Lead Herdsperson/Manager in Wiltshire Ref 1864

Position: Lead Herdsperson/Manager
Location: Chippenham

The Farm:
The farm is 350 acres with 50 acres of rented land adjoining, family-run enterprise.
The dairy herd has been built up to 300 cows. Yields are 8,000 litres per cow, milk quality averages 4.05% BF, 3.30% P, 200 Cell Count 20 Bactoscan. Block Calving in autumn calving and Spring. Cows are fed a TMR with no parlour feeding. Milk is sold on the premium Milk Contract.
There are 250 cubicles plus straw yards, feed troughs, silage clamps, calving pens, handling facilities. The parlour is a 24/24 .direct to line with a backing gate. No parlour feeding. ADF being fitted to the parlour.
All heifers calves are reared for replacements with beef calves sold.

The Role:
Cows
1. Milking
2. Cleaning and excellent maintenance of a clean tidy operational parlour and dairy (includes liner changes etc)
3. Heat observation and recording - use of heat time
4. Calvings - supervising, assistance tagging and naval treatment
5. Calf colostrum feeding and tagging etc.
6. Treatment of diseases e.g. mastitis, milk fevers etc
7. Post calving health checks
8. Assisting Vet Visits - PD, treatment, discussions and formal consultancy meetings within our vet contract.
9. Footbath cows
10. Record keeping - routine treatments, events and medicines
11. Yard work -scraping and bedding of cubicles with sand
12. Bedding up straw yards
13. Feeding - discussion of rations and daily feed sheets
14. Compliance with Dairy Farm Assurance standards including tidy and clean parlour, dairy and surrounding areas and records, health plans, feed plans etc
15. Notification of orders of chemicals, supplies etc
16. Dry and transition cow management including routine sorting of cows between groups
17. Milking Cow group sorting.

Calves
1. Calf feeding and management, from birth to weaning.
2. Provision of water and dry feed and roughage
3. Treatment of ailments in accordance with protocol
4. Provision of clean dry bedding

Heifers
1. Heifer feeding and management, according to groups requirement from weaning.
2. Treatment of ailments in accordance with the protocol
3. Provision of clean dry bedding
4. Sorting of groups
5. Vaccinations and serving heifers

The Applicant:
The position can be developed by the team and responsibility will be given and rewarded. As a family farm, everyone works as a team. It is vital that the position is fun, interesting and rewarding for all concerned.
Looking for someone to lead the small team of staff, as the owner isn't on site every day as runs another business. Therefore need to be responsible, use initiative, motivate and direct younger staff members is essential.

Accommodation:
Substantial 4 bedrooms, modern bungalow available with the package.

Additional info:

This position will be directly employed by the farm.

To apply, please forward your CV to or phone for further information.