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Some data from the Australian government suggests that more than 10,500 people in the country work as cattle farmers. What’s more, because of the demand for meat and dairy products, employment prospects are good.
Do you want to become a cattle farmer in Australia? Ever wondered what the job entails? Then you’ve come to the right place. Here, we’re going to take a look at what a cattle farmer does, how to become one, how much you could earn and the training you’ll need to start your own farming business.
Ready? Let’s get straight into the details.
A cattle farmer’s job description can be highly varied. Your main responsibility is to plan, control, and coordinate operations to grow cattle for meat and breeding stock, a task that heavily relies on effective livestock management. You can break the job down into a series of related roles and responsibilities:
a. Ensuring Cattle Health
If you want to produce high-quality meat and achieve a sustainable business model, it’s vital that your cattle remain in excellent health. As a cattle farmer, you’re responsible for ensuring on-time medical treatment, vaccinations, and other measures to prevent the spread of any disease.
b. Maintaining Farming Assets
Rearing cattle is a capital-intensive process. You need a lot of equipment to do it profitably. Part of your role, therefore, will be looking after the buildings, machinery, fences, and water supply systems that make cattle farming possible. You’ll need to develop knowledge of how these systems work as well as how to maintain them.
c. Optimising Cattle Feed
Optimising cattle feed helps to keep costs down while ensuring that each unit of meat produced embodies as little feed as possible. You’ll also monitor the nutrition levels in the food to ensure that it meets the needs of your animals.
d. Scheduling Production
Cattle farming relies on being able to organise your production process efficiently. You need to rear, milk, and send animals to slaughter on a strict timetable to ensure your prices remain competitive.
Part of training to become a cattle farmer involves understanding how this timetable works and using it to your advantage. You’ll develop scheduling skills and understand the importance of keeping things moving, just like a factory conveyor belt.
e. Managing Your Business Assets
Many cattle farmers in Australia run their businesses. Because of this, they need to understand how to file their accounts and taxes and manage debt and expenditures.
f. Breeding Animals
Many cattle farmers in Australia make money by selling pedigree animals to local breeders. You can also become a breeder yourself, developing high-quality products.
The law doesn’t require any degree or diploma to become a cattle farmer. However, if you want to have a great advantage over your competitors, then it would be beneficial to continuously learn about the cattle farming industry. One of the best ways to do that is by taking a cattle farming certification course.
For instance, here at Get Course, we offer Farming Courses including Cattle Courses that you can complete online. The course introduces you to all aspects of the job, including an introduction to cattle breeds, the types of diseases you might face, and how to make the economics of cattle rearing work for you. By the end of the course, you’ll understand herd management, proper cattle breeding, and planning a dairy business. Additionally, the course covers essential aspects of farm management, ensuring you have the skills needed to run a successful cattle farming operation.
The good news is that most online courses are short. You can complete a Certificate in Cattle Farming in as little as 15 weeks, although you’re free to use a full twelve months.
The average pay for a cattle farmer is AU$ 57,562 per year as per PayScale Australia. However, there is a multitude of different roles in the industry to which you could aspire.
A typical Australian farmhand earns AU$ 35,000 per year. A farm manager takes home more than AU$59,710, which is in line with the average pay for regular farmers. But you can also specialise in a range of other roles, including animal husbandry, dairy production, and secondary food production activities associated with your primary business.
To cap things off, being a cattle farmer is a varied and lucrative career. With the right certification behind you, such as those provided by our cattle farming, broader Animal Care Courses, and Animal Behaviour Courses, you can get into the industry and start working in this role full time.
Having said that, if you’re interested in studying any of our Cattle Farming Courses offered by My Learning Online, feel free to let us know. You can do that by filling out our inquiry form which you can find by clicking the orange button below. Rest assured that a dedicated course advisor will reach out to you, stat.
Exploring Livestock Courses is a practical step for aspiring cattle farmers in Australia, offering essential insights into effective cattle management and farming techniques. Additionally, our Farm Management Courses provide a broader perspective on agricultural operations, equipping you with the skills needed to manage and sustain a successful farm business. These courses cover a variety of topics crucial for comprehensive farm management.
All the best!
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