RANGE LIVESTOCK HERDER

Carbon County Higher Education Center; Powell (WY); On-site; USD 24,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Carbon County Higher Education Center invites applications for a livestock range duties role. The position requires work primarily on the range and ranch tasks, with duties including administering medications, feeding, animal care, and health monitoring of cattle and newborns.

The assignment runs from December 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, with a minimum of 6 months’ experience and 24/7 on-call availability.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 6 months experience with all job duties.
• Required to be available up to 24 hours per day, 7 days a week and spend the majority of workdays on the range.

Responsibilities

• Administration of medication as needed on range.
• Apply medications to wounds and bruises as directed.
• Assist with irrigating forage and feeding livestock.
• Assist with loading/unloading livestock according to shipping schedules.
• Assist with sorting and cutting of culls.
• Monitor and tend to grazing areas, control noxious plants and ensure water provision.
• Attend to pregnant livestock and newborn offspring, including night checks.
• Identify and administer medications for health issues and monitor weight gain and condition.
• Move livestock to grazing areas and repair fences and facilities for safety and health.

Job description

PERIOD OF INTENTED EMPLOYMENT: 12/01/2026 THROUGH 09/30/2027.

MINIMUM OF 6 MONTHS EXPERIENCE WITH ALL JOB DUTIES.

Required to be available up to 24 hours per day, 7 days a week and spend the majority of workdays on the range.

All job duties are closely and directly related to the production of livestock.

Tasks on Range:

• administer medication as needed
• apply medications to cuts and bruises
• assist with irrigating forage
• assist with loading and unloading livestock according to shipping schedules
• assist with sorting and cutting of culls
• assist with weed control on grazing areas (including noxious, invasive and poisonous plant species)
• attend to pregnant livestock and newborn offspring (including night checks)
• brand, tag, clip or otherwise mark young animals for identification purposes
• care for newly born offspring
• examine animals to detect diseases and injuries
• feed and water and ensure adequate provision of both
• feed supplemental rations
• feed, water and tend to the dogs (both guard and working dogs) and horses
• guard against predatory animals and from eating poisonous and/or noxious plants
• herd to appropriate grazing area
• identify and administer appropriate medication for various health issues such as internal parasites, respiratory issues, injuries, etc.
• identify and locate the more nutrient dense cool season grasses within grazing areas
• identify livestock that are preparing to give birth
• intensely monitor and treat both mother and young offspring vulnerable to hot or cold temperatures and sickness
• keep accurate record of new offspring born
• make certain animals have access to fresh water
• monitor animals for weight gain, thrift and health problems
• monitor for birthing problems and take correct actions when problems are identified
• monitor grazing areas for poisonous and/or noxious plants and take action to prevent animals from consuming any identified
• move livestock to spring and summer grazing areas
• move pregnant livestock at a pace sufficient to ensure they receive ample water/forage during daylight hours before bedding down at night
• repair and/or maintain fence and facilities to ensure the safety and health of animals and forage
• report to rancher dehydration & other indicators of deterioration in body condition/behavioral changes indicating malnutrition
• round up strays using dogs and/or fence
• spray livestock with insecticide

Tasks at Ranch:

• administer medication as needed
• apply medications to cuts and bruises
• assist in the maintenance of tools, equipment and handling facilities necessary to production
• assist with castration of livestock
• assist with loading and unloading livestock according to shipping schedules
• assist with sorting and cutting of culls
• assist with the vaccination of livestock by herding into corrals and/or stalls or manually restraining animals
• attend to pregnant livestock and newborn offspring (including night checks)
• brand, tag, clip or otherwise mark young animals for identification purposes
• care for newly born offspring
• examine animals to detect diseases and injuries
• feed and water and ensure adequate provision of both
• feed, water and tend to the dogs (both guard and working dogs) and horses
• guard against predatory animals and from eating poisonous and/or noxious plants
• identify and administer appropriate medication for various health issues such as internal parasites, respiratory issues, injuries, etc.
• identify livestock that are preparing to give birth
• intensely monitor and treat both mother and young offspring vulnerable to hot or cold temperatures and sickness
• keep accurate record of new offspring born
• make certain animals have access to fresh water
• monitor animals for weight gain, thrift and health problems
• monitor for birthing problems and take correct actions when problems are identified
• monitor grazing reas for poisonous and/or noxious plants and take action to prevent animals from consuming any identified
• move livestock to spring and summer grazing areas
• repair and/or maintain fence and facilities to ensure the safety and health of animals and forage
• spray livestock with insecticide

Required to:

• perform tasks capably and efficiently without close supervision
• spend the majority of work days on the range
• live and work singly or in small groups of workers in isolated areas for extended periods of time
• to ride, handle and tend horses in a manner to assure the safety and health of the worker, co-workers, horses and livestock
• work outdoors in all types of weather and may experience occasional exposure to hazards such as poisonous snakes, biting insects and extreme temperature
• work with and around farm machinery such as tractors for supplemental feeding purposes and ATVs for movement of livestock