Profession shepherd

Shepherds manage the welfare and movement of livestock, especially sheep, goats and other grazing animals, in a variety of surroundings.

Personality Type

• Enterprising / Realistic
• Realistic / Investigative

Skills

• Work independently in agriculture

  Perform tasks individually in livestock and animal production services by taking decisions without help. Handle tasks and tackle with issues or problems without any outside assistance.

• Maintain pastures

  Ensure that animals on pastures or grazing lands have enough feed. Employ pasture-conservation measures such as grazing in rotation.

• Care for the flock

  A shepherd needs a gentle touch and warm demeanour to make the sheep comfortable and receptive to her care.

• Ensure flock safety

  Protect the flock from wolves and other predators. Keep them from eating harmful plants.

• Provide flock medical treatment

  Treat livestock medically, providing adapted medical treatment and administering medications and vaccinations when required.

• Organise shearing

  Set up a woolshed for the shearing of sheep. Work with the shearers to reach standards described in the farm policy manual.

• Move animals

  Move grazing animals between pastures to ensure that they have enough fresh grass to eat.

• Assist animal birth

  Assist in animal births, and care for newborn livestock.

• Provide nutrition to animals

  Provide food and water to animals. This includes preparing food and water for animals and reporting any changes in the animal feeding or drinking habits.

• Examine animals

  Examine animals in case thay are injured, sick, or having a disease. Check up on physical characteristics, such as rate of weight gain.

• Milk animals

  Milk cows and other farm animals, manually or using mechanical means.

• Move the herd

  Move the animals safely to another location. Lead them to grazing locations, managing their journey and accommodation needs.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB