Shepherds manage the welfare and movement of livestock, especially sheep, goats and other grazing animals, in a variety of surroundings.

Tasks

Tasks include -
(a) Monitoring market activity and conditions, determining kinds and amounts of stock to produce, planning and coordinating production accordingly;
(b) Cultivating pastures and providing and monitoring fodder and water supplies to maintain appropriate nutritional levels and condition of livestock;
(c) Monitoring and examining animals to detect illness, injury or disease, and to check physical condition such as rate of weight gain;
(d) Grooming, marking, clipping, trimming, drenching and/or castrating animals and shearing coats to collect hair or wool;
(e) Herding livestock to pastures for grazing or to scales, sheds, vehicles, or other enclosures;
(f) Milking animals by hand or using milking machines;
(g) Mixing feed, additives, and medicines in prescribed portions and distributing or hand feeding to animals for consumption;
(h) Performing duties related to livestock reproduction, such as breeding, artificial insemination and helping with animal births;
(i) Maintaining and cleaning farm buildings, machinery, equipment and structures;
(j) Slaughtering and skinning animals and preparing them for market;
(k) Storing and carrying out some processing of animal and dairy produce;
(l) Promoting and marketing products, arranging the sale, purchase and transportation of livestock, produce and supplies, and maintaining and evaluating records of farm activities and transactions;
(m) Training and supervising workers in animal care procedures, maintenance duties, and health and safety precautions, and hiring and discharging workers and contractors.