Range Sheepherder

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 sheep.

• administer emergency minor medical care to sick/injured pregnant ewes using roping methods to gently immobilize animal without causing undue stress;
• apply herbicides to noxious, invasive and poisonous plant species on grazing areas;
• assist in the shearing of sheep by herding sheep into corrals and through the shearing plant;
• assist with docking;
• assist with gathering and sorting lambs for shipping;
• assist with irrigating forage;
• assist with loading trucks with lambs and/or ewes for transportation;
• assist with sorting and cutting of culls;
• assist with tagging sheep when the shearing crew needs it;
• assist with weed control on grazing areas (including noxious, invasive and poisonous plant species);
• attend to lambing ewes (including night checks);
• bed down flock at appropriate night site;
• brand, tag, clip or otherwise mark young animals for identification purposes;
• build and/or maintain fence and facilities to ensure the safety and health of animals and forage;
• care for newly born offspring;
• clean feeding equipment and the lambing shed;
• ensure newly born lambs stand and nurse ;
• feed and water and ensure adequate provision of both;
• feed supplemental rations;
• feed, water and tend to the dogs (both guard and working dogs) and horses;
• guard against predatory animals and from eating poisonous and/or noxious plants;
• herd mature ewes and young offspring between grazing areas in a manner to assure body condition is maintained in mature ewes and growth of offspring;
• identify and administer appropriate medication for various health issues such as internal parasites, respiratory issues, injuries, etc.;
• identify ewes that are preparing to give birth;
• intensely monitor and treat both mother and young vulnerable to the colder temperatures and sickness;
• keep accurate record of new lambs born;
• load bales of hay and/or sacks of grain onto truck or trailer used for feeding;
• make certain animals have access to fresh water;
• mix and feed supplemental milk to bum lambs;
• 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;
• report to rancher on water/forage/weather conditions;
• round up strays using dogs and/or fence;
• spray livestock with insecticide.

• administer emergency minor medical care to sick/injured pregnant ewes using roping methods to gently immobilize animal without causing undue stress;
• apply herbicides to noxious, invasive and poisonous plant species on grazing areas;
• assist in the maintenance of tools, equipment and handling facilities necessary to production;
• assist in the shearing of sheep by herding sheep into corrals and through the shearing plant;
• assist with castration of livestock;
• assist with docking;
• assist with loading trucks with lambs and/or ewes for transportation;
• assist with sorting and cutting of culls;
• assist with tagging sheep when the shearing crew needs it;
• assist with the vaccination of livestock by herding into corrals and/or stalls or manually restraining animals;
• attend sheep and lambs in barns during lambing season(including night checks);
• attend to lambing ewes (including night checks);
• bed down flock at appropriate night site;
• brand, tag, clip or otherwise mark young animals for identification purposes;
• build and/or maintain fence and facilities to ensure the safety and health of animals and forage;
• care for newly born offspring;
• clean feeding equipment and the lambing shed;
• ensure newly born lambs stand and nurse ;
• feed and…