Senior Dairy Farm Assistant

• Minimum 30 hours per week guaranteed. 
• Employee housing is available on-site. Accommodation may be shared or private, depending on availability at the time of successful placement. No pets allowed.
• Drive-in applicants must be able to demonstrate they can reliably meet the requirements of the roster; candidates residing outside a reasonable commuting distance who are unwilling to relocate may be considered unsuitable for these operational reasons.

Applicants must have the following as per employer’s requirement: 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Large-scale dairy farming experience
• Excellent people management skills
• Health & Safety training and certification relevant to dairy farming operations
• An understanding of relevant environmental regulatory requirements such as those relating to effluent and waterways.
• Animal husbandry and animal health experience
• Understanding of feed budgeting, including pasture management and supplementary feeding
• Motorbike, tractor and other general farm machinery knowledge
• An ability to operate within and adhere to company policy
• Computer and technological competence
• Driver's License

Job Description:

Asset Management 

• Will be responsible for the reporting of maintenance and upkeep issues of assets on farm to the Farm Manager 

Water Usage

• Will support the farm systems such that all water policies and procedures are known to and adhered to by all subordinate farm staff at all times. This includes ensuring that all associated reporting is completed. Where applicable, this will include accountability of operating with shed water use requirements as per water consents. 

Milking Operation

• Is expected to support the Farm Manager the day to day operations and tasks of the Dairy Unit. This includes being ensuring Milking Operations are completed to the GWL standard. 

Milk Production 

• Will gain an understand and support the FM with milk solids production, with reference to delivering to budgeted milk production levels for their dairy unit as well as monitoring and ensuring milk quality standards are maintained (such that demerit points are minimal if accrued at all) and 
  sec. 

Record Keeping

• Will support the Farm Manager/21C in keeping records of all treatments for sick cows and by ensuring all cows are clearly marked. 
• Will gain and understanding of and support the Farm Manager/21C in keeping the Fonterra Dairy Diary up to date.
• Will be support the Farm Manager/21C in ensuring that all livestock records are kept up to date on a weekly basis. This will extend to calving and mating reporting requirements. 

Shed Asset Management

• Will be responsible for the reporting of maintenance and assist with the upkeep of all mechanical assets on farm to Farm Manager/21C 

Feed Budgeting

• Will gain an understanding of and assist with the management of all sources of feed including pasture, feed conserved/grown on farm, PKE and any other imported feeds. 

Paddock set up

• Will support the grazing rotation plan and all procedures are known to and adhered to by all subordinate farm staff at all times. 

Weeds

• Will support the weed control programme. 

Animal Welfare

• Will support the farm system such that all animal welfare policies and procedures are known to and adhered to by all subordinate farm staff at all times. This includes, but is not limited to, calf rearing and associated policies of animal health. 

Culling/Dry-off/pet food

• Will support the Farm Manager/21C to ensure that all culling, dry-off and pet-feed decisions are made within the bounds of the respective policies set by the Farm Manager/21C . At all times culling and pet food decisions will take into account animal welfare. 

In-Milk Numbers

• Will assist the Farm Manager/21C in that, relative to opening livestock numbers, the number of animals that are in lactation (and subsequently - more importantly - the number of animals that are producing into the vat for milk sales) are maximised and meet or exceed the targets for the Farm Unit. 

Deaths

• Will support the Farm Manager/21C with the established farm system that ensures livestock deaths (and other losses such as 'missing' animals or pet foods) are minimised, taking into account animal welfare at all times. 

Reproduction

• Will assist the FM with the established farm system that ensures management of livestock such that mating performance is maximised. 

Replacements

• Will assist the Farm Manager/21C in ensuring that a sufficient number of quality replacements are reared and within the bounds of the respective policies set by the Farm Manager/21C

Please provide us with information as to your eligibility to work in New Zealand – if you are on a temporary visa or if you are a New Zealand citizen/resident.