Dairy Farm Assistant

DAYS REQUIRED: Shifting Mondays-Sundays 8/2,8/3

Applicants for this role must demonstrate a high standard of workmanship, strong attention to detail, and a genuine interest in the dairy industry. Reliability, honesty, and a positive attitude towards learning and professional growth are essential qualities for success in this position.

The role requires someone who can work responsibly within a team environment, follow farm procedures and health and safety requirements, and contribute positively to the day-to-day operations of the farm.

The farm is located approximately 40 km from town, with shared on-site accommodation provided for employees. Due to the nature of the work and workplace health and safety obligations, applicants must also be willing to undergo regular drug testing when required and no smoking in the farm.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Carries out milk harvesting tasks as directed and is developing the correct skills to milk efficiently and safely.
• Understands factors that affect milk quality, and the reasons for regulations around milk quality safety.
• Assists with cleaning and maintaining the milking plant and farm dairy equipment and reports any faults to senior staff.

• Assists with moving and handling animals safely and observes and reports on the well-being of all stock.
• Watching stock for any ill health and reports issues to the best person on the farm.
• Assists with moving, handling, and rearing calves safely. Is building awareness of good health, hygiene and welfare for newly calved cows and young calves.
• Is building skills in observing, recording, and reporting on cows preparing to calve, and assists with calving cows.
• Assists with mating management as directed. Is building observation skills in heat detection and mating health issues. Is building an understanding of breeding for herd improvement and working safely with bulls.

• Assists with weed control and is learning about animal health issues associated with crops.
• Assists with feeding stock on-farm and growing young stock and is aware of changing feed needs during lactation.
• Assists with pasture and feed allocation, sets break fences, and feeds out as directed.
• Is learning, observing, and reporting on pasture quality, appropriate residuals, and pasture damage due to weather. Takes notice and reports any irregularities.

• Assists with the operation and maintenance of the dairy effluent management system and follows the effluent plan in line with farm policy.
• Is learning about the role nutrients play in farm systems, and the importance of good nutrient management. At a level that is reflective of time on the farm.
• Understands regulations around land management and ensures their practice complies with these.
• Assists with maintaining the water system, is aware of regional council requirements around water use, and reports any issues to senior staff.

• Is aware of the opportunities available to them in their personal and career goals and is looking for growth opportunities on the farm to gain more skills.
• Understands own rights around employment agreements, minimum wage requirements, and accommodation, and knows how to communicate any issues to their manager.
• Is developing an understanding of what makes a good farm team, and how their actions affect the wider team.
• Understands own rights around work time and workload, and strives for a reasonable work-life balance.

• Safely assists with erecting and maintaining both permanent and non-permanent electric and non-electric fences, as directed.
• Is learning about the farm irrigation system and assists with identifying irrigation problems and making repairs, as directed.
• Is confident using computers, smartphones, and apps. Is learning the value of collecting good quality data and how it can be used to make decisions.
• Knows how to safely operate farm vehicles and machinery as needed/ relevant for the position on the farm and assists with basic maintenance.

• Is learning skills to maintain good personal health on-farm and follows health and safety guidelines in the workplace.
• Identifies hazards, understands safety procedures, and demonstrates safe on-farm work practices. Reports near misses and accidents in the relevant registers provided at induction.
• Understands own rights to an emotionally secure workplace, and the importance of personal well-being.
• Is aware of the farm's responsibility around health, safety, and well-being in relation to land, people, and animals.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Beginning to understand how a farm operates as a business, including how the dairy pay-out affects income and the costs associated with farming.
• Understands KiwiSaver, PAYE, employment agreement, banking procedures, credit and interest rates and hire purchase.

• No relevant experience required, but willing to learn
• Reliable and honest
• No smoking on the farm
• Willing to undergo regular drug testing
• Able to plan out daily activities/duties
• Personal hygiene
• Attitude
• Time management and efficiency