Pig Technician

Summary/Objective

The Pig Production Technician is a position specializing in the daily pork production activities within the farrowing and/or gestation departments. This position involves working in an agricultural environment with continuous hands-on interaction with livestock and regular structured routines.

Essential Functions

• Ensure the highest standards of the humane treatment of animals.
• Follow the farm’s bio-security protocols at all times.
• Monitor and assist with feeding systems and ensure animals are fed and watered according to respective protocols
• Maintain and monitor overall animal health, care and treatment of animals.
• Perform routine and seasonal vaccinations and injections as directed.
• Perform general facility cleaning, maintenance, and hygiene.
• Power wash following the farm’s cleaning and disinfection processes, including to pre-check, performing the appropriate preparation, abiding by the safety protocols and ensuring the equipment is in effective and efficient working order.
• Assist with the recording and maintaining of accurate production records and documentation.
• Follow all safety policies and procedures; and communicate any potential hazards and near misses to the Department Lead or Manager.
• Perform heat checking and the breeding/insemination processes
• Monitor, test and care for pregnant sows.
• Assist with weaning of piglets and movement of animals between barns and departments.
• Prepare the farrow rooms, assist in the proper farrowing of sows and day one pig care.
• Assist in the fostering of piglets.
• Process and castrate piglets.
• Adjust and hang heat lamps as required, check on heat mats.

Competencies

• Respect and care for animals.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively.
• Ability to work effectively on a team.
• Demonstrates initiative and time-management skills.
• Safety oriented.

Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee has constant exposure to dust, animal dander and odor. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud. Employees stand and walk on concrete for most of their shift. Seasonally, the employee is exposed to a variety of extreme conditions within the barn that include heat and humidity.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to have ordinary ambulatory skills sufficient to move throughout the farm; and the ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, balance, climb, and manipulate (lift, carry, move) weight of up to 50 pounds. Position requires good hand-eye coordination, arm, hand and finger dexterity, including ability to grasp. Frequently required, for extended periods of time, to stand, walk, stoop, reach with hands and arms, kneel, bend at the waist, climb, perform repetitive motions, and communicate.

Basic Qualifications

• Respect and care for animals.
• Ability to do basic math such as addition, subtraction, and multiplication.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively.
• Regular and consistent attendance.
• For positions that require travel to another barn location(s), a valid driver’s license and insurable driving record is required.
• Ability to drive a skid steer.
• Must attain TQA and PQA+ certification within the first sixty (60) days of employment. Thereafter, must maintain TQA and PQA+ certification status.

Preferred Experience

• Previous pork production experience is preferred.