Description
Perform herd health testing and care for swine across breeding, farrowing, nursery, and finishing units. Collect samples and run basic diagnostics; prepare and administer vaccines and treatments. Assist with breeding, farrowing, and piglet processing. Clean and disinfect barns and equipment; maintain feeders, waterers, and environmental systems. May assist a veterinarian with on-farm procedures and necropsies.
- • Administer anesthetics or sedatives to swine under veterinarian direction and monitor responses.
- • Monitor and care for swine recovering from procedures, illness, or farrowing complications.
- • Prepare, dispense, and administer medications, vaccines, and treatments via injection, drench, water, or feed; label and document usage and withdrawals.
- • Perform or assist with diagnostic tests on blood, feces, oral fluids, or swabs; collect, label, and ship samples.
- • Provide emergency care, such as neonatal resuscitation, hemorrhage control, or heat-stress response.
- • Clean, disinfect, and sterilize instruments, equipment, and farrowing or treatment areas.
- • Assist veterinarians during on-farm procedures, herd checks, and necropsies.
- • Prepare animals and areas for procedures, including restraint, site prep, and biosecure setup.
- • Assist with physical exams; record temperature, pulse, respiration, weights, and body condition.
- • Observe herd behavior, feed intake, and clinical signs; identify and isolate sick animals.
- • Assist with reproductive tasks, including heat detection, estrus synchronization, and artificial insemination.
- • Support pregnancy diagnosis using ultrasound and maintain breeding and farrowing records.
- • Maintain accurate treatment logs, production records, and inventories of pharmaceuticals and supplies.
- • Place ear tags or notches; tattoo pigs; collect IDs and traceability data.
- • Perform piglet processing per SOPs, such as iron injections, tail docking, needle teeth management, and castration where permitted.
- • Provide colostrum management and neonatal care; foster or cross-foster piglets as needed.
- • Prepare and manage farrowing rooms; assist with difficult farrowings and post-farrowing care.
- • Maintain and calibrate equipment, including feeders, waterers, heat lamps, scales, and ventilation systems.
- • Clean and disinfect barns, pens, alleys, load-out areas, and transport equipment to control disease.
- • Implement and enforce biosecurity protocols, entry procedures, and PPE use.
- • Humanely euthanize compromised animals per guidelines and coordinate carcass disposal.
- • Clean and bandage wounds; apply splints or protective devices as directed.
- • Perform or assist with catheter placement, oral dosing, and tube-feeding of piglets when required.
- • Train and guide caretakers on animal handling, treatment SOPs, and welfare standards.
- • Monitor medical and farm supply levels; order and receive products; rotate stock.
- • Safely restrain pigs during exams, treatments, and procedures using low-stress methods.
- • Communicate herd health status, treatment outcomes, and biosecurity issues to managers and veterinarians.
- • Coordinate schedules for breeding, vaccinations, weaning, and veterinary visits.
- • Load, unload, and move pigs between units; verify counts and minimize stress and injury.
- • Monitor environmental conditions and adjust ventilation, heating, and cooling to meet welfare targets.
- • Maintain controlled drug inventory, logs, and regulatory compliance.
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Last reviewed: Jan 2026
