AddressWe are a dedicated and passionate family-owned and run dairy farm near Nanneella in northern Victoria, operating with a herd of 400-500 cows, calving twice a year. 50 stand rotary, Allflex collars and Auto ID/Easy Dairy. Committed to profitability, sustainability and the wellbeing of our animals, we are seeking a Herd Manager/2IC to join our business. The Heard Manger/2IC will be working under the farm manager and will be responsible for overseeing milk harvesting, animal husbandry, calf management, reproductive management (e.g joining programs), feed delivery, dairy plant equipment maintenance, and relevant administration. In addition to these roles the Herd Manager/2IC will assist with all other tasks on the farm as required. The Herd Manager/2IC will be required to step into the managers role when the farm manager is rostered off.
Key Responsibilities:
- Milk Harvesting: Manage the entire milking process, ensuring adherence to guidelines, identifying and treating cow health issues and overseeing cleaning procedures.
- Animal Husbandry: Treat common cattle ailments, manage feeding programs, assist calving cows, oversee calf management.
- Reproduction Management: With guidance from the farm manager, develop the reproduction programs and implement them, including joining programs, heat detection, pregnancy testing and culling decisions.
- Administration: Develop relationships with service providers, maintain herd records, using Easy Dairy, oversee drug and dairy consumable and provide updates to the farm manager.
- Plant Equipment and Infrastructure Maintenance: Manage the maintenance of the dairy including making sure it is serviced as required and is kept in a clean and functional manner. Assist the farm manager in overseeing maintenance programs for vehicles, equipment, buildings and paddock infrastructure.
Requirements:
- Proven experience in herd management including heat detection, animal health, milk quality and calf rearing.
- Strong understanding of dairy farming practices, animal husbandry and herd management software.
- Excellent leadership and communication skill (must speak English), with the ability to lead and inspire a team.
- Ability to balance hands-on farm work with managerial responsibilities, demonstrating adaptability and effective time management.
- A genuine passion for sustainable farming, animal welfare and safety
- Must have an Australian drivers licence.
Benefits:
- Competitive salary commensurate with experience and performance-based incentives.
- On-site accomodation in a comfortable 4 bedroom house - close to local school bus stops.
- Opportunity for professional development and further education.
If you are a motivated Herd Manager/2IC looking for an exciting opportunity to contribute to a thriving farm, please submit your resume, cover letter and 3 references to *******@bigpond.com
Application Deadline: Monday May 20th
