Winter Range Livestock Herder

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 livestock. Perform any combination of the following tasks to attend to livestock on the range during the winter season: account for number and location of animals entrusted to employee at all times; administer emergency minor medical care to sick/injured pregnant animals using roping methods to gently immobilize animal without causing undue stress; administer medication as needed; apply medications to cuts and bruises; assist with loading and unloading livestock according to shipping schedules; attend to pregnant livestock and newborn offspring (including night checks); attend to pregnant livestock and newborn offspring in hot fall months and cold winter months; brand, tag, clip or otherwise mark young animals for identification purposes; care for newly born offspring; detect direction from which the wind or prevailing storms are coming to keep livestock gathered and safe; detect through winter tracking methods where other rancher(s)' livestock has been to avoid overgrazing of forage; ensure newly born offspring stand and nurse; examine animals to detect diseases and injuries; feed and water and ensure adequate provision of both; feed supplemental rations; guard against predators prevalent during the winter months using appropriate tracking, trapping, and hunting methods ; identify and locate the more nutrient dense cool season grasses within grazing areas; identify livestock that are preparing to give birth; intensely monitor and treat both mother and young offspring vulnerable to hot or cold temperatures and sickness; intensely monitor and treat both mother and young vulnerable to the colder temperatures and sickness; keep accurate record of new offspring born; maintain natural water sources for the health and safety of livestock; make certain animals have access to fresh water; 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; monitor grazing areas for poisonous and/or noxious plants and take action to prevent animals from consuming any identified; monitor young for diseases, thrift and weight gain; move livestock to appropriate grazing areas to avoid undue stress on livestock; move pregnant livestock at a pace sufficient to ensure they receive ample water/forage during daylight hours before bedding down at night; operate camp stove appropriately to provide/conserve heat in extreme cold/high winds; operate/maintain/repair windmills to ensure adequate provision of fresh water in stock tanks; prevent hypothermia/abortion/death; repair and/or maintain fence and facilities to ensure the safety and health of animals and forage; report to employer dehydration & other indicators of deterioration in animal body condition/behavioral changes indicating malnutrition or disease; report to rancher dehydration & other indicators of deterioration in body condition/behavioral changes indicating malnutrition; report to rancher on water/forage/weather conditions; ride unmarked perimeters of designated range area; use proper animal husbandry skill to prevent hypothermia/abortion/death; use proper animal husbandry skills to prevent heat stress/hypothermia/abortion/death. Perform any combination of the following tasks to attend to livestock on the ranch during the winter season: administer emergency minor medical care to sick/injured pregnant animals using roping methods to gently immobilize animal without causing undue stress; administer medication as needed; apply medications to cuts and bruises; assist in the maintenance of tools, equipment and handling facilities necessary to production; assist with castration of livestock; assist with loading and unloading livestock according t...