Job Description
(No Visa Sponsorship Available)
If you have a keen eye for livestock and a passion for cows and their welfare then this is your chance to join a large, modern family dairy farm in Wiltshire (Nr Trowbridge) that shares your outlook. The farm has 740 dairy cows plus followers, operating on an all-year round calving system (with proactive grazing throughout the season) and milking twice a day through a 50-point rotary parlour. We are active users of technology, using accelerometers for heat detection and collars for milk recording & in parlour feeding along with active daylight management lighting systems. Our customers demand high and improving standards of welfare, management, environmental sustainability and biodiversity which we aim to exceed.
We recognise our employees want a secure, challenging and rewarding work life but to be their best at work they also need a sensible work-life balance. We believe we have put in a place a package that delivers on all these fronts:
- Regular time off
- A 5-day week
- Fixed shift pattern – fortnightly rota with 4 days off including every other weekend
- 31 days holiday
- Holiday pay includes an allowance for overtime hours.
- Company pension scheme
- We work to protocols to deliver high standards and consistency but all protocols are up for challenge and improvement
- Your input and ideas are welcome and encouraged
- KPI’s to be proud of – SCC under 100, preg rate well over 30% for last year, calving in at 24m etc.
- Responsibilities for specific areas of the business eg lameness, mastitis, fertility, calves, youngstock, transition, shift leader etc are shared out amongst the “willing and able” so everyone has the opportunity to make a visible difference.
- Structured training both internal and external including on-line, in-house, external courses, discussion groups, dairy show attendance and meeting with external advisors etc where appropriate
- Regular bi-weekly team meeting for discussion, consultation, information dissemination, training & team building (no silly games just the addition of a cuppa and slice of cake). This is a great opportunity for everyone to have their say and have an influence now and into the future
- Be part of a dedicated, dynamic and sociable team
- Annual staff/family party, Christmas do and other socials
- We know that success is a team affair and recognise that everybody plays their part.
The Candidate:
We have some flexibility in who we are looking for, but need a candidate who can hit the ground running in relation to the basic daily milking routine. Thereafter, candidates with a desire to problem-solve and drive on-going improvement will find this a satisfying environment. Any additional skills (foot trimming, heard health, record keeping, youngstock management, fertility, breeding & genomics, calves and transition etc) are welcomed but specific skills can be trained. We also value drive and enthusiasm very highly, so a positive attitude and a willingness to learn are characteristics we will look to nurture. Your people skills and desire to work within a team environment will be essential. If this is you, you will be rewarded by an environment where you can make a difference; there are plenty of opportunities for those who want to take them.
The Role(s)
Reporting to the Dairy Manager, the daily routine will entail working with the team to milk and care for our dairy herd, this may include, milking, bedding stock, scraping yards, calving , calf rearing etc.
Where appropriate, we allocate management responsibility for different areas of the business to individual staff eg grazing, herd health, fertility, transition, calf unit, nutrition, shift leader etc. Depending upon your level of experience and areas of specific interests, we are keen to provide development opportunities to staff in any and all these areas. This provides those who are less experienced in certain areas a realistic step by step approach to learning and progression whilst enabling experienced staff to really hone their skills and push the business forward. Training will be provided as necessary to fill any gaps and to continue your on-going development.
We have been involved in a wide range of research projects over recent years including a number of grazing projects, heat stress, an Anti-Microbial Resistant and the use of “big data” in the dairy sector etc.
Salary
· £24,000 to £36,000 pa depending upon experience and aptitude
· When milking within our 50-point rotary parlour, you will be working a split shift milking twice a day starting 4am and 2pm.
· Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Location
We are located in a village within 2.5 miles of Trowbridge and Bradford on Avon and 10 miles of Frome and the beautiful city of Bath. The village has it’s own pub, church and a “good” rated primary school with all the shops you could want in the nearby towns/city. Your own transport is, therefore, essential to access the shops, restaurants, pubs, cinemas , gyms and train stations etc of our local towns.
Accommodation
A two-bedroom apartment/cottage or large caravan could be available for the right candidate, although local candidates with their own accommodation will obviously be considered. A 3 bedroom property is expected to become available in the next year which may be available for the right candidate.
Applications via Indeed, ideally with both a CV and covering letter.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Salary: £24,000.00-£36,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Schedule:
- Overtime
- Weekend availability
Application question(s):
- Do you have experience working on a dairy farm?
- What makes a good team player?
Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 31/07/2023
Reference ID: Herdsperson 07/23 v1
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