Livestock Care Specialist Overview

Required Education and Training To Become a Livestock Care Specialist

Best Schools to become a Livestock Care Specialist in U.S. 2024

Dallas College

Dallas, TX

In-State Tuition:$4,050
Out-of-State Tuition:$6,000
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:35%
Total Enrollment:64,156

Southern Technical College

Orlando, FL

In-State Tuition:$N/A
Out-of-State Tuition:$N/A
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:51%
Total Enrollment:1,521

Ivy Tech Community College

Indianapolis, IN

In-State Tuition:$4,487
Out-of-State Tuition:$8,777
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:31%
Total Enrollment:89,705

San Juan College

Farmington, NM

In-State Tuition:$1,344
Out-of-State Tuition:$4,272
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:23%
Total Enrollment:5,454

Platt College-Los Angeles

Alhambra, CA

In-State Tuition:$14,519
Out-of-State Tuition:$14,519
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:67%
Total Enrollment:667

Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista

Chula Vista, CA

In-State Tuition:$N/A
Out-of-State Tuition:$N/A
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:57%
Total Enrollment:684
Livestock Care Specialist Job Description:
  • 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.

Required Skills and Competencies To Become a Livestock Care Specialist

Job Duties for Livestock Care Specialists

  • Examine animals to detect illness, injury, or disease, and to check physical characteristics, such as rate of weight gain.

  • Feed and water livestock and monitor food and water supplies.

  • Herd livestock to pastures for grazing or to scales, trucks, or other enclosures.

Technologies and Skills Used by Livestock Care Specialists

Data base user interface and query software

  • BCL Landview Systems WinCrop
  • Farm Works Software Trac

Office suite software

  • Microsoft Office software

Spreadsheet software

  • Microsoft Excel

Basic Skills

  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem

Problem Solving

  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Current Job Market and Opportunites for a Livestock Care Specialist

Additional Resources To Help You Become a Livestock Care Specialist

FAQs About Becoming a Livestock Care Specialist