Dairy Farm Assistant

NAHANNA FARM LIMITED; Rathangan; On-site; EUR 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

NAHANNA FARM LIMITED in Rathangan, Ireland is seeking an experienced Dairy Farm Assistant to join a small team and support day‑to‑day herd operations.

Role involves milking twice daily, feeding livestock, calf rearing, calving assistance and routine stock health monitoring. Manual handling of farm machinery and adherence to safety practices are essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years’ experience on a commercial dairy farm.
• Hands‑on experience milking in a parlour and working with dairy cattle.
• Experience in calf rearing and assisting at calving.
• Ability to operate a tractor and farm machinery safely.
• Good knowledge of animal welfare and stock handling.
• Physically fit and able to work outdoors in all weather conditions.
• Willingness to work early mornings, weekends and a rota during busy periods such as calving season.
• Reliable, punctual and able to work on your own initiative and as part of a team.
• Basic spoken English sufficient to follow instructions and communicate on farm safety.

Responsibilities

• Milking cows twice daily, including udder preparation and cleaning milking equipment.
• Feeding and bedding livestock, including mixing rations and silage.
• Calf rearing: feeding calves and monitoring health.
• Assisting at calving and caring for freshly calved cows.
• Monitoring herd health and reporting issues to the farm owner.
• Administering basic treatments under instruction and keeping health records.
• Moving and handling stock safely between paddocks, sheds and the yard.
• Operating tractors and farm machinery for feeding and yard work.
• Assisting with grassland management, fencing and general farm repairs.
• Following all farm health and safety and biosecurity procedures.

Skills

Dairy farming experience

Milking in parlour

Animal welfare knowledge

Tractor operation

Manual handling

Job description

Application Details

In order to work in Ireland a non-EEA National, unless they are exempted, must hold a valid employment permit. Please review the Eligibility and requirements for an employment permit if you are unsure of your eligibility to apply for this vacancy.

Job Description

The farm is a ily-run dairy farm in Rathangan, Co. Kildare. We are looking for an experienced, reliable Dairy Farm Assistant to join our small team and support the day-to-day running of the herd and farm.

Main Duties

• Milking cows twice daily, including udder preparation, cluster attachment, and cleaning and sanitising the parlour and milking equipment after each milking
• Feeding and bedding livestock, including mixing and distributing rations and silage
• Calf rearing: feeding calves, monitoring health and growth, and maintaining clean calf housing
• Assisting at calving and caring for freshly calved cows
• Monitoring herd health, identifying lameness, mastitis, heat detection and other issues, and reporting to the farm owner
• Administering basic treatments under instruction and keeping accurate health and treatment records
• Moving and handling stock safely between paddocks, sheds and the yard
• Cleaning sheds, yards, cubicles and slurry areas
• Operating tractors and farm machinery for feeding, scraping and general yard work
• Assisting with grassland management, fencing, paddock maintenance and general farm repairs
• Following all farm health and safety, animal welfare and biosecurity procedures

Requirements

• Minimum 2 years’ experience working on a commercial dairy farm
• Hands‑on experience milking in a parlour and working with dairy cattle
• Experience in calf rearing and assisting at calving
• Ability to operate a tractor and farm machinery safely
• Good knowledge of animal welfare and stock handling
• Physically fit and able to work outdoors in all weather conditions
• Willingness to work early mornings, weekends and a rota during busy periods such as calving season
• Reliable, punctual and able to work on your own initiative and as part of a team
• Basic spoken English sufficient to follow instructions and communicate on farm safety

Desirable

• Experience with AI or heat detection
• Experience with herd recording systems
• Full driving licence

Sector

• agriculture, forestry and fishing

Career Level

• Experienced [Non-Managerial]