Job Description

Rainbow is a fully integrated broiler producer, leading the industry in all stages of chicken production from farm to fork. They are involved in every step of the process delivering fresh, frozen and further processed chicken of superior quality.Rainbow is currently seeking a Laying Farmer, to become part of their team in KwaZulu Natal, to manage the operations, resources and manpower of a site thereby ensuring the optimal number of the right quality birds at the right time and at the lowest cost.Qualification & Experience

• A degree or diploma in Agriculture
• Valid Code EB drivers' license.
• Minimum of 5 years relevant experience in a similar environment, 2 to 3 of which should be in a supervisory capacity.

Required Knowledge and Skills:Knowledge:

• Poultry production inclusive of breeder and broiler management
• Understand basic poultry nutrition, growth, anatomy and reproduction
• Agricultural and farm operations and processes
• Ability to recognize ventilation, brooding, feeding and water requirements of the birds and make the correct adjustments
• Operation of farm equipment
• Lighting programmes for optimal performance
• Calculation of feed requirements
• Ability to make feeding decisions to obtain target weight
• Troubleshooting to achieve targets and objectives
• Understand disease and biosecurity fundamentals as well as vaccination and immunity principles
• Labour relations legislation and procedures
• ISO and health, safety and environmental legislation
• National best practice standards
• Systems for SHERQ
• Should be fully computer literate in all MS Office and related software
• Must commit to work onsite from 07:00 to 15:30 including weekends and public holidays.

Skills:

• Verbal and written communication
• Interpersonal
• Numeracy
• Negotiation
• Management
• Logical thinking
• Problem solving
• Analytical thinking
• Decision making
• Stockmanship

Key Duties and responsibilitiesFeed Management

• Management of feed through accurate and timeous, allocation of feed; bin stocks and orders
• Ensure feed procedure executed correctly
• Receive delivered feed and verify feed codes
• Take Feed samples upon receipt of delivery
• Check and report feed quality if below standard
• Ensure feeder systems fully maintained through physical inspection of systems daily
• Manage and take accurate daily feed stock.
• Feeding of birds daily and check feed methods and systems.

Ventilation Management

• Daily planning and adjustment to ventilation system as per requirement as per BOP
• Must know how to operate and control ventilation controller.

Water Management

• Ensure water system is fully always maintained and operational as per BOP and hygiene program
• Plan water drinker line heights and water flow daily
• Measure water intake and record and report on variances

Light Management

• Ensure prescribed light program implemented through physical inspections
• Order stock to replace and maintain lighting standards
• Ensure security and gate house lights switched of during the day

Temperature Management

• Plan daily set-points as per procedure
• Monitor and maintain Ikaya probes

Grading

• Planning and calculation of production daily
• Counting Birds when placing and depopulating
• Calculate birds per square meter and camp size

Vaccination

• Ensure vaccinations are done as per BOP and approved vaccination program
• Plan activities according to vaccination program; ensure stock availability
• Monitor vaccine reactions and report inconsistencies and draw blood samples as per procedure

Drag Swabs

• Ensure Drag Swabs program followed correctly per vaccination program

Ground Maintenance

• Planning of continuous ground maintenance and fence monitoring of site

Litter

• Produce adequate support to optimal litter conditions through ventilation; water drinker and temperature management.
• Ensure correct number of shavings is delivered per house and levelled correctly
• Ensure bedding quality is in spec throughout the flock
• Ensure Litter Beetle program implemented

Meetings

• Conduct planning and feedback meeting with team on weekly basis
• Conduct daily meeting to plan activities for the day

Samples & Monitoring

• Ensure samples are taken as per Hygiene program
• Ensure correct methodology is applied for all samples taken through physical inspection
• Conduct farm PMs if required; report on findings
• Auditing house cards weekly
• Recording mortality numbers and reporting daily mortalities per house

Gatehouse

• Maintain Gatehouse to BOP requirements at all times concerning hygiene, biosecurity and cleanliness.

Biosecurity Management

• Implement and Maintain biosecurity measures
• Conduct biosecurity weekly audits and report on findings
• Plan bio-security related stock and order timeously
• Ensure MSDS availability for all chemicals as per SHEQ requirement
• Ensure rodent control is implemented as per BOP
• Conduct rodent control inspection on biweekly basis

PPE Management

• Ensure PPE is supplied as per BOP and H&S requirements
• Issuing and stock control as per BOP
• Monthly PPE recon signed off and audited

Health and Safety

• Ensure IOD's are dealt with within shift; report to Risk and PM
• Update SHERQ files with any changes
• Ensure all H&S appointments are updated; certification valid
• Ensure all trainings are done and signed off
• Ensure monthly H&S meetings are done and attended

Standby Generator

• Always ensure standby generator in good working order
• Inspect generator room and logbook on weekly basis
• Immediate report of generator failure
• Ensure diesel available when required

Placement management

• Ensure and monitor farm readiness for placement as per BOP
• Plan open site maintenance requirements as per procedure
• Planning of all pre-placement activities
• Counting of chickens at deliveries; signing off of IDNs

Catching management

• Plan catching activities with team as per program. Catching activities includes litter removal; pre-washing; washing; disinfection; bedding placement; maintenance; preparation
• Pre- and post-inspections to be done with each contractor; sheets signed off
• Inspecting bird activity and handling

Team Management

• Plan teams leave on an annual basis and monitor leave balances on a monthly basis
• Plan monthly shift roster and implement
• Ensure adherence to company code of conduct; policies and procedures
• Apply discipline as per company procedures; frequent training to be done with team
• Ensure all required trainings executed and reported on.
• Training will include Matrix training; On-the-job; Job observations; New entry training

Labour Broker Management

• Request placements on prescribed documents; submitted to PM for approval process
• Monitor all issues immediately and report to PM
• Ensure poor performers are not re-cycled to other farms/operations; report them
• Weekly signing off on Labour Broker time sheets and escalate to PM
• Ensure employees complies to company min requirements (education and health)
• Report placements to PM when reaching 3 months placement

Notice Boards

• Update Notice boards and discuss news notices with teams
• Provide information to Production Clerk

Maintenance

• Manage breakdowns reported through physical inspections and verification of facts to control cost
• Manage daily maintenance activities through interaction with Maintenance team

Finance

• Verified month end stock sheet submit to PM
• Implementation of minimum stock levels
• Approve SSR and submit to PM
• Follow BR process for site procurement requirements

Budget and Cost Control

• Provide input into and utilize the financial budget optimally.
• Understand basic finance and management thereof to enable optimal cost management for the farm
• Ensure the farm meets budgetary targets by working within agreed financial boundaries.
• Manage immoveable and moveable operational assets to ensure optimal maintenance and usage in line with best production practices.
• Provide input into annual capex requirements and implement approved capex programs.
• Manage consumable and emergency stock to ensure prudent financial control.

Closing Date: 04 April 2025

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