Occupation livestock farm helper

Livestock farm helpers attend to live farm animals, e.g. cattle, sheep, pigs, horses and poultry. Their duties may include e.g. feeding, watering, herding, grooming, weighing, catching and loading animals.

Tasks

• Herd or move livestock to desired locations, e.g. pastures for grazing, or to scales, lorries and enclosures.
• Weigh and measure foodstuffs, and mix feed, additives and medicines in prescribed portions.
• Monitor food and water supplies, and distribute feed and water to livestock.
• Drive lorries, tractors and other equipment.
• Clean barns, sheds, pens, yards and equipment, e.g. using disinfectant solutions, brushes, shovels, water hoses, pumps, etc.
• Groom, clip, trim, shoe and castrate animals, dock ears and tails, shear coats to collect hair, and mark livestock to identify ownership and grade using brands, tags, paint or tattoos.
• Milk animals, such as cows and goats, and collect eggs, honey, etc.
• Examine animals to detect illness, injury or disease, and to check physical characteristics, such as rate of weight gain.
• Care for sick animals, treat minor ailments and administer medications, vaccinations or insecticides as appropriate.
• Perform duties related to livestock reproduction, such as breeding animals within appropriate timeframes, performing artificial inseminations and helping with animal births.
• Keep records on animals, e.g. about feeding and breeding.
• Maintain farm machinery and buildings.

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