Dairy farms can be exciting places to work with lots of opportunities. As an employee, dairy farming gives you a job that is outdoors, allows you to work with animals, machinery and other people. It also provides a great way to gain skills that are 'transferrable' (useful if you want to travel) and that can start you on the road to owning your own herd, farm or other assets.
There are casual, part-time and fulltime jobs currently available on dairy farms. Whether you're finishing school and not sure what to do next, keen to make some extra cash while you figure out your next move, learn a new skill, take a gap year or explore regional, working on dairy could be the career for you!
If you're ready to explore a job in dairy, view current vacancies.
If you're still discovering what it's like to work on a dairy farm, explore the content below.
No Two Days Are The Same
A job in dairy can be flexible and full of variety, with no two days ever the same. Every day presents a new opportunity to learn, grow and contribute to a valued sector, and there are interesting things to learn along the way. A job in dairy offers flexibility in your day – to allow time for other hobbies, or education and training opportunities.
Some of the ways you can have variety and flexibility in your day include:
- Shift work
- Weekend only work
- Casual relief work – jobs are available at times throughout the year (seasonal work)
- Milking roles (farms have different milking schedules, some milk once a day, which gives you time to do other things in your day, while other farms milk twice or three times in a day)
- Different farms have different schedules
- Job share opportunities
- Specific roles, like calf rearing that enable flexibility in the rest of your day
There are some common misconceptions about a job in dairy. Watch the video below to see why dairy farming is so much more than you may think
Skills required to be a dairy farmer
You may have technical or generic skills acquired from previous work experience that would be highly valued and easily adapted to a dairy farm. These are called transferable or portable hard and soft skills that can be applied from one job to another. Here are some examples.
Hard Skills
- Working with livestock
- Pasture management
- Vehicle or machinery maintenance
- Computer software
Soft Skills
- Problem solving
- Teamwork
- Flexibility
- Time management
Working on a dairy farm involves:
- Working in a team and following instructions
- Working outside in a rural environment
- Working to routines
- Working with and caring for animals
- Working with machinery
- Working physically and intellectually
Dairy Farming salary and training requirements
Depending on your goals and aspirations in dairy, there are many opportunities to work your way to the top by undertaking various training courses and developing your on-farm experience, which reflects in your salary too. These are the current minimum pay rates under the award and your specific rate will vary depending on the farm you choose to work at. It should be noted that many dairy farm workers are paid above the award payments. For more information on potential salaries and training requirements download the Salary Matrix.
As a junior dairy farmhand, pay rates vary depending on age, starting at 16 years old and go up by 10% every year until you turn 20 years old. Check out how the pay structure works for junior employees in the table below.
|
Age of employee
|
Percentage of relevant adult rate
|
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Under 16 years of age
|
50
|
|
16 years of age
|
60
|
|
17 years of age
|
70
|
|
18 years of age
|
80
|
|
19 years of age
|
90
|
|
20 years of age
|
100
|
Outside of your normal job description, there are other ways you can earn some extra cash. These will vary depending on the farm.
- On the job training
- Possibility of additional hours
- Depending on the farm there may also be the opportunity for bonuses, above awards payments, a chance to build equity and accommodation
If you're ready to explore a job in dairy, view current vacancies.