Dairy Herdsman

A dairy herdsman is responsible for the daily care and management of dairy cattle.

Duties

A dairy herdsman is chiefly concerned with maintaining the health of the dairy herd and ensuring that milk production quotas are met.  To ensure herd health a dairy herdsman must monitor the health of all animals on the premises, take note of any behavioral changes, treat minor injuries or illnesses as they occur, trim hooves, give vaccinations and other injections, assist with calving, perform artificial inseminations, maintain comprehensive health and production records, and work closely in conjunction with the veterinarian.

The herdsman must also be qualified to operate milking machines and other equipment, troubleshooting any mechanical problems or other issues as they arise.  The milking parlor must be kept clean and up to the standards required by the dairy inspector. 

The herdsman must also manage dairy employees and other staff members, ensuring that all tasks are completed properly and in a timely fashion.  Additional duties may include transporting animals to and from auctions, raising hay or other forages, providing basic farm maintenance, or any additional duties as assigned by the farm owner.

Career Options

A dairy herdsman can move into many areas of dairy management as well as dairy ownership.  They can also transition into positions involving dairy inspection, beef herd management, cattle product sales, veterinary pharmaceutical sales, livestock feed sales, or other agricultural pursuits.

Education and Training

While there is no formal education requirement for dairy herdsmen, most have significant experience working with dairy cattle in a hands on role.

  It is important that dairy herdsmen have a good working knowledge of dairy cattle anatomy and physiology, reproduction, milk production, and nutritional requirements.  Many individuals begin their journey to this title by working as dairy staff or assistant herdsmen. 

There are many four year degree programs in animal science, dairy science, or other agricultural fields that can prepare a candidate for a dairy management career.  There are also one to two year degree plans as well as industry “short courses” that run for just a few months and provide professional certificates in dairy fields.  For example, theFarm & Industry Short Course Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has a dairy management specialization option, offering both one and two year certificates.  Other programs, such as the one offered by the University of Illinois, offer distance learning options that can be completed in an online format.

There are also many dairy internship programs that can provide valuable experience while training a student to become a successful part of the dairy management team.

Salary

Most U.S. dairy herdsman job postings reviewed in early 2015 had salaries that ranged from $30,000 to $50,000.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that the median pay for the general category of farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers was $69,000 per year (though this includes many lucrative management roles for other agricultural careers and does not offer individual salary information that is specific to dairy herdsmen).  In the United Kingdom, the salary is in a similar range: from 22,000 pounds for a new herdsman to more than 45,000 pounds for an experienced herdsman. 

Dairy herdsman positions often have a variety of associated fringe benefits in addition to the standard salary package.  Additional benefits often include free housing and utilities provided on the farm, the use of a farm truck, medical insurance, and paid vacation.

Career Outlook

According to data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the demand for farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers will decline over the decade from 2012 to 2022.  The decline may not be so marked for the specific category of dairy herdsmen, since milk prices and production remain strong components of the agricultural market.  Dairy herdsmen will also have the option of moving into other agricultural roles through the utilization of their transferable skills.

Ranch Manager

A ranch manager is responsible for overseeing ranch operations and ensuring herd health.

Duties

A ranch manager provides general management for the entire ranch operation and reports directly to the ranch owner.  The manager is responsible for guaranteeing herd health and delivering a proper nutritional program to all cattle kept on the property.  Their duties may include making decisions on which animals to cull or purchase, assisting with calving, giving vaccinations and other injections, branding or tagging cattle, performing artificial inseminations, palpating cows, sorting and penning cattle by horseback or ATV, transporting animals to and from auctions, and keeping detailed records on each animal in the herd.

The ranch manager is also responsible for supervising all ranch employees,veterinarians, vendors, guests, and any other visitors that have access to the property.  They may be involved with baling hay or other forages, performing light maintenance and repair work, managing the ranch budget, and purchasing supplies and equipment as needed.  They must also ensure that the ranch infrastructure (including fences, roads, gates, and equipment) is kept in good condition.  Managers of “guest ranch” properties (that cater specifically to tourists) may have additional public relations duties such as welcoming guests upon arrival and ensuring a quality guest experience.

Career Options

A ranch manager can transition into a variety of other roles in the cattle industry including ranch or farm owner, livestock feed sales representative, livestock auctioneer,livestock appraiser, herdsman, agricultural extension agent, beef extension agent, or other farm support positions.

Education & Training

A degree is not required to become a ranch manager, but many of them do hold a degree in agriculture, animal science, business, or a closely related field.

  Significant experience working with cattle is mandatory for nearly all positions with this title.  Many ranch managers start out as ranch staff members, assistant managers, or herdsmen before rising to the top managerial role.  There are also many beef internship programs that can help an aspiring ranch manager gain valuable practical experience.

Candidates for ranch management roles should have a good working knowledge of rotational grazing and pasture management.  They should be able to perform general maintenance and repairs on the ranch, particularly with regard to fences, buildings, grounds, and heavy equipment.  Electrical, plumbing, and carpentry skills are highly valued skills for a ranch manager.

