Job Description
Caberfeidh is a 5,300ha high-performing sheep and beef breeding and finishing property located in the Hakataramea Valley, with a diverse mix of hill country through to productive flats, including 370ha of pivot irrigation. The station winters approximately 35,000 stock units, running 13,500 Headwaters breeding ewes plus replacements and 700 Angus breeding cows, alongside a significant finishing operation supplying lambs into the Lumina Lamb programme and cattle into high-spec markets. Over the past five years, Caberfeidh has undergone significant development, with continued investment in housing, fencing, yards, and wider farm infrastructure.
Caberfeidh Station is looking for a motivated Head Shepherd to join our team. This is a genuine step-up opportunity for someone with strong stockmanship who is ready to take on greater responsibility across livestock performance, grazing management, people leadership and day-to-day farm operations. Reporting to the Stock Manager, you will play a key role in turning livestock and grazing plans into results on the ground, combining hands-on stock work with planning, leadership, and accountability.
The Role
You will be involved across the full livestock production cycle, including:
- Leading and coordinating day-to-day work across the livestock team.
- Livestock management including mating, lambing, tailing, weaning, animal health and drafting.
- Working alongside the Stock Manager on feed budgeting, pasture allocation, and grazing plans.
- Monitoring livestock performance through liveweights, condition scoring and production information.
- Maintaining high standards of animal health, welfare, stockmanship and Health & saftey.
- Using leading technology, Halter, Gallagher, EID, and FarmIQ to support livestock management and record keeping.
- Contributing at a higher level to farm meetings, planning, and continuous improvement.
- Supporting general farm maintenance, infrastructure, and operational requirements.
About You
We are looking for someone with at least three years’ experience as an Experienced Shepherd in New Zealand who is ready to take the next step in their career. You will bring strong stockmanship, a competent team of working dogs and the ability to plan ahead. You will be comfortable communicating with staff and management, coordinating workloads and taking ownership of outcomes. Experience with feed budgeting, kgDM allocation, EID technology and FarmIQ will be valuable. Just as importantly, we are looking for someone who is progressive, open-minded and a team player with ambition to progress their own capability.
Why This Role?
Lone Star Farms places a strong emphasis on investing in its people, providing professional and personal development opportunities to help staff build capability and progress their careers. This role provides genuine exposure to people leadership, feed and grazing management, livestock performance, and operational decision-making, making it a strong platform for progression into more senior livestock and farm management roles.
Caberfeidh is only 15 minutes from Kurow, which offers sporting clubs, Young Farmers, and a strong rural social scene plus primary school. With hunting and fishing on the doorstep and the Waitaki lakes, mountains, and ski fields only a short drive away, the position offers a great combination of career progression and lifestyle.
All applicants must be able to pass a pre-employment drug test and hold New Zealand residency or a valid NZ work visa.
To learn more, visit http://www.lonestarfarms.co.nz or contact Carey Pawson-Edwards , Stock Manager, on 022 411 6462. Send CV to jobs@lsf.co.nz
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