Range Sheepherder

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 sheep. Perform any combination of the following tasks to attend sheep on the range: administer emergency minor medical care to sick/injured pregnant ewes using roping methods to gently immobilize animal without causing undue stress; apply herbicides to noxious, invasive and poisonous plant species on grazing areas; assist in the shearing of sheep by herding sheep into corrals and through the shearing plant; assist with docking; assist with gathering and sorting lambs for shipping; assist with irrigating forage; assist with loading trucks with lambs and/or ewes for transportation; assist with sorting and cutting of culls; assist with tagging sheep when the shearing crew needs it; assist with weed control on grazing areas (including noxious, invasive and poisonous plant species); attend to lambing ewes (including night checks); bed down flock at appropriate night site; brand, tag, clip or otherwise mark young animals for identification purposes; care for newly born offspring; clean feeding equipment and the lambing shed; ensure newly born lambs stand and nurse ; 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; herd mature ewes and young offspring between grazing areas in a manner to assure body condition is maintained in mature ewes and growth of offspring; identify and administer appropriate medication for various health issues such as internal parasites, respiratory issues, injuries, etc.; identify ewes that are preparing to give birth; intensely monitor and treat both mother and young vulnerable to the colder temperatures and sickness; keep accurate record of new lambs born; load bales of hay and/or sacks of grain onto truck or trailer used for feeding; make certain animals have access to fresh water; mix and feed supplemental milk to bum lambs; monitor animals for weight gain, thrift and health problems; monitor for birthing problems and take correct actions when problems are identified; monitor forage on grazing areas to identify dangerous plants and assess available feed; repair and/or maintain fence and facilities to ensure the safety and health of animals and forage; report to rancher on water/forage/weather conditions; round up strays using dogs and/or fence; spray livestock with insecticide. Perform any combination of the following tasks to attend sheep on the ranch: administer emergency minor medical care to sick/injured pregnant ewes using roping methods to gently immobilize animal without causing undue stress; apply herbicides to noxious, invasive and poisonous plant species on grazing areas; assist in the maintenance of tools, equipment and handling facilities necessary to production; assist in the shearing of sheep by herding sheep into corrals and through the shearing plant; assist with castration of livestock; assist with docking; assist with loading trucks with lambs and/or ewes for transportation; assist with sorting and cutting of culls; assist with tagging sheep when the shearing crew needs it; assist with the vaccination of livestock by herding into corrals and/or stalls or manually restraining animals; attend sheep and lambs in barns during lambing season(including night checks); attend to lambing ewes (including night checks); bed down flock at appropriate night site; brand, tag, clip or otherwise mark young animals for identification purposes; care for newly born offspring; clean feeding equipment and the lambing shed; ensure newly born lambs stand and nurse ; feed and water and ensure adequate provision of both; feed, water and tend to the dogs (both guard and working dogs) and horses; guard against predatory animals and from eating poi..