Agriculture45-2093.00Specialization

Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals

Attend to live farm, ranch, open range or aquacultural animals that may include cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses and other equines, poultry, rabbits, finfish, shellfish, and bees. Attend to animals produced for animal products, such as meat, fur, skins, feathers, eggs, milk, and honey. Duties may include feeding, watering, herding, grazing, milking, castrating, branding, de-beaking, weighing, catching, and loading animals. May maintain records on animals; examine animals to detect diseases and injuries; assist in birth deliveries; and administer medications, vaccinations, or insecticides as appropriate. May clean and maintain animal housing areas. Includes workers who shear wool from sheep and collect eggs in hatcheries.

$35,120
Median Pay
6 months to 2 years
Training
🟠
In Transition

This is a specialization of

Agricultural Workers

Career Overview Video

AI Impact Assessment

AI Resilience Score

Score 2/6: low AI task exposure, declining job demand, limited human advantage indicates this career is being transformed by AI

🟠In Transition

How we calculated this:

AI Exposure
Low+2

6% of tasks can be accelerated by AI

Job Growth
Declining+0

-5% projected (2024-2034)

Human Advantage
Weak+0

EPOCH score: 10/25

Total Score2/6
Methodology: v2.0 - GPTs are GPTs / BLS / EPOCH Additive ScoringUpdated: 2026-01-09

Key Responsibilities

  • Feed and water livestock and monitor food and water supplies.
  • Herd livestock to pastures for grazing or to scales, trucks, or other enclosures.
  • Examine animals to detect illness, injury, or disease, and to check physical characteristics, such as rate of weight gain.
  • Provide medical treatment, such as administering medications and vaccinations, or arrange for veterinarians to provide more extensive treatment.
  • Mark livestock to identify ownership and grade, using brands, tags, paint, or tattoos.
  • Drive trucks, tractors, and other equipment to distribute feed to animals.
  • Segregate animals according to weight, age, color, and physical condition.
  • Inspect, maintain, and repair equipment, machinery, buildings, pens, yards, and fences.
  • Move equipment, poultry, or livestock from one location to another, manually or using trucks or carts.
  • Clean stalls, pens, and equipment, using disinfectant solutions, brushes, shovels, water hoses, or pumps.

Education & Training

Typical Entry Education

Some college, no degree

Time to Job Ready

0-1 years

Based on Job Zone 2. For formal education duration only, see education_duration.

Technology Skills

Animal management softwareMicrosoft OfficeTimekeeping

Key Abilities

Problem SensitivityControl PrecisionOral ComprehensionDeductive ReasoningArm-Hand SteadinessTrunk StrengthNear VisionInductive ReasoningInformation OrderingManual Dexterity

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Compensation Details

$25,500
10th Percentile
$35,120
Median
$50,300
90th Percentile

Based on 32,590 employed workers

Also Known As

Agricultural WorkerAnimal Care TakerAnimal FeederAnimal HerderAnimal Husbandry WorkerAnimal KeeperAquaculture WorkerAquatic LaborerAquatic Life LaborerBait Digger

Data from O*NET 30.1 and BLS Occupational Employment Statistics

O*NET Code: 45-2093.00