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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Goat Tender

💰 $ - $

AgricultureAnimal CareLivestockFarm Management

🎯 Role Definition

The Goat Tender (also known as Goat Herder, Goat Caretaker, or Livestock Attendant) is responsible for hands-on daily care, welfare and husbandry of goats on small and large-scale farms. This role includes feeding and watering, health monitoring, birthing/kidding assistance, milking (where applicable), hoof care, parasite control, pasture and fence management, and accurate recordkeeping. Ideal candidates demonstrate animal-handling experience, strong observational skills, physical stamina, and commitment to best-practice animal welfare and biosecurity standards. Keywords: goat tender, goat caretaker, goat herder, goat care, animal husbandry, pasture rotation, kidding assistance, milking, hoof trimming.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Farmhand / General Farm Laborer
  • Animal Care Assistant or Kennel Technician
  • Volunteer goat herder or seasonal livestock worker

Advancement To:

  • Lead Goat Tender / Head Herder
  • Herd Manager / Livestock Supervisor
  • Farm Manager / Operations Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Dairy Milker / Dairy Technician (for dairy goat operations)
  • Shepherd / Small Ruminant Specialist
  • Veterinary Technician Assistant (large animal focus)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Feed and water goats according to established rations and schedules, prepare and distribute hay, grain and mineral supplements, monitor intake, and adjust feeding plans to maintain optimal body condition for meat, dairy, or breeding stock.
  • Perform daily visual and hands-on health checks of all goats to identify signs of illness, injury, lameness, parasites, or abnormal behavior; escalate concerns immediately to the herd manager or veterinarian.
  • Administer medications, vaccines, topical treatments, and dewormers under written protocols or veterinary direction; document lot numbers, doses, dates, and animal IDs in herd health records.
  • Assist with breeding programs including heat detection, controlled breeding, artificial insemination support, and recordkeeping of mating dates and outcomes to manage genetics and kidding schedules.
  • Provide hands-on assistance during kidding (birthing) season: monitor does in labor, intervene with safe delivery techniques when required, perform triage for dystocia, and ensure neonates are cleaned, dry and receive colostrum.
  • Conduct routine milking for dairy goat operations using manual or mechanical milking equipment, maintain milking parlor hygiene standards, and record milk yields and milk quality metrics (e.g., SCC where applicable).
  • Trim and maintain hooves regularly to prevent hoof rot and lameness; recognize and treat common hoof conditions, and schedule corrective trimming or veterinary intervention when necessary.
  • Implement parasite-control strategies including fecal egg count monitoring, rotational deworming, pasture rotation, and targeted selective treatment to reduce anthelmintic resistance.
  • Rotate pastures and manage grazing plans to optimize forage utilization, prevent overgrazing, and reduce parasite loads; move groups safely between paddocks and manage mixed-species grazing where applicable.
  • Inspect, repair and maintain fences, gates, shelters, water systems and feeders to ensure animal security and welfare; install temporary electric fencing or moveable fencing for rotational grazing.
  • Maintain clean, dry bedding and well-ventilated housing; perform daily barn cleaning, manure handling, composting of bedding, and ensure proper waste management and biosecurity measures.
  • Monitor growth rates and body condition scoring of kids and replacement stock; perform routine weighing and record growth metrics to inform nutrition and management decisions.
  • Prepare goats for transport, shows, or sale: halter train, crate/load animals safely, ensure required health certificates and ID/tattoo/ear tag documentation are completed.
  • Keep accurate, timely records of animal IDs, births, deaths, treatments, vaccinations, breeding outcomes, milk production, and feed inventories in paper logs or farm management software.
  • Coordinate and communicate with veterinarians for herd health plans, diagnostics, necropsies, and emergency care; assist with sample collection (blood, milk, feces) following biosecurity protocols.
  • Operate farm equipment safely (ATV/UTV, tractors, feed mixers, trailers) as required to distribute feed, move animals, repair infrastructure, and support daily farm operations.
  • Conduct routine biosecurity and sanitation protocols to limit disease spread, including quarantine of new arrivals, visitor controls, disinfecting equipment, and PPE use.
  • Train and supervise seasonal staff, apprentices, or volunteers in safe animal handling, feeding routines, recordkeeping and standard operating procedures for goat care.
  • Recognize welfare issues and be prepared to perform humane euthanasia under veterinary guidance or notify management for end-of-life decisions; document procedures and comply with regulations.
  • Participate in scheduled herd health meetings to review health trends, vaccination schedules, breeding plans, and production targets, contributing observational data and recommendations.
  • Implement enrichment and low-stress handling techniques to reduce fear and injury, improve stockmanship, and facilitate safer routine procedures such as hoof trimming and veterinary treatment.
  • Monitor and maintain inventories of feed, bedding, medical supplies, fencing supplies and order items proactively to avoid shortages that could impact animal welfare.
  • Support record-driven decisions by collecting routine production data (milk weights, kidding rates, mortality/morbidity) and preparing simple summaries for management review.

