What You'll Do

  • Feed and water livestock and monitor food and water supplies.
  • Drive trucks, tractors, and other equipment to distribute feed to animals.
  • Examine animals to detect illness, injury, or disease, and to check physical characteristics, such as rate of weight gain.
  • Provide medical treatment, such as administering medications and vaccinations, or arrange for veterinarians to provide more extensive treatment.
  • Mix feed, additives, and medicines in prescribed portions.
  • Inspect, maintain, and repair equipment, machinery, buildings, pens, yards, and fences.
  • Move equipment, poultry, or livestock from one location to another, manually or using trucks or carts.
  • Clean stalls, pens, and equipment, using disinfectant solutions, brushes, shovels, water hoses, or pumps.
  • Mark livestock to identify ownership and grade, using brands, tags, paint, or tattoos.
  • Herd livestock to pastures for grazing or to scales, trucks, or other enclosures.

Essential Skills

Critical Thinking 3.38/5
Monitoring 3.25/5
Active Listening 3.12/5
Operations Monitoring 3.12/5
Operation and Control 3.12/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.12/5
Reading Comprehension 3.0/5
Speaking 3.0/5
Coordination 3.0/5
Complex Problem Solving 3.0/5
Troubleshooting 3.0/5
Active Learning 2.88/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.

Common styles

Dependability, Stress Tolerance, Perseverance, Attention to Detail, Integrity

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Problem Sensitivity 3.75/5
Control Precision 3.62/5
Oral Comprehension 3.38/5
Deductive Reasoning 3.38/5
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.38/5
Trunk Strength 3.25/5
Near Vision 3.25/5
Inductive Reasoning 3.12/5

Technologies & Tools

BCL Landview Systems WinCrop Farm Works Software Trac Lancaster DHIA PCDART Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Word Spreadsheet software Valley Agricultural Software DairyCOMP 305 Web browser software

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Dependability (High importance: 4.57/5)
  • Stress Tolerance (High importance: 4.24/5)
  • Perseverance (High importance: 4.18/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.05/5)
  • Integrity (High importance: 3.95/5)

Want to see how YOUR strengths align with this career?

Take Free 15-Min Assessment →

How to Become One

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful but is usually not required. Training is often provided on the job.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Agricultural Worker Animal Care Taker Animal Feeder Animal Herder Animal Husbandry Worker Animal Keeper Aquaculture Worker Aquatic Laborer Aquatic Life Laborer Bait Digger Barn Hand Barn Worker Bee Keeper Bee Raiser Bee Robber Bee Tender Bee Worker Beekeeper Bottler Brush Cutter Caponizer Castrator Cattle Alley Worker Cattle Brander Cattle Dehorner Cattle Dipper Cattle Driver Cattle Feeder Cattle Sprayer Chicken Catcher Chicken Dresser Chicken Handler Chicken Hatchery Helper Chicken Picker Chicken Raiser Chicken Tender Chicken Vaccinator Chopper Chore Tender Chore Worker Cow Puncher Cow Rider Cow Tender Cow Washer Cowboy Cowpuncher Dairy Farm Worker Dairy Farmer Dairy Farmworker Dairy Hand Dairy Worker Dairyman Debeaker Dipper Ditch Cleaner Ditch Digger Ditch Rider Ditch Tender Ditcher Dude Wrangler Egg Gatherer Egg Setter Farm Animal Caretaker Farm Hand Farm Helper Farm Laborer Farm Rancher Farm Tech (Farm Technician) Farmer Farming Farrowing Worker Feed Grinder Fence Rider Field Aide Field Broomer Field Hand Field Handyman Field Hauler Field Worker Firebreak Cutter Fish Farm Laborer Fish Farmer Fish Hatchery Man Fish Hatchery Worker Frog Farmer Frog Farmworker Game Farm Helper Goat Herder Groomer Handler Handyman Harvester Hatchery Attendant Hatchery Employee Hatchery Helper Hatchery Laborer Hatchery Man Hatchery Worker Hay Buckler Hay Stacker Herder Herdsman Honey Extractor Horse Groomer Horse Teamster Horse Wrangler Hose Sprayer Incubator Tender Inoculator Jackaroo Kennel Worker Lamber Land Clearer Line Rider Live Hanger Livestock Breeder and Caretaker Livestock Caretaker Livestock Farmer Livestock Farmworker Livestock Feeder Livestock Handler Livestock Laborer Livestock Ranch Hand Livestock Yard Attendant Loader Machine Egg Washer Machine Milker Milk Bottler Milk House Worker Milker Milking Machine Operator Milking Worker Milkman Mule Driver Mule Teamster Mustanger Oyster Farmer Oyster Farmworker Pack Mule Worker Picker Pole Setter Portable Track Line Marker Portable Trackman Poultry Cleaner Poultry Culler Poultry Debeaker Poultry Dresser Poultry Farm Laborer Poultry Farmer Poultry Farmworker Poultry Hatchery Laborer Poultry Hatchery Man Poultry Picker Poultry Pinner Poultry Raiser Poultry Tender Poultry Vaccinator Poultryman Ranch Animal Caretaker Ranch Hand Ranch Helper Rancher Range Rider Rat Poisoner Rat Trapper Rider Sheep Herder Sheep Shearer Sheepherder Shepherd Shrimp Pond Laborer Silo Filler Soft Crab Shedder Sow Farm Technician Spooner Stable Attendant Stable Cleaner Stable Hand Stable Helper Stallion Keeper Stock Driver Stock Feeder Turkey Picker Turkey Pinner Vaccinator Vaccine Specialist Vaquero Wool Sacker Worm Farm Laborer Worm Grower Worm Packer Worm Picker Wrangler Yard Attendant

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.