Cattle and Sheep Farm Worker
A cattle and sheep farm worker performs routine livestock handling and husbandry tasks on Australian pastoral and mixed farms. They conduct daily care activities including feeding, watering, and health monitoring of cattle and sheep herds, as well as general farm maintenance tasks under the supervision of senior farm staff or farmers.
What this job is
A cattle and sheep farm worker performs routine livestock handling and husbandry tasks on Australian pastoral and mixed farms. They conduct daily care activities including feeding, watering, and health monitoring of cattle and sheep herds, as well as general farm maintenance tasks under the supervision of senior farm staff or farmers. This role operates across grazing properties, feedlots, and station environments in varying climatic and terrain conditions.
Are employers advertising this role?
Rising, up 48.8% over 5 years
Counted across a group of similar roles. These are three-month rolling averages of online job advertisements, not filled positions.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index.
Day-to-day
Muster cattle and sheep using horses, motorbikes, or dogs, and move stock between paddocks and holding yards. Administer feed and water to livestock in troughs, fodder systems, or grazing areas, adjusting quantities based on herd size and seasonal availability. Identify and report signs of illness, injury, or distress in animals (lameness, wounds, poor body condition) to farm management. Assist with mustering for veterinary treatments, drenching, vaccinations, and marking procedures conducted by the farmer or veterinarian. Perform basic first aid on animals such as treating minor wounds, applying topical treatments, or assisting with emergency care. Sort and draft livestock by age, weight, or condition using portable yards, gates, and drafting equipment. Operate basic farm machinery including motorbikes, quad bikes, and mechanical feeders in accordance with farm safety procedures. Maintain livestock facilities including yards, feeders, water troughs, and fences, repairing damage and clearing debris.
Who does this now
About 270 people worked in this occupation across Australia at the 2021 Census.
What this role asks for
Certificate II or III (ABS skill level 4)
Can employers fill these jobs
Employers hiring for this occupation were generally able to find suitable applicants in 2025. This measures how hard employers found it to fill jobs. It is not a count of jobs, and it does not say whether the occupation is growing.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Training Occupation Pathways dataset, March 2026, version 1.0
Jobs and Skills Australia defines an occupation-ready qualification as:
Completing this qualification will provide the skills and knowledge to undertake this occupation. Further training and experience may be required to meet specific industry requirements including licensing and registration.
Jobs and Skills Australia, Training Occupation Pathways dataset, March 2026, version 1.0
Requirements
The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate II or III (ABS skill level 4). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.
The honest hard part
The work is physically demanding year-round in all weather, with early starts, isolation on remote properties, and low pay that rarely rises much with experience. You're also at real risk of injury from large animals and machinery, and the job can feel repetitive. Automation of feeding systems and mustering drones may shrink opportunities over time.
Where the jobs are
Work is almost entirely on-property in remote or semi-remote areas. There is no remote work option. Most opportunities are on family farms or large pastoral operations.
Skills
- Active Listeningcore
- Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
- Attention to Detailcore
- Incident Reportingcore
- Inventory Trackingcore
- Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
- Problem Solvingcore
- Risk Identificationcore
- Team Collaborationcore
- Time Management and Prioritisationcore
- Verbal Communicationcore
- Workload Self-Managementcore
- Advise customers on appropriate pet care
- Advise on animal purchase
- Advise on animal welfare
- Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracy
- Continuous Learning and Upskilling
- Goal Setting and Planning
- Multitasking
- Process Improvement Identification
- Record Management
- Regulatory and Legislative Awareness
- Supplier Communication
Which of these do you have?
Tick the ones you haveCommon questions
Sources
- ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
- ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.
Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.
What Cattle and Sheep Farm Worker move into, from ten years of tax records.
Last updated: 30 October 2026
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