Open Range Livestock Production/parturition

On or around March 1, Livestock has been moved to staging areas where animals are sheered and vaccinated in preparation for Parturition (lambing/calving) season. Parturition lasts approximately 1 ½ months. Livestock are moved to transitional summer range around May 15th. Workers move livestock to targeted grazing areas to help control noxious weeds on summer pastures. While on the range, workers treat livestock that may need medical or health assistance, check and ensure proper water for livestock, monitor grazing levels throughout summer, and protect livestock from predators. Worker will monitor livestock on summer range until September. In October, workers will assist with moving livestock to grazing areas on alfalfa regrowth and turnips. The Production of Livestock Worker will be required to be On-Call 24/7 and live on the range more than 50% of the time. Range Duties include: Attends livestock that is grazing on range or pasture. Herds livestock and rounds up strays using trained dogs. Takes down and sets up of portable electric fencing and also working corrals. Beds down livestock near evening campsite. Guards Livestock from predatory animals and from eating poisonous plants. Drenches sheep. May examine livestock for signs of illness and administer vaccines, medications and insecticides according to instruction. May perform other farm or ranch chores related to the production and husbandry of livestock on an incidental basis. May sort and cut culls. May feed livestock supplementary rations. Must be able to ride and handle horses in a manner to assure the safety of the worker, co-workers and livestock. Employee must be willing to perform tasks capably and efficiently without close supervision and live and work singly or in small groups of workers in isolated areas for extended periods of time. The job may entail operating a 4-wheeler for movement of livestock. Worker must be able to lift and carry items weighing up to 100 pounds. Most duties are performed out-of-doors and entail exposure to extreme heat and cold; dust, rain, snow, and wind; and herding hazards; poisonous snakes and predators common in range lands. General supervision will be provided by the ranch owner. The worker must be able to demonstrate knowledge of sheep and cattle and experience with animal nutrition and birthing. Good feeding and management are essential to the success of the season. It is during these last weeks of pregnancy that there is a need for increased feed, primarily to a more nutrient rich diet. Extra nutrition is needed to support fetal growth. Worker will be responsible for helping move animals to staging areas, and monitoring animals closely during the last weeks of pregnancy. Duties will include: Prepare facilities that will be used for lambing/birthing. Barns and pens will need to be cleaned and set up in before lambing/birthing starts. Move livestock to barns or birthing pens to prepare for lambing/birthing. Livestock will be taken to barns or pens before giving birth. Knowledge and ability to monitor livestock to determine readiness to give birth. Assisting livestock with delivery, maintaining a clean environment. Livestock will need to be checked regularly during the 24-hour day, as animals can give birth around the clock. Knowledge of and ability to determine normal and abnormal birthing situations. Monitor livestock closely to help prevent problems. Ability to determine when assistance is required. Monitor health/growth and nutrition of newborn livestock. Monitor to ensure that newborn animals are nursing, taking in colostrum and milk. If newborns are not nursing as needed, supplement and assist as needed to ensure growth. Bottle feeding as necessary. Worker will assist with the following: Identify animals with tags, keep records, iodine navel, castrating animals, and docking tails.