About us:

Golden Oaks Farm, founded in 1948 by the Crown family in Wauconda, IL, is renowned for its outstanding Holsteins and robust dairy production. Just 50 miles from Chicago, the farm spans 1,600 acres and is operated by a dedicated team of  full-time and part-time employees. With a herd of approximately 720 milking females and 680 young stock, Golden Oaks produces around 19 million pounds of milk annually. The farm is committed to breeding high-quality, well-balanced cows and maintaining agricultural integrity in a suburban setting. Their mission focuses on producing quality dairy products and superior cattle genetics efficiently and profitably.

Overview:

We are seeking a dedicated Fresh Pen Assist Herdsperson to join our team. This position involves working closely with livestock in a farm setting and assisting with various tasks related to animal care and management.

Pay Range:

$17 to $19 depends on experience.

Work Schedule:

6 Days a Week -11 Hour Shifts Mon-Fri with a rotating weekend day

This position will oversee, plan, communicate and assist in decision making for Fresh pen.

In this role, you will:

• Assist in evaluating all components of transition cow program to identify successes or where improvements are needed.
• Assist in evaluation of longer-term trends to understand how well the transition program is working in general.
• Troubleshoot apparent problems in the fresh pen with the cows, their housing, and their feed report to Herd/Farm Manager.
• Oversee Ketosis and PH levels testing, tracking, monitoring for trends and entering data into Dairy Comp
• Communicate with Herd Manager, Farm Manager and Nutritionist on Fresh Cow pen trends to help formula a plan to correct issue or to confirm improvement.

Duties:

• Examine health of individual fresh cows daily and monitoring of fresh pen overall
• Handling all Fresh Cow testing and tracking for Ketosis and PH levels
• Ability to draw tail vein blood and place IV in cattle
• Ability to recognize disease and administrate treatments
• Basic knowledge of Dairy Comp and SCR system
• Daily accurate entry in Dairy Comp for Fresh pen diseases and treatment
• Assist in Dry cow pen monitoring body condition
• Assist Herd Manager when needed
• Assist Genetic Manager when needed
• Assist Farm Manager when needed
• Daily check in with Farm and Herd Manager on status of Fresh Pen
• Assist with barn cleanliness, power washing, garbage
• Assist with Cleanliness of equipment on farm
• PM Program and completion
• Provide status update at monthly team meeting
• Review daily and monthly reports to understand Fresh pen trends
• Follow and help enforce all Fresh pen policies and protocols
• Assist with all herd reproduction protocols and data entry into Dairy Comp (heat detector, breeder, and injections)
• Assist with all herd health practices
• Assist with herd hoof health and decisions on hoof trimming
• Supervise and instruct Interns when need

Requirements:

• Prior experience in veterinary or farm settings is advantageous
• Ability to handle animals safely and effectively
• Proficiency in basic math for measuring feed quantities and medication dosages
• Capability to perform heavy lifting and physical tasks associated with farm work

This position offers an exciting opportunity for individuals passionate about animal care and farm operations. If you possess the necessary skills and are eager to contribute to our team, we encourage you to apply for this role.