Job Information
DAVID EARL DBA UPPER CREEK RANCH Range Winter Sheepherder (Temporary) in BEAVER DAM, Utah
Temporary Need: 12/01/24 - 05/31/25. Two (2) full-time, seasonal, temporary Range Winter Sheepherder needed. Requires a minimum of three (3) months experience with 800-1000 head flocks, and must have working knowledge of farm machinery and livestock nutrition. Must be able to lift 50 lbs. One (1) reference required. Hours are on-call 24/7, wage is $1,986.76/mo. Work will be performed in Beaver Dam, Utah. Multiple worksites on Bureau of Land Management leases, State of Utah leases, USDA Forest Service leases, and private rangelands in Box Elder, Cache County, Morgan County and Millard County in Utah will be used. Worksite locations varies depending on season, weather and grazing rotation. Duties: The employee must be able to identify approaching storm periods and make precautions to prevent the herd from drifting against a fence line where they pile up and get drifted over with snow and freeze to death. The herder must be experienced in handling extreme winter conditions on a range to prevent death in sheep, goats, horses, and dogs. Due to animals exerting more energy during the winter months especially in extreme winter weather, the herder will need to monitor the nutritional needs of an animal throughout winter. Ensure that animals have access to unfrozen water and to distribute emergency supplemental feed. Monitor snow levels to prevent sheep/goats from being paralyzed in deep snow or caught up against a fence. Herders need to have experience in identifying animals who are not getting enough nutrition, keeping a fresh supply of water in freezing temperatures, and how to maintain animals in extreme weather conditions. May assist in lambing, docking, and shearing. The following seasonal duties will need to be performed. Herder will need to move pregnant ewes to lambing grounds. Be able to identify signs of ewes going into labor and identify potential problems during the labor process. Know how and when to assist during difficult births. Be able to properly constrain ewes for difficult births and able to graft orphan lambs to mothers. Ability to identify herd health issues including but not limited to malnutrition of ewes and lambs, prolapse and mastitis. Provide water to animals, including minor maintenance of water troughs and water lines. May need to haul water in truck to supplement animal water needs. May need to provide supplement feed for the ewes and lambs if the range has insufficient forage. Disperse livestock on the range to reduce overcrowding and increase the success of mother and lamb bonding. Protect vulnerable livestock (lambs & ewes in labor) from predators. Move Ewes and lambs and assist in branding, castrating, vaccinating, tagging, and worming. Ability to safely catch lambs with a hook. Move ewes and lambs to summer range grounds. Some work/tasks may occur off the range, but more than 501 of work will be performed on the range. Western Range Association and its member ranches facilitate practices of good animal husbandry. Employees that are found abusing, neglecting or abandoning livestock entrusted to their care may be terminated for cause. If the negligent/abusive actions of an employee result in the loss/death of livestock/animals or cause harm to another person, the employee may be held accountable for these actions. The worker will live in the employer provided range housing. Said housing will be clean and in good repair at the time it is provided to the employee. The employee is responsible to maintain the housing unit in a reasonable level of cleanliness in order to avoid flies, mice or other vermin. The employee is responsible to alert the employer of damage to the housing unit within a reasonable amount of time. The employee may be held accountable for damage to the housing unit that is the result of negligence on the part of the employee (normal wear and tear excepted). Western Range Association and its rancher members maintain a strong commitment to providing a sa fe, efficient, and produc ive work environment. An employee's involvement with alcohol and drugs could be extremely dangerous to all employees and others, and disruptive to the workplace. Use, manufacture, distribution or possession of an illegal drug, or misuse of a prescription drug is cause for termination. Any person found to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs while working will be terminated. At the employers expense, all applicants may be required to complete pre-employment alcohol and drug testing. Failure to consent to requested testing, will result in disqualification of the applicant. Terms and conditions of employment: Must be able to maintain bearings for grazing; 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; absences from work and/or failure to perform required tasks will not be tolerated; must be willing and able to live and work singly or in small groups of workers in isolated areas for extended periods of time; the job entails working with farm machinery; will work outdoors in all types of weather and occasional exposure to herding hazards such as poisonous snakes and predators. Must provide employment eligibility documentation (I9 verification) upon hire. The employer will provide, at no cost to the worker, Workers' Compensation coverage or private insurance which is equal to Workers' Compensation laws for comparable employment. Applicants that have not worked as a livestock worker during the past twelve (12) months, up to two (2) references will be required. determined by DOL for the time period the work is performed. All tools, supplies and equipment necessary to perform the duties assigned will be provided at no cost or deposit to the worker The employer guarantees to offer the worker employment for a total number of work days equal to at least 3/4's of the total work period beginning with the first workday after the arrival of the worker at the place of employment or advertised contractual first day of need. Whichever is later to occur, and ending on the expiration date specified. If the worker completes 50% of the work contract period, the employer shall pay the worker the cost incurred by the worker for transportation and daily subsistence from the place from which the worker has come to work for the employer ($15.88/day, maximum $59/day with receipts). The offered wage equals or exceeds the highest of the prevailing wage (AWER) that is issued and determined by DOL for the time period the work is performed (or whichever is the highest pay rate). This job is in connection with a future H-2A Foreign Labor Certification application.