Ren Rider / Vaquero

Summary

As a Feedlot Cowboy, you’ll play a vital role in caring for our feedlot cattle. Your responsibilities include monitoring livestock health, identifying animals in need of attention, and administering appropriate treatments. Throughout your work, you’ll ensure that all cattle are handled safely, professionally, and humanely, contributing to the overall well-being of the livestock.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

• Monitor cattle health by safely riding feedlot pens on horseback to identify sick, injured, or stressed animals, and safely remove them for medical treatment.
• Support cattle operations by assisting with receiving, unloading, sorting, and processing livestock as directed by the Feedlot and/or Cattle Manager/Supervisor.
• Administer medical care to sick or injured cattle in accordance with treatment plans established by the Staff Veterinarian.
• Move and rotate cattle between pens as instructed by the Cattle Manager/Supervisor and/or Lead Cowboy to align with production schedules.
• Care for horses by training, shoeing, feeding, and providing medical treatment to maintain healthy, productive animals.
• Perform additional tasks as assigned to support overall feedlot operations.

Qualifications

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and Experience

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent (preferred but not required).
• Previous experience working with cattle in one or more of the cattle production segments, such as cow-calf, stocker, or cattle feeding
• Solid knowledge of animal health and cattle conditions, typically gained through a minimum of two years in a feedlot or ranch setting.
• Adequate horsemanship skills – in a feedlot setting
  • Must provide own tack

Language Skills

• Ability to read and understand basic instructions, short correspondence, and memos.
• Ability to write clear and simple correspondence.
• Ability to effectively communicate information in one-on-one and small group settings with customers, clients, and fellow employees.

Mathematical Skills

• Ability to add and subtract two-digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10's and 100's.
• Ability to perform basic calculations involving U.S. currency, as well as units of weight, volume, and distance.

Reasoning Ability

• Ability to apply common sense to follow detailed but straightforward written or verbal instructions.
• Ability to solve problems involving a limited number of concrete variables in standardized situations.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to mount and unmount horse multiple times a day and sit in a saddle for long periods of time.
• When freezing conditions occur, must be able to safely mount and dismount a horse to break ice as needed.
• Must be able to frequently push, pull, and twist while working on horseback.
• Frequently required to stand, walk, and use hands/fingers to handle, manipulate, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Must be able to frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move more than 100 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required include distance vision, color vision, and depth perception.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Work is performed primarily outdoors in feedlot pens with cattle present. Employees are regularly exposed to varying weather conditions, including rain, snow, wind, heat, and cold.
• The role involves regular exposure to fumes or airborne particles, and occasional work near moving mechanical parts or in wet and/or humid conditions.
• Noise levels in the work environment range from moderate to loud.
• Employees may be required to work nights, weekends, and holidays, and must be able to work extended shifts of 10–11 hours per day.
• Success in this role requires the ability to collaborate effectively as part of a team in a fast-paced, dynamic environment to achieve organizational goals.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.