2021- Current self employed

I have been working between sheep and cattle as well as some farm records. Tasks I have completed recently include: milkings am, pm and some nights, assisted with on farm building work constructing new offices, cheese room, installing water troughs, installing feed barriers, concreting. Checking stock. Vaccinating sheep and dairy cows. I have also recently assisted with writing and creating a health and safety plan. One farm I am used as holiday cover where I have been left with little assistance for 2-3 days on the dairy farm.

May 2021- Current - Assistant herdsmen:

200 head dairy herd. (just relief now previously was full time here) Completed milking independently, checking and feeding young stock, completing farm records as well as some basic tractor work. I also carried on using previous skills stated above for example calving cows when needed and looking after young stock including tasks like dehorning, vaccinating and castrating. Created full farm health and safety plan.

September 2020- February 2021 - Assistant herdsmen:

240 head dairy herd. Started my level 4 apprenticeship here. I have learnt how to use robots and I have been continuing using previous skills. I calved cows and heifers, robot trained heifers, monitor health using the robot data as well as visual, all youngstock work, sorting dry cows and also helped with basic sheep routine work including lambing.

January 2018-June 2020 - Apprentice:

300 head dairy herd. I completed my level 3 apprenticeship here and worked as a general farm worker. I was responsible for all calves including feeding, bedding, hygiene and health. I am competent dehorning, vaccinating, ring castrating and spotting any sick calves. I have completed trials on farm to compare different milk powders. I can bolus and drench youngstock. I am able to calve a cow and monitor the health of cows, spotting after birth problems, mastitis and lame cows. Working closely with the vets at FriarsMoor I have been taught basic mobility scoring, assisted with emergency call outs, surgeries, and routines on the farm. I would scrape the cow sheds, clean the water troughs and bed up using the telehandler and sand bucket. I am also able to dry cows off. I had completed my AI course and started serving cows and heifers. I was responsible for all cow, youngstock and calf records and enter all onto computer software. I am able to test milk for mastitis using plates and incubator. I am also able to dry off cows. Over summer I used the quad bike to check on all young stock and cake around. I will always report any issues or sick cattle immediately if spotted in fields or on farm. I always work closely with feed advisors and attended monthly meets with them to discuss how the cows and youngstock are doing and ways to improve. I have been to discussion groups with vets and milk buyers. I will always bring back a new idea.

2016-2017

440 head dairy herd. On my last year at secondary school I started milking here on weekends. This included milking twice a day, general parlour hygiene, reporting any health issues, learnt how to dry off, block spring calving involved in colostrum management and rearing calves. Moving fences for out wintered cattle.