Trainee Herdsperson

Are you a student recently graduated, looking to gain further experience in Dairy Farming?

Or, perhaps you have experience working on a dairy farm and are now looking to grow your skills to one day become a Herd Manager.

We are offering a brand new opportunity at our family-owned mixed farm, for a Trainee Herdsperson to join our friendly and supportive team, inSomerset.

You will be working directly for the farm, not through REAL Success Ltd.

Our Farm

We are a family-owned mixed farm, who have been milking and caring for dairy cows for over 90 years. The dairy herd consists of 2,200 milking cows plus replacement heifers, the herd is made up of mainly Holstein Friesians with some crossbreeds. Our cows are milked three times a day on an 80-point rotary parlour and our cow housing and facilities are high quality, designed to assist with the effective movement and management of cows.

We operate an all-year-round calving system with a team in place overseeing the health and maternity side of the farm. All our data & records are kept using DairyComp and Feedlyc and our milk is supplied to Arla TSDG, whilst also being an Arla regenerative pilot farm and supporting other pilot farms. Regen has become a large part of our business as we think more about the impact of our actions and how we can build a more sustainable future. All our forage is grown locally, we farm 3000 acres and nearly all cropping operations are carried out by our team.

The farm owner has been recognised within the industry by being Farmers Weekly dairy farmer of the year in 2010, RABDF gold cup winner in 2015, Farm Business of the Year at the Food and Farming awards in 2015 and Tesco TSDG Farmer of the Year 2017.

Your role

As a Trainee Herdsperson, you will be:

Working within the herd team, milking team and alongside the herd manager.

Shadowing the Herd Manager, learning about dairy cow health, performance, feeding and genetics.

Developing your ability to analyse on-farm technology, utilising data provided by ear tags to support the welfare of our cows.

Following health, dry and fresh cow protocols.

Supporting the day-to-day running of a large dairy farm by feeding, occasional milking and youngstock work.

Maintaining relevant dairy records, and regularly monitoring the herds physical and health performance and working with the vet when required.

You

You will need to be:

Keen to develop your skill set, with good people skills.

Able to work as part of a team, with strong communication skills.

Comfortable working with technology and data.

Experienced around cows, preferably with a history of studying agriculture, or with a few years experience working in Dairy farming.

Driven to learn all areas of cow husbandry.

Ambitious, friendly, and motivated.

The Benefits

This role is new, and we offer this position in support of continuing to develop a new generation of farmers. We will provide a competitive salary, holiday, and a flexible working rota. We have accommodation depending on your needs and will provide an overall investment in your ongoing development, supporting you to achieve your targets & goals.

We are a skilled and friendly team, and are offering you a chance to join us

Location

Our farm is based in Somerset with excellent schools, leisure, and shops nearby.

If you think you can help us as a Trainee Herdsperson, wed like to hear from you.

Applications with a cover letter will receive priority.