Feedyard Trainee – Cattle, Feed, Mill or Yard Departments

JOB TITLE: Feedyard Trainee – Cattle, Feed, Mill, or Yard Departments

REPORTS TO: Department Manager

FLSA STATUS: Hourly, Ag-exempt

FUNCTION: Learns department roles, responsibilities in preparation for a management role in the future. Performs the following duties personally or through subordinates.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Other duties may be assigned.

• May supervise employees on a limited basis. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities may include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.
• Assigned duties as they pertain to specific departmental roles and responsibilities. May include production job assignments in the area of experience and education for management preparation.
• Complies with applicable OSHA, FDA, and EPA regulations; maintains appropriate compliance records.
• Sets a positive example for employees by modeling safe work practices and following safety rules and policies. Communicates critical safety information to employees by conducting regular safety training; monitors workplace for unsafe/non‑compliant behavior.
• Participates in the development of department capital and operating budgets; manages expenses by studying historical data, anticipating needs, and researching costs.
• Manages department supplies inventory by researching costs, designing inventory systems, determining inventory levels, anticipating needed supplies, and approving orders.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; participating in professional societies.

• Inspect incoming loads of cattle for miscounts, sick animals, or other inconsistencies between received load and A report; check in cattle; record load information.
• Utilize a horse to ride through assigned pens and identify sick animals by observing outward signs of distress; segregate sick cattle for treatment by driving them to nearest hospital pen; call deads in for removal.
• Move/drive cattle in a low‑stress manner.
• Assist in the shipment of fat cattle by opening gates, driving cattle to shipping areas for weighing; counting cattle and separating strays; checking withdrawals.
• Medically treat livestock according to protocols established by management and consulting veterinarian; administer treatment in a humane manner.
• Internally examine dead animals to determine the cause of death. Process cattle by ear tagging, administering vaccines, implants, parasitics, and other preventive measures; sort, re‑implant, mass treat, and re‑vaccinate cattle according to established protocol; administer vaccines and treatment according to label specifications.
• Ensure that no animal leaves the facility without meeting applicable withdrawals by maintaining thorough and accurate records.

• Monitor cattle intake and assign subsequent distribution of feed by familiarizing self with cattle eating patterns according to gender, days on feed, weather, and breed; maximize feed intake of cattle by following guidelines issued by consulting nutritionist.
• Ensure accurate feed delivery by monitoring feed bunks and assessing feed distribution, quantity, type, and timeliness of delivery.
• Ensure that newly received cattle are fed in a timely manner by…