Senior Dairy Cattle Farm Operator

Maybank Dairy; Mooroopna North; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Maybank Dairy Pty Ltd in Mooroopna North VIC is expanding and seeks a hands-on Senior Dairy Cattle Farm Operator to join our team. You will blend technical livestock expertise with practical management to maintain herd health and efficient milking operations.

In this role you will supervise and train farmhands, implement reproductive programs, monitor milk quality, and manage records and equipment across our modern dairy facilities.

Qualifications

• AQF Certificate III in Agriculture or Dairy Production, or 3+ years of senior dairy experience.
• Experience detecting animal health issues and implementing reproductive programs.
• Experience operating modern milking plants and automated systems.
• Ability to mentor farmhands and supervise rostering across multiple sites.
• Experience managing irrigation systems and infrastructure maintenance.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate daily milking shed routines and milk production processes.
• Lead reproductive programs including AI and pregnancy detection.
• Manage calving procedures and welfare of cows and calves.
• Develop feeding plans and manage pastures and crops.
• Monitor herd health and treat sick or injured animals per standards.
• Supervise small team of farmhands and coordinate staff rosters.
• Maintain farm records for inventory, food safety, QA documentation.
• Operate milking plants and dairy recycling systems.
• Perform irrigation works and fence repairs.
• Ensure OH&S protocols and incident responses.
• Utilize farm software to track production data.

Skills

Livestock management

Dairy production

Milking plant operation

Team supervision

OH&S awareness

Record keeping

Education

AQF Certificate III in Agriculture or Dairy Production

Tools

Milking plant automation systems

Job description

Maybank Dairy Pty Ltd is a dairy enterprise located in Mooroopna North VIC 3629.

As a result of operations expanding we are seeking experienced full‑time Senior Dairy Cattle Farm Operators to join our growing team. This is a hands‑on management role requiring a blend of technical skill, livestock expertise, and problem‑solving abilities within a modern dairy environment. You will play a key role in ensuring the health of our expanded herd and maintaining the efficiency of our milking operations, staff supervision and training.

Key Responsibilities

Coordinating all daily milking shed routines and milk production processes to maintain high‑quality output during this expansion phase.

Implementing reproductive and herd fertility programs, including the hands‑on management of artificial insemination and pregnancy detection.

Managing calving procedures and conducting unsupervised internal assessments to ensure the welfare of both cow and calf.

Developing and executing livestock feeding plans, including the direct management of pastures and crops.

Monitoring herd health and treating sick or injured animals in strict accordance with the Australian Animal Welfare Standards.

Supervising and mentoring a small team of farmhands to ensure work routines are completed efficiently and safely.

Maintaining essential farm records for inventory control, food safety compliance, and quality assurance documentation.

Operating and performing routine maintenance on milking plants, dairy recycling systems, and general farm machinery.

Executing essential infrastructure tasks, including irrigation works and the repair of fences, sheds, and fixtures.

Handling and applying farm chemicals safely, while operating all dairy‑related vehicles and specialized equipment.

Overseeing Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) protocols and coordinating responses to any on‑site animal welfare or safety emergencies.

Utilizing farm software and computer systems to track production data and participate in industry‑standard training.

Skills & Experience Required

An AQF Certificate III (or equivalent) in Agriculture or Dairy Production, plus at least 2 years recent and relevant work experience. Alternatively, a minimum of 3 years of recent demonstrated, high‑level experience within the dairy industry may be considered in lieu of formal qualifications.

Proven expertise in detecting animal health issues (e.g., mastitis or lameness) and implementing reproductive programs, including heat detection, artificial insemination, and calving assistance.

Extensive experience operating and troubleshooting modern milking plants and automated systems, with the ability to perform basic mechanical adjustments and monitor milk quality data.

Demonstrated ability to mentor junior farmhands, manage work routines, and coordinate staff rosters to ensure high‑standard operations across multiple farm sites.

Practical experience in managing large‑scale irrigation systems and maintaining farm infrastructure (fencing, sheds, and water assets)