Shepherd
Sandringham Farm requires a skilled shepherd to join our small livestock team.
The farm is approximately 2330 hectares of organic arable rotation, traditionally including fertility building leys, cover crops, wheat, barley, rye, oats, peas and beans and 200 hectares of permanent grass for breeding ewes and beef cattle. The wider estate features forestry, game and public enterprises, offering a rich and varied work experience, but also requires consideration for and interaction with these areas.
The current 2000 strong Aberfield mule flock is self-replacing and produces finished lamb for a premium supermarket retailer. There is a strong emphasis on maternal, easy lambing genetics, and the use of technology to assist where appropriate. Ewes are lambed outdoors, and lambs are finished on a forage-only diet. A herd of pedigree Beef shorthorn-based sucklers was established in 2021, with the aim of calving up to 100 cows within the next few years.
The herd is housed in a new building with modern handling facilities, with an emphasis on safety and ease of operation. Again, all progeny is finished on-farm with 100% homegrown forage. A small number of Longhorns and British White cattle have been introduced for conservation.
Day to day shepherding will form the majority of this role with some assistance in winter housing and spring calving of the beef herd.
The ideal candidate will: Have a minimum of two years experience in sheep husbandry
- Be able to uphold the highest standards of animal welfare
- Work effectively in a small team and be a team player both within the farm and wider Estate operations
- Be self motivated, organised and manage their own time when necessary
- Be flexible and have an ability to work calmly under pressure
- Have their own working dog(s)
- Hold a full, clean UK driving licence
- Have the right to live and work in the UK A passion for livestock, an open mind, and a willingness to learn and develop alongside an innovative system will be critical to succeeding in this role.
To apply, please send a C.V. and covering letter to: [email protected]
Closing date : 27th September 2024