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Livestock Farming
Cargill, JBS USA, Tyson Foods
Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals
This job is hands-on animal care: feeding livestock, cleaning pens and stalls, moving animals, and spotting injuries or illness before they spread. The work is distinct because it mixes physical labor with constant observation and quick decisions about feed, treatment, and equipment, and most of it has to be done on-site in dirty weather-dependent conditions. The tradeoff is a low barrier to entry, but modest pay and a projected 5% decline in jobs through 2034.
Also known as Farm WorkerLivestock WorkerRanch HandFarm HandAnimal Care Worker
Median Salary
$36,150
Mean $38,580
U.S. Workforce
~35K
31.2K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-5%
224.6K to 213.4K
Entry Education
No formal educational credential
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals sits in the Agriculture category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~35K workers, with a median annual pay of $36,150 and roughly 31.2K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 224.6 K in 2024 to 213.4K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with No formal educational credential, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Farm Laborer and can progress toward Farm Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Livestock Health Monitoring & Early Illness Detection, Critical Decision-Making for Animal Care, and Tractors, Feed Trucks & ATV Operation, paired with soft skills such as Critical thinking, Observation, and Active listening.
Core Responsibilities
- Clean stalls, pens, and other animal areas so manure and bacteria do not build up.
- Use tractors, feed trucks, or similar equipment to bring feed out to the animals.
- Fill waterers, keep feed supplies stocked, and watch for shortages before animals go without.
- Repair broken fences, pens, barns, and basic equipment so animals stay contained and the operation keeps running.
Keep exploring: more Agriculture careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Clean stalls, pens, and other animal areas so manure and bacteria do not build up.
02 Use tractors, feed trucks, or similar equipment to bring feed out to the animals.
03 Fill waterers, keep feed supplies stocked, and watch for shortages before animals go without.
04 Repair broken fences, pens, barns, and basic equipment so animals stay contained and the operation keeps running.
05 Move animals safely between pens, yards, or vehicles, and sort them by size, age, or condition when needed.
06 Check animals for signs of sickness or injury, give basic medicines or vaccines, and call a veterinarian for more serious problems.
Industries That Hire
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Dairy Production
Dairy Farmers of America, Fairlife, Schreiber Foods
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Poultry Farming
Perdue Farms, Pilgrim's, Sanderson Farms
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Aquaculture
Cooke Aquaculture, Mowi, Blue Circle Foods
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Ranching and Feedlots
National Beef, Cactus Feeders, J.R. Simplot
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You do not need a formal degree to get started, and short-term training on the job is usually enough to learn the basics.
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There are still a lot of openings: the occupation is projected to have 31.2 thousand annual openings even as overall employment falls.
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The work is varied, with feeding, cleaning, sorting animals, driving machinery, and basic repairs all part of the same week.
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You get direct, visible results from good animal care, especially when feeding and health checks keep a herd healthy.
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The experience can lead to practical next steps in farm supervision, animal care, or equipment-based work.
Challenges
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Pay is modest for how physical the work is, with a median annual wage of $36,150 and a mean of $38,580.
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The long-term outlook is weak: employment is projected to fall 5.0%, or about 11.1 thousand jobs, by 2034.
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The job is physically demanding and often dirty, with lifting, bending, cleaning, and early-morning chores that do not stop for bad weather.
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Remote or hybrid work is basically off the table because animals, feed, and equipment need constant hands-on attention on site.
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The career ceiling can be narrow unless you move into supervision, specialize in a related field, or own part of the operation; farm consolidation and automation can also reduce the need for some hands-on labor.
Career Progression
Farm Laborer
0-1 years
$27K-$31K
New workers usually start by cleaning, feeding, moving animals, and learning basic safety and equipment use.
Farmworker, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals
1-4 years
$32K-$42K
At this level, workers handle daily animal care more independently and are trusted to notice health or equipment problems early.
Lead Livestock Hand THIS ROLE
4-7 years
$41K-$52K
Experienced workers help train others, manage feeding or sorting routines, and handle tougher animal moves or treatment tasks.
Farm Supervisor
7-12 years
$52K-$68K
Supervisors coordinate schedules, monitor animal condition and inventory, and keep labor, equipment, and safety issues under control.
Education Paths
No formal educational credential
BLS lists this as the typical entry route, and 18.0% of workers report less than a high school diploma; employers usually rely on short-term on-the-job training instead of school.
Some college courses
This is the largest education share at 39.39%, often coming from workers who picked up agricultural or animal-handling basics before entering the field.
High school diploma
A high school diploma is common for this job, with 24.97% of workers reporting that level of education, and it is usually enough if you can learn the animal care and equipment work on the job.
Post-secondary certificate in animal care or farm operations
A certificate is a realistic add-on route; 8.47% of workers have one, and it can help with animal health, safety, and biosecurity skills.
Key Skills
Technical
Livestock Health Monitoring & Early Illness Detection 68%
Critical Decision-Making for Animal Care 68%
Tractors, Feed Trucks & ATV Operation 65%
Biosecurity, Cleaning & Disinfection Procedures 64%
Animal Handling, Sorting & Loading 63%
Medication Administration & Vaccination Tools 62%
Equipment, Fence & Barn Repair Tools 60%
Herd Records, Feed Logs & Inventory Tracking 60%
Soft Skills
Critical thinkingObservationActive listeningSound judgmentCoordinationClear communication Job Outlook and Trends
+-5%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
31.2K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 224.6K to 213.4 K over the next decade, representing -5% growth. Around 31.2 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.