Cattle Development Manager

Cattle Development Manager

Join a progressive, multigenerational Texas ranch dedicated to honoring a legendary legacy while embracing innovation, stewardship, and data-driven excellence.

What’s In It for You

• Become part of a forward-thinking, high-performance cattle operation where animal health, top-tier genetics, and structured development programs truly matter.
• Work hands-on with elite bulls, steers, and heifers that represent the future of the ranch’s breeding and marketing success.
• Take ownership of key animal-health, feeding, and development programs – your expertise will directly shape the performance of the herd.
• Collaborate daily with experienced ranch leadership, veterinarians, and a dedicated development team.
• Thrive within a ranch culture that values precision, accountability, innovation, and the highest standards of animal welfare.
• Grow professionally in areas such as herd health management, nutrition, reproduction, leadership, and advanced cattle development systems.

What You Will Be Doing

• Oversee daily care and development of all bulls, steers, and heifers on feed, ensuring soundness and long-term performance.
• Confirm all cattle are BVD-PI tested prior to herd integration.
• Support strong biosecurity by managing two-week quarantines for new arrivals when possible.
• Ride pens and follow the feed truck to evaluate cattle behavior, mobility, and overall condition.
• Conduct structured health checks:
  • Daily (6 days/week) during the first month
  • Every other day in the second month
  • As needed thereafter
• Treat animals as needed and coordinate veterinary involvement with clarity and professionalism.
• Manage inventories of vaccines, medicines, and treatment supplies; monitor expiration dates and coordinate replacements.
• Maintain accurate health calendars for rechecks, withdrawal periods, wraps, and follow-up evaluations.
• Review and refine herd health protocols in partnership with the Foreman and Veterinarian.
• Read feed bunks each morning and prepare updated Feed Sheets with any ration adjustments.
• Fill in for the Feedman as needed—mixing and delivering feed confidently and accurately.
• Administer feed additives such as CTC or lice control when required.
• Use Feed Sheets to:
  • Track feed inventory
  • Clearly communicate ration types and quantities for every feeding
• Maintain clean, functional water troughs and feed bunks.
• Support upkeep of all cattle-on-feed facilities—gates, pens, concrete, chutes, AI barn, drainage, and more.
• Clean pens as needed to promote a healthy environment.
• Ensure feeding equipment is in proper working condition and help coordinate timely repairs.
• Maintain accurate animal location and ensure appropriate pen groupings.
• Conduct weekly head counts and verify alignment with feed sheets and inventory.
• Keep one ID tag matching the animal’s tattoo in each animal; create temporary tags and order Ritchie replacements as needed.
• Communicate daily with the Foreman and Feedman to maintain alignment on cattle, health, and feed goals.
• Provide guidance and direction to interns and junior staff.
• Lead crews on major cattle-working days—branding, yearling measurements, BSEs, Trich tests, photos, videos, and more.

Schedule and oversee:

• Coop check-ins and physical evaluations
• Rumen magnet application
• 840 EID tagging
• Freeze branding
• Ultrasound & yearling data collection
• BSE & Trich testing
• Photos and videos
• Sale cattle sorting and load-out
• Trips to and from veterinary clinics

Other Responsibilities

• Assist the Foreman with pasture cattle and horse operations when needed.
• Support heifer calving.
• Participate in synchronization, heat checking, and AI breeding programs.

You will thrive in this role if you bring:

• A strong foundation in cattle husbandry, stockmanship, and animal-health management.
• Experience reading bunks, managing rations, and making sound feed decisions.
• The ability to spot health challenges early and treat animals accurately and consistently.
• Mechanical aptitude and willingness to help maintain equipment and facilities.
• Strong organizational skills for inventory, tagging, scheduling, and documentation.
• Leadership presence and confidence in guiding interns and helping manage work crews.
• Clear, professional communication with veterinarians, foremen, and feeding personnel.
• Independence, reliability, and a deep commitment to animal welfare and ranch success.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive salary based on experience
• On-ranch housing
• Beef allowance
• Paid time off
• Health insurance options
• Work truck or mileage reimbursement
• Opportunities for continued development (nutrition, AI certification, health management, and more)

*Candidates must be eligible to work in the US as well as meet the qualifications listed above in order to be considered for the Cattle Development Manager job.

Job Id: 17793