Pen Rider

Five Rivers Cattle Feeding; Lamar (CO); On-site; USD 17,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

Five Rivers Cattle Feeding in Colorado is seeking a livestock handler to monitor and move cattle across the feedlot, using humane low-stress methods and horse-riding to identify issues.

The role requires safe horse handling, basic math for weights and shipments, and flexibility to work varied hours when shipping occurs, with emphasis on safety and adherence to procedures in a busy outdoor environment.

Qualifications

• Ability to ride a horse in a safe manner.
• Ability to furnish gentle horse and tack.
• Ability to add and subtract two digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10’s and 100’s. Ability to apply these functions using units and weights.
• Knowledge of cattle breeds and characteristics.
• Flexibility to work varied hours should shipping necessitate it.

Responsibilities

• Ride a horse daily to monitor pens and identify sick cattle.
• Drive cattle to shipping areas for weighing and sort strays.
• Move cattle between yard sections using low-stress handling techniques.
• Return treated and stray cattle to pens; ensure proper pen assignments.
• Maintain cleanliness and order in break room and horse facilities.
• Report pen maintenance issues and alert supervisor to safety concerns.
• Comply with safety rules and policies.

Skills

Horse riding

Horse handling

Basic math

Adaptability

Job description

Current job opportunities are posted here as they become available.

REPORTS TO:Cattle Manager and/or Head Cowboy (where applicable)

FLSA STATUS:Hourly, Ag Exempt

FUNCTION:Monitoring and movement of livestock in Feedlot by performing the following duties.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Other duties may be assigned.

Utilizes a horse to ride through assigned pens daily and identify sick animals by observing outward signs of distress; segregates sick cattle for treatment by driving them to nearest hospital pen; calls deads in for removal.

Assists in the shipment of fat cattle by opening gates, driving cattle to shipping areas for weighing; counting cattle and separating strays; checking withdrawals.

Moves/drives cattle from one area of the yard to another by utilizing humane low-stress techniques including the slow movement of cattle.

Returns treated cattle to home pens from hospitals.

Returns stray animals to home pens.

Rides horse safely by awareness of surroundings and exercise of caution in dangerous situations.

Maintains appearance of break room by properly disposing of trash, wiping feet upon entering, and sweeping/mopping according to the posted schedule.

Maintains cleanliness of horse facilities by sweeping floors and cleaning stalls.

Reports observed pen maintenance issues to appropriate yard employee for repair (broken water tanks, bunks, holes, etc.).

Alerts supervisor to possible problem pens through observance of unusual trends (including concerns about feed, conditions of cattle received, etc).

Complies with all applicable safety rules and policies.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Ability to ride a horse in a safe manner.

Ability to furnish gentle horse and tack.

Ability to add and subtract two digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10’s and 100’s. Ability to apply these functions using units and weights.

Knowledge of cattle breeds and characteristics.

Flexibility to work varied hours should shipping necessitate it.

COMPETENCY:

Expected to work efficiently with minimal supervision, adapt to changes in the work environment, have the ability to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events, exhibit sound, and accurate judgment prioritize and plan work activities, set goals and objectives, observe safety and security procedures, and report potentially unsafe conditions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to airborne particles and outdoor weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The employee is required to ride a horse daily and must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds from a standing, stooping, or sitting position. Employees will be in confinement areas with cattle and horses and must be able to safely and swiftly climb or exit the area. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Walking, climbing, bending, stooping, reaching upward and downward, pinching, gripping, hearing, sitting, pushing/pulling, twisting.