Winter Livestock Worker

Work description

All job duties are closely and directly related to the production of livestock during the cold winter months. Perform any combination of the following tasks while attending to livestock: administer medication as needed; assist in the maintenance of tools, equipment and handling facilities necessary to production; assist with hauling water when winter and drought conditions eliminate natural sources of water for livestock; assist with loading and unloading livestock according to shipping schedules; assist with sorting and cutting of culls; break ice over frozen water sources; count and load livestock onto trailers to send off to packing plant; feed and water and ensure adequate provision of both; feed supplemental rations to livestock when available forage is not sufficient to increase the plane of nutrition for multiple age groups; feed, water and tend to the dogs (both guard and working dogs); lift and stack bales of hay and sacks of grain and mineral onto a feed truck or wagon; monitor and treat livestock for internal and external parasites; monitor animals for weight gain, thrift and health problems; perform preventative maintenance on equipment such as grease and oil checks; set up, tear down and move temporary electric fence used to contain livestock in a specific area; tend to sick animals in the hospital pen; use proper animal husbandry skill to prevent hypothermia/abortion/death.