Profession shepherd

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

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Personality Type

  • Enterprising / Realistic
  • Realistic / Investigative

Skills

  • Assist animal birth

    Assist in animal births, and care for newborn livestock.

  • Move animals

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

  • 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.'

  • Move the herd

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

  • Maintain pastures

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

  • Milk animals

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

  • Provide flock medical treatment

    Treat livestock medically, administering medications and vaccinations. Arrange for veterinarians to provide more extensive treatment as required. Spray livestock with disinfectants and insecticides.

  • Follow quality standards

    Apply a set of measures and standards concerning the quality of processes or products, ensuring that quality is maintained and improved during work activities.

  • Organise shearing

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

  • Care for the flock

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

  • Examine animals

    Examine animals for injury, illness, or disease. Check up on physical characteristics, such as rate of weight gain.

  • Ensure flock safety

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

  • 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.

Optional knowledge and skills

create solutions to problems maintain farm equipment carry out cheese production

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