manure and adding more dirt to maintain comfort
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Administer treatment protocols
    
    
    
    • Treatment may included but not limited to the removal of cattle in need of treatment to another location, administering antibiotics and anti-inflammatories with approved methods of euthanasia, as needed
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Vaccination administration and Reporting
    
    
    
    • Complete treatment form to outline history of treatment
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Complete Daily Paperwork – Animal treatment summary, feed sheets, commodities reports, etc.
  
  
  • Assist with morning and afternoon cattle feedings
    
    
    
    • Ensure correct rations and feed times are established and followed
    
    
    • Ensure truck loads are maximized with weights and rations
    
    
    • Accurately mix feed
    
    
    • Oversee upkeep of bunks
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Maintain Inventory on all commodities, medications, implants and vaccines
  
  
  • General maintenance of company equipment
    
    
    
    • Include by not limited to applying grease, changing oil, checking tire pressure and replacing tires, as needed
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Ability to operate Heavy Equipment
    
    
    
    • Feed Truck
    
    
    • Payloaders
    
    
    • Tractor
    
    
    • Skid Loaders
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Special Projects -- Coordinate and complete special projects as requested for the Iowa Feedlot/Operations Manager and other Summit Farms management, as needed basis
  
  
  • Maintain a positive attitude while conducting work tasks along with a positive relationship with co-workers, vendors and clients.
  
  
  • Prioritize work tasks to ensure high priority items are taken care of first
  
  
  • Perform duties in a safe manner and follow all safety policies
  
  
  • All other duties as assigned by Manager
  
  
  
  

Work Environment:

• This position is performed inside and outside pending the location of the cattle while being exposed to outside weather conditions.


• The noise level within the work environment can be loud and during seasonal months additional fumes and dust may be more noticeable.

Education/Experience:

• Prior experience working and being around livestock is preferred


• Class A CDL preferred, but not required

Physicality Requirements:

• Required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear.


• The employee must be able to continuously repeat necessary movements such as bending, lifting and different hand movements as needed to complete tasks


• Ability to frequently lift or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift or move up to 50


• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust


• Ability to lift up to 75 pounds along with climbing up ladders and over gates


• Ability to climb in and out of livestock trailers that can be as short as 48 inches in height

Position Type:

• This position is full-time working Monday-Friday and/or work every other weekend with a day off during the week pending the schedule.


• Additional hours may be required during staffing challenges and/or seasonal needs.