Dairy Farmer

As a Dairy Farmer, you will work in dairy farms which breed and raise cows and buffaloes for production of milk and associated milk products. You will be responsible for various ground level activities involved in managing a dairy farm including proper care of animals (health and productivity), milking and distribution of produced milk etc.

You need to ensure production of high quality milk and animal comfort and well being. Your work will mainly involve rearing and feeding of the animals, ensuring that their rearing areas are clean and sanitised, and making sure that all the animals are in proper health conditions. You have to pay maximum attention to the animals during their breeding period. 

Dairy Farmers work on farms and milking sheds in all kinds of weather conditions. They usually have to work in dusty, dirty, and wet environments. Also, the working hours are long and generally begin early (before dawn) every day.

As a Dairy Farmer, you will have to look after the needs of every animal at your farm, clean the facility/equipment and monitor the animals’ behavior and health issues. You will have to dispose animal wastes in the prescribed manner following established rules. You will have to report any hazard or signs of ill health as soon as you notice them. You will also have to monitor and maintain the condition of tools and farm equipments.

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

As a Dairy Farmer, you will be engaged with one or more of the following roles and responsibilities: -

• You will be ensuring proper breeding of the animals and taking care during reproduction period.
• You will be feeding the animals properly and ensure they have adequate supply of food and water.
• You will be herding animals to pasture for grazing (in some large scale animal farms).
• You will be checking, monitoring and reporting physical characteristics such as growth and weight gain.
• You will be cleaning the rearing or living quarters of the animals.
• You will be examining the animals daily or at regular intervals to detect illness, injury or diseases and taking timely action to maintain their health and well-being.
• You will be ensuring proper medical treatment which includes giving medicines and vaccinations and checkups by veterinarians.
• You will be ensuring proper maintenance and repair of all farm equipment, machinery, buildings, pens, stalls, yards, etc.
• You will be preparing livestock for transfer to other facilities by grading, marking, tagging etc.

• You should have interests for Realistic Occupations. Realistic occupations involve more practical and hands-on activities than paperwork or office work. Realistic occupations often involve physical activities for getting things done using various tools and equipment. 

• You should have interests for Conventional Occupations. Conventional occupations involve repetitive and routine tasks as well as fixed processes or procedures for getting things done. These occupations involve working more with data, systems, and procedures and less with ideas or creativity.

• You should have good hand-eye coordination.

• You should have knowledge of Mathematics – basic arithmetic and other mathematical disciplines and their applications.

• Factual knowledge of dairy animals and related matters such as animal healthcare, their safety, market prices of dairy produce; different dairy animal breeds and their specialties; operation of dairy farm machinery; life requirements of various animals and the use of various vaccines; experience in handling a herd.

• You should have Coordination Skills - working together with other people to get things done.

• You should have skills in Managing Material Resources - sourcing, buying, storing, and use of appropriate raw materials, machines, equipment, and devices for various purposes.

• You should have Manual Dexterity – The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

• You should have Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

• You should have Physical Stamina - The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.

• You should have Oral Comprehension Ability - listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

• You should have Oral Expression Ability - communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

• You should have Skills for Communication in Vernacular Languages - Skills in communicating effectively in writing as well as verbally with others in a local or indigenous language such as Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Bengali, Assamese, etc.

• You always or mostly prefer to stick within a routine or carry out routine and repetitive activities.