Dairy Herd Manager

La Vaca Loca Limited operates 4 large farms across the Canterbury and West Coast of New Zealand, employing 8x fulltime staff, 2x casuals and 2x directors.

We are seeking a permanent Dairy Herd Manager to contribute to the success and efficiency on one of the farms located at Inangahua, West Coast. This farm consists of 270 hectares, up to 490 cows and managing two farm assistants.

The successful applicant must have a minimum of one year experience or a relevant NZQF Level 4 qualification or higher in a related field such as management, agribusiness or agriculture.

The annual salary package is $65,000 - $75,000 per annum consisting of a base salary plus a $190 per week accommodation allowance. This role is for 40 hours per week.

 The key responsibilities of the role are:

• Carries out milk harvesting tasks safely, efficiently, and correctly, and supervises/assists in training farm assistants on correct techniques.
• Assists with solving milk quality problems, as per instructions in farm policy manual.
• Helps farm assistants to understand factors that affect milk quality, hygienic milking, and mastitis control procedures.
• Cleans and maintains the milking plant and farm dairy equipment and carries out hygiene inspections as per instructed in on farm policy manual.
• Moves and handles animals safely, identifies and diagnoses animal health issues, and assists with treatments and prevention in line with farm policy.
• Records and maintains all herd health treatments and events according to on-farm policy or dairy company policy, as per advised by manager.
• Observes, records and reports on cows preparing to calve, and calves’ cows in line with farm policy.
• Moves, handles and rears calves, identifies and diagnoses calving-related health issues.
• Understands the mating management policy for the farm. Recognises cows on heat, and records as per policy. Diagnoses and assists with treatment of breeding related health issues.
• Diagnoses and assists with treatment of breeding related health issues.
• Observes, identifies, and manages pasture/crop weeds, or reports these to appropriate team member as advised.
• Knows the crops on farm, sets appropriate feeding allocations, and is aware of associated animal health issues with crop feeding.
• Understands the on-farm feed policy, can calculate pasture, and supplement requirements and set correct feeding levels.
• Recognises and understands pasture quality, pasture covers and appropriate residuals, and implements best practice to maintain quality and avoid pasture damage.
• Feeds out supplements as advised ensuring there is minimal wastage and is aware of associated feed health issues.
• Understands how the farms dairy effluent systems operate and how effluent affects the on-farm environment. Is aware of regional council requirements and their responsibilities to comply with these.
• Understands the farm environment plan and associated responsibilities. Follows farm policy to achieve best nutrient management practice.
• Understands regulations around land management and ensures their practice complies with these.
• Is learning how to use agrichemicals and fertilisers, safely and correctly.
• Understands regional council requirements around water use and implements steps to achieve efficient water use in the farm dairy as advised in farm policy manual.
• Understands what their potential career path looks like and the skills required to get there. Actively looks for and considers opportunities to grow skills and take the next step.
• Understands own rights around employment agreements, minimum wage requirements, leave and accommodation, and how to communicate any issues to managers.
• Models the values and behaviours of a good workplace culture, through leading by example.
• Understands obligations around their own time management and can prioritise work tasks.
• Safely erects and maintains both permanent and non-permanent electric and non-electric fences, as directed.
• Sets up, operates, and maintains the irrigation system according to workplace procedures and consents.
• Problem-solve technological issues and demonstrate initiative in using new technologies and data for insights and decision making.
• Knows how to maintain good health on-farm, understands health and safety compliance requirements.
• Identifies hazards, understands safety procedures, and demonstrates safe on-farm work practices. Reports near misses and accidents in the relevant registers provided at induction.
• Operates farm vehicles and machinery in accordance with safety and regulatory obligations and knows strategies to avoid hazards and biosecurity risks.
• Is aware of nutritional, physical, emotional, and social needs. Models good health, safety and wellbeing behaviours to juniors, and communicates any issues.
• Beginning to understand how a farm operates as a business including how the dairy pay-out effects income and the cost associated with farming