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- Tasks: Oversee calf rearing units, ensuring health and performance standards are met.
- Company: Join a leading agricultural company focused on livestock welfare and performance.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, travel opportunities, and professional development in agriculture.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on animal welfare while building strong farmer relationships.
- Qualifications: Experience in calf rearing and strong communication skills required.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for growth in the agricultural sector.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
The Calf Rearing Manager is responsible for overseeing contracted calf rearing units within an allocated region, ensuring calves are raised to agreed performance, health, and welfare standards. This role combines technical livestock expertise with the ability to drive operational excellence through effective farmer engagement, coaching, and accountability, while fostering constructive, professional relationships that protect and enhance the company’s livestock investment.
Location: South West region
Key Responsibilities:
- Contracted Unit Oversight: Oversee all contracted calf rearing units within the assigned region. Ensure compliance with company protocols, welfare standards, and contractual obligations. Conduct regular on-farm visits, audits, and performance reviews. Monitor growth rates, health metrics, mortality, feed conversion, and overall calf performance in line with the business' KPIs. Identify risks early and implement corrective action plans. Identify, visit, evaluate and onboard new prospective rearers.
- Farmer Relationship & Performance Management: Build strong, professional relationships with contracted rearers. Provide technical guidance and coaching on calf health, housing, and management systems. Set clear performance targets and track outcomes against KPIs. Address underperformance through structured improvement plans. Facilitate communication between farmers and central operations teams. Attend industry and Gamechanger events to promote the scheme.
- Animal Health & Welfare: Ensure high standards of calf health and biosecurity across all sites. Work closely with veterinary providers to implement preventative health programmes. Investigate disease outbreaks and coordinate response strategies. Promote best practice in calf management, feeding systems, housing ventilation, and hygiene.
- Operational Oversight: Monitor feed efficiency across units. Support forecasting of calf placements, feed requirements, and capacity planning. Ensure accurate and timely record keeping from all units. Contribute to regional planning processes.
- Continuous Improvement: Drive adoption of innovative systems and technologies. Standardise best practice across the region. Support training initiatives for contracted farmers and staff. Contribute to company-wide livestock strategy and performance benchmarking.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):
- Target daily liveweight gain
- Mortality and morbidity rates
- Feed conversion efficiency
- Compliance and audit scores
- Farmer engagement and retention
Risk Management
Personal Specification:
- Skills & Experience:
- Essential: Proven experience in calf rearing or youngstock management. Strong knowledge of calf nutrition, health, and welfare standards. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to influence and hold farmers accountable while maintaining strong relationships. Strong organisational and data analysis skills. Full driver’s licence and willingness to travel.
- Desirable: Agricultural qualification (Animal Science, Agriculture, or related field).
- High level of integrity and accountability. Practical, solutions-focused mindset. Resilient and confident in challenging conversations. Data-driven with strong analytical skills and excellent attention to detail. Proactive, with the ability to anticipate issues and implement timely solutions. Clear, confident communicator who can engage effectively with farmers, veterinarians, and internal teams. Passion for livestock performance and animal welfare.
Calf Rearing Manager in Taunton employer: ABP UK
Contact Detail:
ABP UK Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Calf Rearing Manager in Taunton
✨Tip Number 1
Get out there and network! Attend industry events, workshops, or local meet-ups. It's a great way to meet potential employers and make connections that could lead to job opportunities.
✨Tip Number 2
Don’t underestimate the power of social media. Follow companies you’re interested in on platforms like LinkedIn and engage with their content. It shows your interest and can help you get noticed!
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions and scenarios related to calf rearing management. We recommend role-playing with a friend to build confidence and refine your responses.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply directly through our website! It’s often the quickest way to get your application seen. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Calf Rearing Manager in Taunton
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experience mentioned in the job description. Highlight your proven experience in calf rearing or youngstock management, and don’t forget to showcase your strong knowledge of calf nutrition and welfare standards.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you’re passionate about livestock performance and animal welfare. Mention how your interpersonal skills can help build strong relationships with farmers and drive operational excellence.
Showcase Your Achievements: When detailing your experience, focus on specific achievements that demonstrate your ability to meet KPIs. Whether it’s improving feed conversion efficiency or reducing mortality rates, concrete examples will make your application stand out.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at ABP UK
✨Know Your Calves
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of calf nutrition, health, and welfare standards. Be ready to discuss specific examples from your experience that demonstrate your expertise in these areas. This will show the interviewers that you’re not just familiar with the theory but can apply it practically.
✨Build Relationships
Since this role involves a lot of farmer engagement, think about how you can showcase your interpersonal skills. Prepare anecdotes that highlight your ability to build strong relationships and influence others while maintaining accountability. This will help you stand out as someone who can effectively manage farmer performance.
✨Data is Key
As a Calf Rearing Manager, you'll need to analyse data related to growth rates, health metrics, and feed conversion. Bring examples of how you've used data to drive improvements in past roles. Being able to talk about your analytical skills will demonstrate your capability to meet the company’s KPIs.
✨Be Proactive
Prepare to discuss how you've anticipated issues in previous roles and implemented solutions. This proactive mindset is crucial for identifying risks early and ensuring compliance with welfare standards. Share specific instances where your foresight made a difference in calf management or operational efficiency.