Ranch Hand - McCook, Nebraska

Ranch Hand

Northwest of McCook, Nebraska

Overview

This established cow/calf and stocker operation is seeking a dependable, hands-on Ranch Hand to help manage a 600 head cow/calf herd, replacement heifers, and 1,000 head of yearlings and background calves through the year. The operation also runs an embryo transfer and recipient cow program. Daily work includes calving, feeding, doctoring, fencing, branding, and light farming, with cattle worked using horses, side by sides, and trucks. This is a physically demanding, year round position with newly remodeled housing available.

What Sets This Opportunity Apart

• Newer, well maintained equipment


• Hands on experience with an embryo transfer and recip cow program


• Quality horses used for regular cattle work


• Newly remodeled housing provided, overlooking a lake

Responsibilities

• Help calve out 600 head of cows and heifers starting mid January, including tagging, pulling calves, and handling calving problems


• Check cows and calves daily during calving season, with morning and overnight checks on a rotating schedule


• Identify sick cattle, rope and doctor cattle from horseback


• Gather and move cattle from horseback


• Background 1,000 head of calves through fall, winter, and early spring


• Feed cattle using a feed truck and wagon, feed mineral, move cows onto corn stalks, and unroll alfalfa bales in bad weather


• Assist with branding, rope and drag style


• Assist with AI'ing and synchronizing heifers, and with recip and ET cow sorting and setup during breeding season


• Fence repair and building across the operation's pastures


• Help put up alfalfa, cane, and oats, including haying and silage chopping


• Move cattle to grass in the spring and check cows and steers on grass through summer


• Assist with preg checking and ultrasounding heifers


• Basic mechanical work including oil changes and running a skid steer, general equipment care, and occasional cattle hauling if licensed

Qualifications

Required:

• Hands on experience working cattle


• Ability to identify sick cattle and handle calving problems


• Comfortable riding and working around horses


• Ability to operate ranch equipment


• Physically able to work outdoors in all weather conditions


• Self motivated, honest, and able to work independently

Preferred:

• Welding experience


• CDL

Compensation and Benefits

• Pay ranging from 42,000 to 60,000 dollars depending on experience


• Housing provided, newly remodeled


• Vehicle provided once on site


• Beef provided


• Feed for using horses 


• Flexible schedule during slower months, with time off offered when weather allows during calving and winter


• Weekends mostly off in summer