Livestock Worker Agricultural & Forestry Labourers
SaveWhat Does a Livestock Worker Do?
Livestock workers maintain the health and welfare of animals. They oversee the breeding/production and day-to-day care such as feeding and watering of animals.
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Where Do I Start?
Agronomical Production Principles
The techniques, methods and principles of conventional agronomical production.
Sign up to trackReady to go deeper? Pick up to 3 skills to focus on from the list below.
These are common skills for this role. Real-world experience matters more than ticking every box — use this as a guide, not a checklist.
Skills You Need to Become a Livestock Worker
Essential Skills
Essential Skills
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EssentialAgronomical Production Principles knowledge
The techniques, methods and principles of conventional agronomical production.
Recommended Books
2 books -
EssentialAnimal Nutrition knowledge
Aspects of how different animal species are fed and provided water. Different types of animal food, the quality criteria for animal food and methods to feed and give water to …
No book recommendations available yet.
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EssentialBiology knowledge
Tissues, cells, and functions of plant and animal organisms and their interdependencies and interactions with each other and the environment.
No book recommendations available yet.
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EssentialComputerised Feeding Systems knowledge
The functioning of computered controlled systems that provide animal feeding.
No book recommendations available yet.
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EssentialLivestock Feeding knowledge
Food given to domestic animals in the course of animal husbandry.
No book recommendations available yet.
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EssentialAssist Animal Birth skill
Assist in animal births, and care for newborn livestock.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialManage The Health And Welfare Of Livestock skill
Assess the current health status of your livestock. Manage any existing disease or disorder, including the requirements for isolation of livestock. Plan and manage a livestock health and welfare plan …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialOperate Agricultural Machinery skill
Operate motorised agricultural equipment including tractors, balers, sprayers, ploughs, mowers, combines, earthmoving equipment, trucks, and irrigation equipment.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialBreed Stock skill
Breed and raise livestock such as cattle, poultry, and honeybees. Use recognised breeding practices to strive for continuous improvement in the livestock.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialControl Livestock Disease skill
Control the spread of disease and parasites in herds, by using vaccination and medication, and by separating sick animals.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialMaintain Farm Equipment skill
Use oil, grease guns, and hand tools to lubricate, adjust, and make minor repairs to farm equipment.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialMaintain Pastures skill
Ensure that animals on pastures or grazing lands have enough feed. Employ pasture-conservation measures such as grazing in rotation.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialMaintain The Farm skill
Maintain farm facilities such as fences, water supplies, and outdoor buildings.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialPerform Farm Equipment Hygiene skill
Clean and sanitise equipment used in milking: milk storage tanks, collection cups, and udders of the animals. Ensure that procedures for the sanitary handling of milk are followed.
Course recommendations coming soon.
Optional Skills (5 of 32 displayed)
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OptionalAgritourism knowledge
Aspects of agritourism involving agriculturally based activities to bring visitors to a farm.
No book recommendations available yet.
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OptionalEquine Dental Diseases knowledge
Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of dental diseases for horses.
No book recommendations available yet.
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OptionalClean Rooms skill
Clean rooms by cleaning glasswork and windows, polishing furniture, vacuuming carpets, scrubing hard floors, and removing garbage.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalHarvest Crop skill
Mow, pick or cut agricultural products manually or using appropriate tools and machinery. Take into account the relevant quality criteria of products, hygiene prescriptions and use the appropriate methods.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalOrder Supplies skill
Command products from relevant suppliers to get convenient and profitable products to purchase.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalPresent The Farm Facilities skill
Perform customer adapted presentations of the farm organization and farm processes taking under consideration the farm sustainability and local environment.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalServe Food In Table Service skill
Provide food at the table whilst maintaining high level of customer service and food safety standards.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalStore Raw Food Materials skill
Keep in reserve raw materials and other food supplies, following stock control procedures.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalArrange Tables skill
Organise and dress tables to accommodate special events.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalCarry Out Specialised Procedures For Pigs skill
Carry out specialised procedures such as branding, tagging, castration, tail-docking and tooth cutting in humane manner taking into account the hygiene, welfare and safety regulations
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalCatch Poultry On A Farm skill
Handle poultry
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalCut Teeth skill
Cut or grind off part of a piglet's teeth. Take adequate measures to protect hearing from loud vocalisations of piglet.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalDirect The Preparation Of Food skill
Oversee the preparation of a variety of dishes such as soups, salads, fish, meats, vegetables or desserts. Participate in and direct food preparation either on a day-to-day basis, or for …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalDock Tails skill
Cut off part of the tail of pigs to keep stressed animals from biting each other's tails.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalHandle Feathers skill
Clean, sort, dry and package feathers taking into account the company policy and specific orders.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalInstall Irrigation Systems skill
Install and shift irrigation systems to distribute water according to needs.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalMaintain Linen Operation skill
Keep daily operations of a linen stock, including its distribution, maintenance, rotation and storage.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalManage Crop Production skill
Perform crop production duties such as planning, tilling, planting, fertilising, cultivating, spraying, and harvesting. Supervise all steps of the crop production and ranging process, including planting, fertilising, harvesting, and herding
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalManage Farm Supplies skill
Manage farm supplies by taking care of the purchase and storing procedures. Select and purchase supplies and equipment such as seeds, livestock feed, fertilisers and farm machinery.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalManage Grain Storage skill
Transport grain to silos to be stored. Burn or bale any leftover straw.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalMilk Animals skill
Milk cows and other farm animals, manually or using mechanical means.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalMonitor Crops skill
Monitor the growth of the crops to ensure the crops are free from diseases, harmful chemicals and organisms.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalMonitor The Production Of Eggs skill
Measure control of temperature and humidity in incubators and keep records of egg production.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalOperate Dairy Farms skill
Operate dairy farms that produce bulk milk.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalPerform Milk Control skill
Carry out controlling the quality and quantity of the milk following biosecurity regulations.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalProcess Dairy Farm Products skill
Carry out on-farm processing of diary products using appropriate methods and equipment, following food hygiene regulations.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalProcess Harvested Honey skill
Harvest and process honey according to health, safety and biosecurity regulations.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalRaise Hens skill
Keep hens in order to produce table eggs for eating or fertile eggs for breeding.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalShearing Of Wool skill
Carry out sheep or goat wool shearing and initial processing and packaging as appropriate
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalSkin Animals skill
Skin animals in an appropriate manner considering the end purpose of the skin. Strip off the hide of an animal to prepare for processing the carcass, or to use the …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalSlaughter Fur Animals skill
Kill fur animals as humanely as possible within budget limits and in accordance with national legislation.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalTrain Horses skill
Harness, dress and train horses as per the instructions provided. Take into account the age and breed of the horse and the preparation purposes.
Course recommendations coming soon.