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Farm Supervisors and Specialized Livestock Workers (NOC 8253)
Nature of Work
Farm supervisors supervise the work of general farm workers and harvesting labourers. They also perform general farm duties. Specialized livestock workers carry out feeding, health and breeding programs on dairy, beef, sheep, poultry and hog farms. They may also supervise general farm workers and harvesting labourers.
Nature of Work
Farm supervisors supervise the work of general farm workers and harvesting labourers. They also perform general farm duties. Specialized livestock workers carry out feeding, health and breeding programs on dairy, beef, sheep, poultry and hog farms. They may also supervise general farm workers and harvesting labourers.
Duties
The specific duties of farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers are dictated by their area of specialization and by the nature of the farm or ranch where they work. There are, however, several common duties which characterize each of these occupations.
Farm supervisors co-ordinate and supervise the work of general farm workers and harvesting labourers. They also supervise breeding programs and harvest operations, develop work schedules, establish procedures, and maintain quality control and production records. In addition to performing these general farm duties, most farm supervisors specialize in one or more of the following areas of farming: dairy, poultry, swine, beef, sheep, fruit, vegetable, mixed, specialty or equine farms.
Specialized livestock workers formulate feeding programs and maintain livestock performance records. They also carry out pasture or pen breeding programs and recognize and treat certain livestock health problems. Specialized livestock workers perform other general farm duties, such as training horses and supervising general farm workers and harvesting labourers. They usually specialize in one type of farm animal, such as beef or dairy cattle or swine.
Example Titles
- poultry farm foreman/woman
- vegetable farm foreman/woman
- hog operation supervisor
- farm supervisor
- dairy herdsperson
- cattle herdsperson
- swine herdsperson
- horse trainer
- farm foreman/woman
- feedlot foreman/woman
- ranch foreman/woman
Training Paths
A wide variety of agriculture-related programs are available in this field of work. U of S offers degree programs in Agribusiness, Agriculture Biology, Agricultural Economics, Animal Science, Environmental Science, Plant Science, Renewable Resource Management, Soil Science, and Food and Applied Microbiological Sciences as well as a diploma program in Agribusiness and Agronomy. SIAST offers several Agriculture certificate programs, including Beef Cattle Production, Custom Harvester, and Commercial Pesticides Applicator. As well, regional colleges offer a numerous short Agriculture courses. Pork Production Technician is a designated trade in Saskatchewan with technical in-school training delivered at SIAST. Applicants to this two-year1800 hours per yearapprenticeship program must be working in the field. High school completion will ensure academic entrance requirements are met. Individuals who have not completed high school should contact the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission.
Trends and Outlooks
The employment prospects for this occupation are: limited
In the Spring of 2003, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE or "Mad Cow" disease) was discovered in an Alberta cow. This single event completely transformed the Canadian beef industry. Borders (most importantly, the American border) closed to Canadian beef, packaging plants and auction houses lost business and were forced to lay off workers. In many cases, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers were the hardest hit by the crisis. Of course, not all farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers work with cattle. Nonetheless, the effects of the BSE crisis have been far-reaching and may not be clearly understood for several years.
Census data from 2001 predates the BSE crisis, so it does not give an accurate picture of current trends in these occupations. However, it is useful for identifying historical trends for these occupations. According to Statistics Canada, these occupations were increasing in number in the late nineties. Between 1995 and 2000, the number of farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers in Saskatchewan increased by 32 %. That amounts to 120 new jobs in just five years. In light of the crisis, this employment growth is unlikely to continue. A few replacement jobs may result from retirement or other turnover in the provincial labour market. however, this work force is not particularly old--only 33% of all supervisors and workers in this group were at least 45 years of age in 2001. Consequently, job seekers should not expect to find many employment opportunities in the next few years.
Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers are not highly paid in Saskatchewan. In 2000, the average full-time income for these occupations was $25,900 per year. Although this marked an increase from the 1995 average full-time farming income, it remained well below the provincial full-time average income for all occupations in 2000 ($35,461 per year). There is a wide range of incomes among farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers. Full-time workers in this group earned as much as $49,041 and as little as $3,602 in 2000. Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers based in or around Regina or Saskatoon typically earned more in 2000 than those employed elsewhere in the province.
According to the Labour Force Survey, 73% of all farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers in Saskatchewan were male in 2001. That same year, employment in Saskatchewan for these occupations was distributed evenly throughout the province; roughly 20% of all farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers in the province worked in or around Regina or Saskatoon in 2001.
A slight majority of all workers in this group works full time year round. In 2000, 66% of all farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers in the province were employed year round on a full-time basis in 2000. Employment in this occupational group is very sensitive to overall economic conditions but can be highly seasonal.
Professional Associations
Related Occupations
- Agricultural and Related Service Contractors and Managers (8252)
- Farmers and Farm Managers (8251)
- General Farm Workers (8431)
- Harvesting Labourers (8611)
Main Industries of Employment
Average Earnings
Self Employment
Percentage of Workers Employed Full-Time
Where They Work
Aboriginal Identification
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