Industrial Worker Dairy Unit (Public Sector)

Industrial Worker Dairy Unit

VANRATH are delighted to be working in partnership with the Agrifood and Biosciences Institute to hire Industrial Worker within their Dairy Unit based in Hillsborough.

This is a permanent, full-time role.
The successful candidate will normally be required to work 5 days each week, totalling 37 hours. Candidates should be aware that cows in a dairy herd must be milked/fed and managed 365 days per year, while experiments are also undertaken throughout the year. This means that working during weekends, holiday periods, early mornings and into the evenings is essential to meet business needs. The successful candidate will be required to help cover these work requirements on a rota basis. Overtime is paid for time worked outside of the standard 37-hour week.

Job role:

The duties of the post are likely to include the following:

• Milking duties, including bringing cows to and from fields and houses for milking, preparing cows for milking, milking cows, maintaining hygiene throughout the milking process, maintaining parlour cleanliness.

• Feeding cows, including preparing experimental rations to specific experimental requirements, normally using a telescopic handler, tractor and mixer wagon, but also by hand or using a mini mixer.

• Pasture/grazing management, including sowing fertiliser, mowing paddocks using a mower, harvesting grass using a zero-grazer, weed control, allocating pasture, setting up fence lines, checking water troughs.

• Maintaining high animal health and welfare standards, including identifying and treating sick animals, routine health management, vaccination, hoof care, assisting veterinary practitioners.

• Fertility management, including heat detection, artificial insemination, assisting at calving, and ensuring the health and welfare of calves and cows at birth.

• General livestock management duties, including bedding cow houses/cubicles and calving pens (for example, with straw, sawdust and lime), clipping cows.

• Recording detailed herd health and management details, both electronically and hard copy, as appropriate. Assisting scientific staff to take measurements.

• Maintaining overall cleanliness and tidiness of the dairy unit, including cleaning and disinfecting animal accommodation, brushing, power hosing, grass cutting, weed control/management, silo management.

• All types of general farm duties, and any other duties that may arise, including young-stock management.

• Conducting an evening check of animals within the herds, which may include checking youngstock and calves

The Ideal Person

1. Demonstrate, by way of examples, at least 12 months experience of working in a Dairy Unit of over 200 cows, including milking, feeding, maintaining cow hygiene throughout all milking processes
2. Demonstrate, by way of examples, experience in all of the following:

• Pasture/grazing management in whole,
• Heat detection/Fertility,
• General livestock husbandry skills including animal Health and Welfare and have knowledge of sustainable farming principles.

• Two GCSE's including English and Maths, grade C or above, or a recognised level 2 or higher in Agriculture/Land based Technology/ or equivalent in a relevant area.
• Have a full UK driving licence which enables the holder to drive a car in Northern Ireland.

Salary & Benefits

• £24,225.00 per annum
• Unbeatable pension
• 37 days annual leave (including statutory and public holidays)
• Flexitime
• A range of other public sector benefits!

Closing date for applications is 10th January 2025.

A reserve list will exist and be held for a period of 12 months from the date of interview, to cover any further vacancies which may arise on a short term, fixed or temporary basis

For further information on this vacancy, or any other Built Environment roles in Hillsborough or wider Northern Ireland, please apply via the link below or contact Chris Haddock in the strictest confidence.
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