Farm Assistant or Farm Hand
We're looking to add another reliable and trustworthy Farm Assistant to our team, pretty much immediately. Our junior staff member has moved on to his next step, which has created a vacancy in our team. We are milking 600 cows twice-a-day (TAD) starting in mid-August, and will reduce this to once-a-day (OAD) in summer sometime. The dairy shed is spacious and modern; well-equipped with ACRs, in-shed feeding, SmartWash, and a hydraulic backing gate. The other gear on the farm is well maintained and fit-for-purpose. A private bedroom in 1 of our 2 on-farm accommodations will be made available to the successful applicant. This is to be a service tenancy made available as shared accommodation for the Farm Assistant to occupy with other Farm Assistants. Both homes are warm & dry & modern. They also have stunning views of Mount Ruapehu. Each home is supplied with basic furnishings. NO PETS ALLOWED, please do not ask. NO SMOKING OR VAPING in or near the accommodation or farm equipment & buildings. We'd prefer candidates with dairy-industry experience, but are willing to train a candidate with the right attitude and mindset. This position is ideally suited for a physically & mentally fit person who is quite comfortable working OUTSIDE, in all sorts of weather conditions. This candidate should ideally be someone who has SOME animal husbandry/stock handling experience, an excellent attitude, keen attention to detail. This position requires the ability to work as a team and a tremendous willingness to learn. This position requires a person with time management skills and a person that can keep pace with the rest of the team. Farm Assistant duties include: - Milking; - Animal health & treatment; - Help with record keeping; - Stock handling and feeding; - Fencing & temporary fencing (break fencing); - Weed control; - Effluent application (irrigator); - Basic farm, shed, & machinery maintenance and preparation; - Basic tractor driving; - Quad bike driving; - Other general farm duties. Additional duties may include: - Calf rearing; - Calving cows; - Drenching & vaccinating cows, bulls, & young stock; - Tagging cows, bulls, & young stock; - Cleaning equipment, sheds, buildings, etc.; - Water-blasting; - Assistance with compliance and record keeping. Farm Assistant position details: - 6/2 roster with approximately 30-50 hours/week, dependent upon seasonal demands of the farm; - Fortnightly pay; - Pay rate will depend on the candidate's skill and experience. Candidates must hold a valid NZ Driver's License; candidates should also have or be willing to obtain a First Aid Certificate, GrowSafe certificate, and Quad bike training, other relevant farm-oriented qualifications. Pre-employment drug testing may be required, as will New Zealand-based character and work references. Applicants must be ELIGIBLE TO WORK IN NEW ZEALAND. Email CV's and references to: milkbythemountain@gmail.com