Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Performing General Physical Activities Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanised Devices, or Equipment Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanised equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Handling and Moving Objects Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorising, estimating, recognising differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Documenting/Recording Information Entering, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

The Work

Becoming a Farm assistant  is the first step on the dairy career ladder. As a farm assistant, you will gain experience in all aspects involved in the daily running of a farm. You are responsible for helping in the daily tasks as part of a team.

Typical duties include supervised milking, feeding stock and machinery duties.

You will be expected to look after farm equipment and the environment. You will also gain experience of the basic principles in: animal breeding, herd health, grassland management and safe use of machinery and handling livestock.

Once shown best practice in health and safety you are required to implement this in all aspects of your job.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Feed and water livestock and monitor food and water supplies.
• Herd livestock to pastures for grasing or to scales, trucks, or other enclosures.
• Examine animals to detect illness, injury, or disease, and to check physical characteristics, such as rate of weight gain.
• Provide medical treatment, such as administering medications and vaccinations, or arrange for veterinarians to provide more extensive treatment.
• Mark livestock to identify ownership and grade, using brands, tags, paint, or tattoos.
• Drive trucks, tractors, and other equipment to distribute feed to animals.
• Segregate animals according to weight, age, color, and physical condition.
• Inspect, maintain, and repair equipment, machinery, buildings, pens, yards, and fences.
• Move equipment, poultry, or livestock from one location to another, manually or using trucks or carts.
• Clean stalls, pens, and equipment, using disinfectant solutions, brushes, shovels, water hoses, or pumps.

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Naturalist

Not surprisingly, some aspect of the natural sciences will run through the Naturalist's interests - from ecological awareness to nutrition and health. People with an interest in horticulture, land usage and farming (including fish) are Naturalists.

Some Naturalists focus on animals rather than plants, and may enjoy working with, training, caring for, or simply herding them. Other Naturalists will prefer working with the end result of nature's produce - the food produced from plants and animals. Naturalists like solving problems with solutions that show some sensitivity to the environmental impact of what they do. They like to see practical results and prefer action to talking and discussing.

Realist

Realists are usually interested in 'things' - such as buildings, mechanics, equipment, tools, electronics etc. Their primary focus is dealing with these - as in building, fixing, operating or designing them. Involvement in these areas leads to high manual skills, or a fine aptitude for practical design - as found in the various forms of engineering.

Realists like to find practical solutions to problems using tools, technology and skilled work. Realists usually prefer to be active in their work environment, often do most of their work alone, and enjoy taking decisive action with a minimum amount of discussion and paperwork.

Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

Leaving Certificate, followed by a PLC Post leaving cert Level 5 Certificate in Agriculture is the recommended qualification for a career as a Dairy Farm Assistant. 

If you are interested in progressing to a career in Dairy / herd management either on your home farm or via employment, you should obtain: 

Key Skills Certs 

Maual Handling 

Safepass 

Occupational First Aid 

B licence with tractor eligibility will form part of requirements for supporting ongoing farm work. 

These key skill certs may be available via Local FET trainiing centres, at low or no cost Search our FET Coursefinder 

Training & Development 

FET Centre Traineeship: Animal Care NFQ Level 5 Search our FET Coursefinder

FET Centre PLC: Animal Care, Agriculture, Dairy Herd Management NFQ Level 5-6 Search our FET PLC coursefinder

Apprenticeship: Agricultural Mechanic, Arboriculture, Farrier, Farm Management, Applied Horticulture, Farm Technician, Stud Farm Assistant Manager NFQ level 6-7 Search Apprenticeships 

Higher Education CAO Entry: Agriculture, Agricultural Science, Animal and Crop Production, Sustainable Agriculture, Agri-Food Production, Dairy Business - Agricultural Science, Agriculture and Environmental Management  NFQ Levels 6-8 Search our CAO coursefinder

Last Updated: March, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €28k - €44k

Salaries vary by employer, location, experience, and duties.

Data Source(s):
Eirieri/ Payscale/ Glassdoor/ Indeed

Last Updated: February, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Employment growth for elementary agriculture workers over the five-year period was marginally below the national average, although employment fell in 2022, returning to 2019 levels. Almost half of those employed in these occupations were working part-time and the share aged 55 years or older was above the national average. At 25%, the share who were non-Irish citizens was above the national average. The re-introduction of quotas for employment permits resulted in just over 1,000 new permits issued in 2022, primarily for horticultural operatives but also mushroom harvesters and dairy farm assistants.

There was a large number of vacancies advertised through the DSP for horticultural operatives and harvesters for the mushroom industry. There was also a relatively high share of jobseekers registered with DSP in December 2022 who had previously been employed in agricultural roles. Although there is no evidence of shortages, the apparent attractiveness of the job is resulting in recruitment issues. This occupation has been identified as being at high risk of automation, although this may depend on businesses having the resources to invest in new technology. Issues have also been identified with recruiting trained forestry workers; while the numbers involved are very small65, an increase in demand may arise in line with Ireland’s Forest Strategy (2023-2030).

• Teagasc - Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority

  • Head Office, Oak Park, Carlow
  • (059) 917 0200
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Irish Farmers Association

  • Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin 12
  • (01) 450 0266
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here