Range Livestock Herder

Work 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 medication as needed; apply medications to cuts and bruises; 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 preg testing cows and heifers; 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 kidding goats (including night checks); attend to lambing ewes (including night checks); attend to pregnant livestock and newborn offspring (including night checks); bed down animals at appropriate night site; brand, tag, clip or otherwise mark young animals for identification purposes; care for newly born offspring; ensure newly born calves stand and nurse; ensure newly born goat kids stand and nurse; ensure newly born lambs 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) 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 livestock that are preparing to give birth; intensely monitor and treat both mother and young offspring vulnerable to hot or cold 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; repair and/or maintain fence and facilities to ensure the safety and health of animals and forage; report to employer dehydration & other indicators of deterioration in animal body condition/behavioral changes indicating malnutrition or disease; 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; use proper animal husbandry skills to prevent heat stress/hypothermia/abortion/death. Perform any combination of the following tasks to attend to livestock at the ranch: administer medication as needed; apply medications to cuts and bruises; assist in the maintenance of tools, equipment and handling facilities necessary to production; assist with castration of livestock; assist with docking; assist with loading and unloading livestock according to shipping schedules; assist with loading trucks with kids and/or nannies for transportation; assist with loading trucks with lambs and/or ewes for transportation; assist with preg testing cows and heifers; assist with sorting and cutting of culls; assist with supplemental feeding (when weather precludes use of range forage); assist with th...

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Last updated: October 7, 2026