Job description

1.  Job Purpose    
The main purpose of the position is to support the herd manager by focusing on herd grouping and herd movement aspects. The incumbent is responsible for ensuring that the milking herd is well looked after with regular hoof trimmings, adequate care and precaution exercised during breeding and the yard is well maintained and properly cleaned to maintain prescribed hygiene standards. He is also responsible for calving and dry off the herd as per the herd movement.
 

2.   Main Tasks & Accountabilities
Task    Description

Farm Walk    

•    Conducted farm walks to assess the herd movement aspects, grouping of livestock and the animal welfare is met as per Mazoon SOP.

Maintaining hygiene in herd enclosures and feeding area    

•    Ensure scrapping of manure from sheds, washing off, transfer to effluent treatment plant
 

Herd Movement    

•    House herds based on segregation into different categories based on specific requirement.
•    Lactating cows (two enclosures)
•    Heifers (first lactation) housed separately from mature cows
•    Dry cows (expected to calve within 30 to 60 days): Housed in clean and dry area with absorbent clean bedding material (straw, kiln-dried sawdust, paper) or one that allows drainage (sand, pasture) 
  - Pre-fresh (Within 3-4 weeks of their projected calving date)
- Calving: Moved to maternity pens

Animal Health & Welfare    

•    Supervise regular trimming of hoofs 
•    Supervise washing/bathing of cattle stock daily
•    Ensuring staff stay attentive/alert for signs of unwell animals / sickness especially when passing animals in the paddock, getting cows in for milking, etc.
•    Implement good practices of animal health and welfare; ensure unwell animals are identified and treated quickly as per farm protocols, and all animals moved/handled in an acceptable, quiet and calm way
•    Emphasize identifying and treating mastitis, lameness and other animal health problems on priority
•    Report any incidences of bloat or suspected bloat immediately to veterinarian for remedial action and all unwell animals as part of daily report
•    Share animal health report with GM-farm highlighting details of all unwell animals

Stock Management    

•    Ensure proper care and supervision is exercised during mating, calving and calf rearing/recovery from calf birth 
•    Reporting all instances that require further action

Record Management    

•    Keep records of all herd movement aspects and ensure animals are marked according to the farm systems manual
•    Ensuring recording of sick animals and transferring to the hospital pen.
•    Observe and recording cows due for dry off. 
•    Observe and recording cows calved
•    Observant when with the cows, document any information that may be useful, for example, cows that look like they may be coming in heat.
•    Ensure record any other associated information as per farm systems manual or as instructed by herd manager.

Other Tasks  

•    Comply with all Company policies and procedures. 
•    Perform all the other tasks and activities as assigned. 

Quality, Health, Safety, Security & Environment    

•    Responsible and be in alignment with the safety rules and procedures as per MAZOON QHSE Policy.
•    Ensure all relevant quality, health, security, safety, and environmental policies, procedures and controls are adhered to so that employee safety, legislative compliance, delivery of high-quality service and a responsible environmental attitude can be guaranteed.
•    Ensure that incidents and hazards are reported in a timely manner and reduce consumption of natural resources to assist in protecting the environment and ensuring a healthy and safe work environment.

Be a Team Player    

•    Effective communication within and outside the team.
•    Create a supportive environment for the team members.
•    Contribute to the team, letting others know information that may be useful or important.
•    Help to create a fun, supportive work environment.

3.  Main Contacts and Working Relationships
Internal     All Department Heads and Line Managers.
External    Stakeholders, customers, agencies etc.

4.   Person Specification  (Qualifications, Knowledge & Experience)  
Education Level –    Minimum Requirement    

•    Bachelor’s Degree in agriculture with specialization in dairy farm management
•    Level 4 certificate in agriculture (dairy farm) preferred

Professional    Qualifications
•    Must have special training in livestock management.

Work Experience    

•    Overall experience of 6 years or more with 5+ years in managing milking herds
•    Strong understanding of the Middle East culture

Job Specific Skills    

•    Ability to work in adverse weather conditions 
•    Familiarity with dairy farm conditions and equipment used
•    Basic skill for managing a team to carrying out daily tasks 
•    Intimate knowledge of 
-    livestock lifecycle to oversee adequate care and supervision during breeding, calving and dry off.
•    Ability to deal with operational challenges 
•    Financial awareness to understand and interpret numbers; Excellent written & verbal communication / presentation skills
•    Team player with excellent motivational skills
 

Generic Skills
•    Must be alert, strive for accuracy, and have ability to exercise independent thinking and judgment, be a self- motivator, and attention to detail
•    Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
•    Integrity, discretion and loyalty
 

5.   Position Location  
•    To be based in AL Sunainah or any other Mazoon farms.