Agricultural Service Contractors, Farm Supervisors and Specialized Livestock Workers

## About This Job

Agricultural service contractors, who own and operate their own businesses, provide agricultural services such as livestock and poultry breeding, soil preparation, crop planting, crop spraying, cultivating or harvesting.

Farm supervisors supervise the work of general farm workers and harvesting labourers. Specialized livestock workers carry out feeding, health and breeding programs on dairy, beef, sheep, poultry, hog and other livestock farms.

## Earnings

### **Hourly Rate**

* High: $21.00/hr
* Median: $15.00/hr
* Low: $11.35/hr

## Duties

### **Agricultural service**

* Provide agricultural livestock services such as artificial insemination, spraying or shearing of livestock or disinfecting pens, barns or poultry houses

* Provide agricultural crop services such as plowing, irrigating, cultivating, spraying or harvesting
* Assist in the development and implementation of farm safety and bio-security procedures
* Hire and train workers
* Negotiate the terms of services to be provided
* Maintain financial and operational records
* May participate in the provision of services or in the operation of machinery and equipment

### **Farm supervisors**

* Coordinate and supervise the work of general farm workers and harvesting laborers
* Supervise breeding programs and harvest operations
* Develop work schedules and set up procedures
* Maintain quality control and production records
* Perform general farm duties

### **Specialized livestock workers**

* Put together a feeding program

* Maintain livestock performance records
* Carry out a pasture or pen breeding program
* Recognize and treat certain livestock health problems
* Select livestock for sale
* Perform general farm duties
* May supervise general farm workers and harvesting laborers

### **Special Duties**

Farm supervisors may specialize in dairy, poultry, swine, beef, sheep, fruit, vegetable, mixed, specialty and equine farms.

Specialized livestock workers usually specialize in one type of farm animal, such as beef cattle, dairy cattle or swine

## Work Environment

### **Key aspects of the work in this occupation:**

* Work takes place in a controlled indoor setting, however in some areas temperatures may vary.
* Work also takes place outdoors in various weather conditions.
* Workers may also be exposed to infectious bacteria and viruses as a result of treating sick animals.
* Working with equipment, instruments, machinery or power/hand tools can be a source of injury.
* The workplace may contain strong odors.

## Job Requirements

### **Education, training & qualifications**

* Agricultural service contractors usually require a university degree, college diploma or industry courses in agricultural studies and several years of experience related to the service offered.
* Contractors providing certain services, such as artificial insemination and pesticide application, may require training certificates and provincial licensing.
* Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers may require a college certificate or other specialized training in agriculture or livestock husbandry.
* A course or certificate in first aid may be required.

### **Skills**

* Manual Dexterity
* Directive
* Spatial Perception
* Social