Career summary

Details for Farmworkers, Farm and Ranch Animals


Description

Attend to live farm, ranch, or aquacultural animals that may include cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses and other equines, poultry, finfish, shellfish, and bees. Attend to animals produced for animal products, such as meat, fur, skins, feathers, eggs, milk, and honey. Duties may include feeding, watering, herding, grazing, castrating, branding, de-beaking, weighing, catching, and loading animals. May maintain records on animals; examine animals to detect diseases and injuries; assist in birth deliveries; and administer medications, vaccinations, or insecticides as appropriate. May clean and maintain animal housing areas.

Tasks

  • Feed and water livestock and monitor food and water supplies.
  • Drive trucks, tractors, and other equipment to distribute feed to animals.
  • Examine animals to detect illness, injury, or disease, and to check physical characteristics, such as rate of weight gain.
  • Provide medical treatment, such as administering medications and vaccinations, or arrange for veterinarians to provide more extensive treatment.
  • Mix feed, additives, and medicines in prescribed portions.
  • Inspect, maintain, and repair equipment, machinery, buildings, pens, yards, and fences.
  • Move equipment, poultry, or livestock from one location to another, manually or using trucks or carts.
  • Clean stalls, pens, and equipment, using disinfectant solutions, brushes, shovels, water hoses, or pumps.
  • Mark livestock to identify ownership and grade, using brands, tags, paint, or tattoos.
  • Herd livestock to pastures for grazing or to scales, trucks, or other enclosures.
  • Shift animals between grazing areas to ensure that they have sufficient access to food.
  • Order food for animals, and arrange for its delivery.
  • Perform duties related to livestock reproduction, such as breeding animals within appropriate timeframes, performing artificial inseminations, and helping with animal births.
  • Milk animals such as cows and goats, by hand or using milking machines.
  • Segregate animals according to weight, age, color, and physical condition.
  • Patrol grazing lands on horseback or using all-terrain vehicles.
  • Maintain growth, feeding, production, and cost records.
  • Groom, clip, trim, or castrate animals, dock ears and tails, or shear coats to collect hair.
  • Spray livestock with disinfectants and insecticides, or dip or bathe animals.
  • Collect, inspect, and place eggs in incubators, operate machines for egg washing, candling, and grading, and pack eggs in cartons.
  • Protect herds from predators, using trained dogs.
  • Trim and shear poultry beaks, toes, and wings using debeaking machines, heated hand shears, or hot wires.

Interests

  • Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Education, training, experience

  • Education - These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
  • Training - Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
  • Experience - Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.

Knowledge

  • Mathematics -Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Biology -Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • English Language -Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Administration and Management -Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Production and Processing -Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  • Mechanical -Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Skills

None found.

Related careers