Farm Manager - JPCREC Watkinsville

Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent and 2 years of professional experience

• Effective communication and team-building skills.
• Working knowledge of animal husbandry (beef cattle), sprayer/spreader calibrations.
• Working knowledge of farm equipment typically found on cattle and row-crop farms.
• Microsoft Office suite.

• Lift, push, and carry up to 100 pounds.
• Work in environmental extremes and outdoor conditions, including heat, cold, and wet.
• Work around livestock, including dust, noise, smells, etc.
• Work varied schedules according to the needs of the farm.
• Driving as needed to perform job duties.

• Manages the REC's beef cattle herd.
• Responsible for all aspects of production and management of the REC's 200+ head (brood cows) cattle herd, including regular vaccinations, pregnancy checking, breeding soundness, effective breeding of the herd, etc.
• The REC maintains this cow-calf operation consisting of 200+ head of Angus and AngusX brood cows for research purposes. We maintain a controlled breeding season and retain selected heifers for use as herd replacements. Weaned steers are kept on the farm as yearlings and are maintained in an all-natural program prior to their sale in the late spring of the following year. We use primarily natural service and manage approximately 10 bulls. Artificial insemination is used for replacement heifers, followed by the appropriate clean-up bulls. Our calving season is approximately 60-70 days and runs from late winter to early spring.
• Supervise an existing full-time employee along with several part-time and temporary student-workers who will assist them in the completion of these and other duties related to the cow-calf operation. The cow-calf herd and yearlings are available for selected research projects, and the farm manager is expected to work closely with the REC superintendent to ensure that projects involving the cattle are carried out with the expected degree of professionalism while still maintaining the herd such that revenue can continue to be generated from it.
• Coordinate bi-annual inspections of the herd/pastures/handling facilities/equipment by the IACUC and maintain the pastures and working facilities/handling equipment/facilities in a manner that is acceptable to the IACUC.
• Keep detailed records of all aspects of herd management such that the herd can be maintained in an acceptable manner and records are available upon request.

• Manages pastures/hayfields/forage production. Responsible for all aspects of pasture, fence, and hayfield management at JPCREC-Watkinsville and at JPCREC-Iron Horse farm.
• Manage pastures such that they provide adequate forage for the cattle herd and are kept relatively weed-free; to include soil sampling, interpretation of resulting reports, developing liming and fertilizer schedules, and ensuring their timely applications.
• Responsible for the regular maintenance and construction of fences to ensure that REC cattle remain in their designated pastures and do not pose a threat to the public by being in areas where they shouldn't be (i.e., public roads), as well as ensuring that the REC's pastures and fences project a positive image of the REC and the CAES.
• Responsible for all aspects of forage production to ensure that hayfields are productive and, weather permitting, provide enough stored forage for the herd throughout the winter months.
• Responsible for scheduling and completing regular harvests, production, and sampling of hay and baleage. These reports will be used to develop feeding programs for the herd(s) during the winter months.
• Planning, acquiring, and planting winter annual grasses for grazing during the late fall/early winter months and the late winter/early spring months.
• This position involves the use of PCard.

• Ensure that the grounds at JPCREC-Watkinsville headquarters and other outlying areas are well-maintained and project a positive image of the REC and the CAES. Part-time and student labor that the farm manager supervises will assist with/perform these efforts.

• Other duties as assigned