Farm Assistant – Sheep Milking

Job Description

We are looking for someone with farming experience to join our family-owned sheep milking farm, located just 5 minutes from Te Awamutu in the North Island of New Zealand.
This role is for 10 – 12 months so would suit someone looking to come to New Zealand for work experience.

This year we plan to milk 850 ewes and carry 150 Beef Cattle.

The following skills are required:

• A strong understanding of pasture management and feed budgeting skills

• Experience in dairy milking methods, milking processes and shed/plant hygiene standards

• Practical experience in fencing, weed spraying, effluent/irrigator use

• Feeding out

• Handling animals

• Knowledge in animal welfare, ideally experience with sheep

• Strong experience with farm machinery including motorbikes, tractors, feed out wagons or farm utility vehicles and ability to conduct farm maintenance including mowing for silage etc

• Ability to keep accurate records

• Excellent communication and management skills

The key tasks for the role will be:
• Milking sheep – Ensure the effective operation of all aspects of the milking process, including plant hygiene and somatic cell count, to maintain grade free standards

• Assist with weed and pest control to maintain pasture and crops

• Assist with the management and oversee the feeding of diets and pasture to ewes, including accurate break fencing and feeding out

• Assist in maintaining feed inventory and feed quality

• Safely handling animals, and reporting any health and welfare issues

• Administering animal health requirements such as vaccinations, drenching, foot trimming, crutching, bolusing

• Vehicle and equipment maintenance

• Manage the day to day working of the staff when the Farm Manager is away.

Ideally we would like someone to start June or July 2026. Please note this is a fixed term contract for 10 -12 months. Our season runs until April 2027.

The successful applicant must have previous farm experience. Experience with sheep is ideal but not a necessity.

The job comes with on-farm accommodation.

If you love working with animals, being outdoors, are hard working, honest, reliable, with a positive attitude this may be the opportunity for you.

Only apply if you meet the above criteria for the job and you have or are able to obtain a valid working visa for New Zealand.