Description
Manage and move livestock on rangeland and pastures, primarily sheep, goats, or cattle. Monitor herd health, forage, and water; rotate grazing; and protect animals from predators and hazards. Perform daily care, assist with breeding and births, administer basic treatments, and mark and sort stock. Maintain fences, water systems, camps, and handling facilities, and keep accurate herd and grazing records.
- • Herd livestock to and from pastures, water, corrals, scales, or trucks.
- • Patrol grazing areas on horseback, foot, or ATV to locate and monitor animals.
- • Rotate herds between grazing units to balance forage use and prevent overgrazing.
- • Protect herds from predators using trained dogs and deterrents.
- • Check animals daily for illness, injury, lameness, or parasites.
- • Administer vaccinations, dewormers, and basic treatments or coordinate veterinary care.
- • Mix and distribute supplemental feed, minerals, and salt as prescribed.
- • Ensure adequate water by checking springs, troughs, and pipelines.
- • Build, repair, and maintain fences, gates, corrals, chutes, and water systems.
- • Mark livestock with brands, ear tags, paint, or tattoos.
- • Sort and segregate animals by age, weight, sex, and condition.
- • Assist with breeding, estrus detection, and calving, lambing, or kidding.
- • Assist with difficult births and care for newborns and weak animals.
- • Load, trail, and transport livestock using trailers or portable panels.
- • Clean and maintain camps, pens, chutes, and equipment.
- • Dip, spray, or dust livestock with disinfectants and insecticides.
- • Shear, dock, castrate, or trim hooves as directed.
- • Maintain daily counts, movements, treatments, births, and loss records.
- • Monitor weather, forage, and water availability to plan grazing schedules.
- • Communicate range conditions and issues to ranch managers.
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