Secondary Functions

  • Support farm administration by updating herd registries, vaccine logs, and livestock movement records for traceability and compliance with local regulations.
  • Assist with on-farm education or agritourism activities by safely representing the farm, walking visitors through animal areas, and explaining basic goat care practices when requested.
  • Participate in marketing and branding activities by preparing show animals, drafting social media content (photos, basic descriptions) and coordinating with the marketing team for breed-specific highlights.
  • Contribute to simple lab or diagnostic tasks like collecting and shipping samples (fecal, milk, blood) for lab testing under vet direction.
  • Help develop and refine SOPs for kidding, milking, hoof care, and biosecurity based on frontline observations and operational needs.
  • Mentor junior staff on humane handling, animal observation skills, and farm safety protocols to build a resilient and knowledgeable caregiving team.
  • Assist with basic pasture improvement tasks (seeding, fencing, water system setup) to support long-term grazing management.
  • Participate in emergency response planning and drills (fire, flood, disease outbreak) and be prepared to implement animal evacuation or containment procedures.
  • Coordinate with feed suppliers and equipment vendors to obtain quotes, return defective equipment, and manage small-scale procurement tasks.
  • Provide on-call or rotating weekend coverage during critical seasons (kidding, peak lactation, extreme weather) as part of the operational staffing plan.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proficient animal handling skills for goats of all ages and temperaments (kids, does, bucks, wethers).
  • Hands-on experience with kidding assistance and neonatal care, including colostrum management and bottle feeding orphaned kids.
  • Milking experience (manual and mechanical) with knowledge of milking hygiene and basic milk-quality awareness.
  • Hoof trimming and basic lameness recognition; ability to use trimming tools safely and recognize when to escalate to a vet.
  • Parasite control and worming protocols, including ability to perform or collect fecal egg count samples and interpret results with supervision.
  • Basic herd health administration: vaccine schedules, medication dosing, recordkeeping of treatments and lot numbers.
  • Pasture management and rotational grazing planning to maintain forage availability and reduce disease pressure.
  • Fencing construction and repair including handling electric fencing, gates and temporary paddocks.
  • Operation of farm vehicles and equipment (ATV/UTV, trailers, tractors) with safe driving and loading/unloading competence.
  • Recordkeeping skills—accurate logs for births, treatments, weights, milk yields—familiarity with farm-management software is a plus.
  • Basic first aid for livestock and understanding of when to contact a veterinarian; familiarity with emergency euthanasia procedures under supervision.
  • Knowledge of basic biosecurity, sanitation, and zoonotic disease precautions for small ruminant operations.
  • Feed and nutrition knowledge for goats, including supplementing mineral programs, managing feed rations and recognizing signs of nutritional deficiency.

Soft Skills

  • Strong observational skills and keen attention to detail for early identification of health or welfare issues.
  • High level of physical stamina and ability to work outdoors in varied weather conditions for extended shifts.
  • Clear verbal and written communication skills to coordinate with farm teams, vendors, and veterinarians and to maintain accurate records.
  • Reliable, punctual and able to manage time effectively to complete routine chores and respond to emergencies.
  • Problem-solving mindset with ability to triage animal health or infrastructure issues and propose practical solutions.
  • Compassion for animals with commitment to humane handling and welfare-focused decision making.
  • Team player attitude with willingness to train and supervise seasonal staff and volunteers.
  • Adaptability and flexibility to support rotating schedules, seasonal peaks (kidding, harvest), and evolving farm priorities.
  • Strong safety awareness and commitment to follow protocols for equipment operation and biosecurity.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent (required).

Preferred Education:

  • Certificate or diploma in Animal Science, Agriculture, Livestock Management, or Veterinary Technician coursework.
  • Formal training or short courses in small ruminant health, stockmanship, or dairy handling preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Animal Science
  • Agriculture / Sustainable Agriculture
  • Veterinary Technology / Large Animal Care
  • Horticulture / Pasture Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 0–3 years for entry-level goat tender positions with strong mentorship and on-the-job training; 2–5 years preferred for independent operation.

Preferred:

  • 1–3 years direct experience caring for goats (feeding, milking, kidding assistance, hoof trimming) or equivalent livestock experience; experience on commercial dairy or meat goat operations is strongly preferred.
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