Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, & Aquacultural Animals

realistic interests animal problem equipment medical treatment herd livestock injury illness disease farm

Cowboy, Herdsman, Livestock Handler, Ranch Hand

What they do:
Attend to live farm, ranch, open range or aquacultural animals that may include cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses and other equines, poultry, rabbits, 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, milking, 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. Includes workers who shear wool from sheep and collect eggs in hatcheries.
On the job, you would:
  • Feed and water livestock and monitor food and water supplies.
  • Herd livestock to pastures for grazing or to scales, trucks, or other enclosures.
  • Examine animals to detect illness, injury, or disease, and to check physical characteristics, such as rate of weight gain.

Knowledge

Manufactured or Agricultural Goods

  • manufacture and distribution of products
  • food production

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Business

  • management

Math and Science

  • biology

Skills

Basic Skills

  • thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
  • keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Hand and Finger Use

  • keep your arm or hand steady
  • hold or move items with your hands

Ideas and Logic

  • notice when problems happen
  • use rules to solve problems

Controlled Movement

  • quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat
  • use your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down

Verbal

  • listen and understand what people say

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

They do well at jobs that need:

  • Dependability
  • Independence
  • Adaptability/Flexibility
  • Attention to Detail
  • Integrity
  • Initiative

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Spreadsheet software

  • Microsoft Excel Hot Technology

Data base user interface and query software

  • BCL Landview Systems WinCrop
  • Farm Works Software Trac

Office suite software

  • Microsoft Office software Hot Technology

Education

Education: (rated 2 of 5)
some college or
high school diploma/GED
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Licenses
Apprenticeship.gov

Job Outlook

Below Average
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
Local Salary Info
Find Jobs
See more details at O*NET OnLine about farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals.