Assistant Farmer - RCL Foods

RCL FOODS is a passion-led business. Do you want to be part of a growing and enthusiastic company working towards an ambition to offer more food to more people, more often?” The KZN Agriculture team is on the hunt for an Assistant Farmer to join the Consumer division with a direct report to the Farm Manager.

Duties & Responsibilities

Assist in the monitoring of the day-to-day activities at the farm. To act as Farm Manager in the absence of the Farm Manager. House Preparation prior to placement in order to create ideal conditions for bird production.

Chick Placement

• Coordinate and monitor staff. Post-placement of chicks (Brooding conditions)
• Evaluation of chick quality, recording of vent temperatures, temperature setting.

Growing conditions

• Daily monitoring of the bird performance which entails feed intake, water recordings, temp and humidity recordings, and mortality recordings.

Ventilation management

• Adjust ventilation static pressure to achieve the minimum and maximum bird requirements. An operating MDWT environment.

Water Management

• Water sampling prior to placement, flushing of the water lines three times a week, sanitation of house water reticulation, daily water pressure setting and nipple heights. Water management.

Feed management

• Receiving and Recording feed deliveries relative to feed programme; daily bin stock counts; management of feed heights; adjustment of feeder levels according to bird’s size; monitoring of feed quality(% of fine feed); sampling of feed when the truck arrives.

Outsource activities

• Preparation of the house environment prior to depletion. '

Biosecurity and Farm sanitation

• Maintaining an effective biosecurity programme by practising good hygiene, vaccination and disease prevention.

Bird Health

• Daily monitoring and activity of birds, and sending of post mortems to the laboratory as per VCD;

Record Keeping

• Keep the documentation files updated as KFC, health and safety files; feed recording; house chart records; rodent control, mortality records.

Staff management

• Keep and update daily registers, MDWTs, disciplinary records, and training records; review meetings.

Minimum Requirements

• Grade 12 Relevant qualification an Agricultural diploma or degree would be an advantage.
• Code 10 driver’s license would an advantage,
• Minimum of 3 years relevant poultry experience,
• A minimum of 3 years of management experience with IR would be an advantage.
• Staff Supervisory and leadership experience.
• Ability to work shift work/ standby/overtime.
• Willing to live on-site,
• Strong people management skills,
• Attention to detail,
• Passion for animals, proactive, Good analytical skills
• Willing to work a continuous operation.
• Driven by performance and implantation of biosecurity methods and standards.