Ranch managers should also have the ability to ride and care for horses if they are used on the property.  Some farms use ATVs to work their cattle, but horses are still frequently utilized for sorting and penning.  A CDL license may be necessary for those managers involved with transporting cattle to and from auction or processing sites.

Salary

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) salary survey does not separate ranch manager position earnings from the more general category of farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers.  The median pay for this broader category was $69,000 per year in 2012.  It is more difficult to determine the specific earnings for ranch managers since they do not have their own category.  Many ranch manager positions on major employment sites in 2015 had salaries in the $50,000 range plus additional perks.

Ranch manager positions frequently offer a variety of associated fringe benefits in addition to the standard salary package.  These additional perks may include free housing and utilities provided on site, the use of a farm vehicle, free board for a personal horse, medical insurance, and paid vacation.

Career Outlook

According to data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the demand for farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers will decrease over the decade from 2012 to 2022.  There may not be a marked change for the specific niche of ranch managers, however, as the number of ranches should remain fairly steady during that time period.  Ranch managers with significant experience and technical skills will enjoy the best job prospects in the field.

Animal Geneticist

Animal geneticists are involved with studying genes and improving the heritability of desired traits in animal populations.

Duties

Animal geneticists may focus on many areas within the field, and specific duties can vary widely depending on the nature of the geneticist’s particular area of interest.

Animal geneticists may be responsible for developing selective breeding programs, conducting genetic research, developing strategies to improve heritability of desirable traits (such as increased milk production in dairy cattle or higher carcass weight in beef cattle), studying population genetics, and mapping the genomes of various species.

Animal geneticists usually work in a laboratory setting as they conduct their research, though some may travel to animal production facilities to view and evaluate breeding stock in person. Animal geneticists utilize laboratory equipment, DNA scanners, and a variety of computerized software applications to conduct their research and analyze data.

Career Options

Animal geneticists may find work with a variety of employers such as animal production facilities, pharmaceutical companies, private corporations, research labs, zoos,hatcheries, the federal government, or colleges and universities.

A large percentage of animal geneticists focus on working with livestock species, particularly cattle and poultry, but some also work with domestic and wild species. The aquaculture industry is the source of a growing number of opportunities as this industry continues to expand rapidly.

Education & Training

The first step to becoming an animal geneticist involves completion of a bachelor’s degree in genetics or a related field such as animal science, dairy science, biology, conservation biology, or a similar area with coursework including genetics, reproduction, laboratory science, livestock production, biology, chemistry, and statistics.

After graduation, the aspiring geneticist usually pursues a graduate degree (master’s or doctorate) in a particular area of interest. Graduate level studies usually involve advanced level coursework, laboratory research, and publication of a scientific research thesis. Graduate degrees are usually required for most positions in the field of genetics, and are certainly mandatory for positions in academia or senior level research.

Animal geneticists should have a strong background in working with computers and laboratory equipment, as these tools are routinely a part of genetics research. Coursework in areas such as statistics, calculus, data analysis, and laboratory science will also prove useful.

Salary

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not separate out salary data for animal geneticists, but it does include them as a part of the more general categories of animal scientists or biological scientists.

According to the latest information collected by the BLS salary survey, the median annual wage for all animal scientists was $58,250 in May of 2010. The lowest 10 percent of all animal scientists earned less than $33,980 per year, while the highest 10 percent of all animal scientists earned more than $117,150 per year. The BLS cites a similar median annual wage of $68,220 for all biological scientists, with earnings ranging from less than $38,780 for the lowest 10 percent in the field to more than $102,300 for the top 10 percent in the field.

The BLS reports that the top paying industries for animal scientists by mean wage include the federal government ($101,070 per year), animal production ($95,880 per year), consulting ($84,060 per year), research ($78,600 per year) and state government ($77,870) per year. Animal scientists that are involved in educational roles earn an annual mean wage of $53,600. A U.S. federal government site offered research animal geneticist positions with salaries ranging from $75,222 to $116,282 in 2012.

Career Outlook

According to data from the BLS, career opportunities for the category of animal scientists and other agricultural scientists will continue to grow by about 13 percent over the decade from 2010 to 2020. This rate of growth is slightly higher than the average rate of growth for all positions evaluated in the BLS survey. Employment for the category of all biological scientists is expected to grow at a more rapid rate of 21 percent over the same period, much higher than the rate for all positions. Animal geneticist job growth should fall somewhere in the range of these two growth rates.

Animal geneticists with graduate level degrees will continue to have the most plentiful job opportunities in the field due to their advanced education and experience; positions for geneticists with only an undergraduate degree will continue to be hard to find. Students of animal genetics are strongly encouraged to pursue a graduate degree in this field to ensure the best prospects. As the biotechnology industry continues to expand, jobs for animal geneticists should also show continued growth.