Winter Ranchhand

H2ajobs; Meeker (CO); On-site; USD 24,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Housing provided

Meals provided

Transport assistance

Job summary

H2ajobs in Meeker, Colorado seeks a versatile ranch worker to perform general ranch tasks and livestock care through winter months, including feeding, watering, fencing, and equipment maintenance. You will ride, handle horses, and assist in keeping facilities safe and clean in remote locations.

Experience with livestock handling is preferred; 2 months minimum required. The role involves working outdoors in all weather, occasional hazards, and living on-site with employer-provided housing, meals,

Qualifications

• Two months or more of livestock experience recommended.
• Ability to work outdoors in all weather.
• Experience with horses and farm equipment is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Perform general ranch work and assist in production of livestock during winter months.
• Apply medications to cuts and assess injuries as needed.
• Feed and water cattle, distribute feed rations, and monitor water availability.
• Repair and maintain fences, gates, corrals, and handling facilities.
• Load and unload feed and equipment, and maintain farm structures and grounds.

Job description

Perform any combination of the following tasks required in general ranch work and the production of livestock through winter months: apply medications to cuts and bruises; assist in the maintenance of tools, equipment and handling facilities necessary to production; break ice over frozen water sources; clean and disinfect livestock corrals, pens and handling facilities; clear seasonal drainage ditches, culverts, and erosion-prone access routes to prevent water accumulation in livestock areas; install temporary erosion control barriers using straw wattles, sandbags, or sediment fencing as needed; examine animals to detect diseases and injuries; feed and water and ensure adequate provision of both; feed cake and mineral to cattle in pastures; lift and stack bales of hay and sacks of grain and mineral onto a feed truck or wagon; load bales of hay and/or sacks of grain onto truck or trailer used for feeding; maintain/clean and fill water troughs and buckets; make certain animals have access to fresh water; mix and feed specific feed rations to cattle; prepare winter pastures and feed pad sites by removing debris, fallen branches, and old fencing; distribute gravel or hay mulch to stabilize muddy or degraded surfaces where livestock are concentrated; remove snow from sheds and corrals; repair and/or maintain fence and facilities to ensure the safety and health of animals and forage; use proper animal husbandry skill to prevent hypothermia/abortion/death; loading/unloading trucks; maintenance of farm structures and farm grounds; removal of excess plant growth from farm grounds.

Housing: Employer-provided (including mobile or range)

Meals: The employer will provide, without charge or deposit, free and convenient cooking facilities to prepare meals. Transportation to the grocery store will be provided to the workers at no cost no less than once every week.

Transport: Transportation to the place of employment (inbound): The employer will provide or pay for commercial bus or airline service to workers, or permit workers to select any means of transportation they choose and reimburse workers at no less than the most economical and reasonable common carrier transportation charges for the distance involved. Upon completion of 50% of the work contract period, the employer will reimburse worker for reasonable costs incurred by the worker for transportation and daily

Experience wanted: 2 months

Required to: perform tasks capably and efficiently without close supervision, 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, dogs and livestock, to operate equipment and machinery required to perform job duties indicated in a safe and responsible manner, to maintain equipment and machinery to a standard established by the employer, work outdoors in all types of weather and may experience occasional exposure to hazards such as poisonous snakes and large game animals, biting insects and extreme temperature, work with and around farm machinery such as tractors, UTVs and ATVs for supplemental feeding purposes and movement of livestock, handle animals using low stress handling methods, work with, repair and maintain both set field fence and temporary electric fence, perform tasks capably and efficiently with daily