Level 3 Livestock Unit technician Apprentice
PM AND L HARRIS AND SON
ASHBOURNE (DE6 3DH)
Closes on Friday 31 July 2026
Posted on 23 June 2026
Contents
Summary
Looking for an assistant Herdsperson to join our friendly small team. We milk around 200 cows on a busy dairy farm and have just invested in a new milking parlour setup.
- Wage
-
£16,224 to £25,775.88, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
- Training course
- Livestock unit technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday - 8.00am - 6.00pm
Tuesday - 8.00am - 6.00pm
Wednesday - 11.00am - 6.00pm
Thursday - College Day
Friday - 11.00am - 6.00pm
39 hours a week
- Start date
-
Friday 1 January 2027
- Duration
-
1 year 6 months
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
- Milking
- Livestock treatments such as Worming, vaccines etc.
- Looking at cow diet
- Feeding and bedding cattle
- Calf handling - ear tagging, disbudding, vaccines
- Some arable work
- Grass management
Where you'll work
ALKMONTON OLD HALL FARM
ALKMONTON
ASHBOURNE
DE6 3DH
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
REASEHEATH COLLEGE
Training course
Livestock unit technician (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Plan, implement, monitor and review health and safety of self, others and livestock; including risk assessments and biosecurity policy.
- Manage, monitor and evaluate the financial viability of delivered diets, using relevant resources
- Maintain, analyse and utilize production records (both written and digital) to improve productivity and aid compliance
- Implement breeding plan, monitor and manage the physical condition and check that selected stock are in the correct condition for breeding.
- Use the most appropriate technology or digital system (for example, robotic milking, EID tagging, GPS tracking) to ensure that livestock performance is optimised, and its health and welfare is maintained.
- Prepare, maintain and operate farm vehicles, and attachments, in different environmental and ground conditions
- Carry out day-to-day management of unit conforming to current welfare legislation and current industry welfare codes, including planning for personnel and undertake key activities, to meet KPI’s
- Implement, monitor, manage and review livestock health & welfare plan.
- Ensure that grass and forage crops are of the appropriate quality and quantity in accordance with farm KPIs
- Plan, implement, monitor and review movement of livestock at different stages of production cycle, including preparation of movement documents and allocating resource
- Plan and implement cleaning procedures across the livestock unit, including management of manure and manage livestock in accommodation
- Implement changes to policy and working practice, based on market factors such as price, supply chain requirements and new legislation
- Establish and maintain relationships with stakeholders to support business operation and development
- Select and prepare livestock for sale or transfer in accordance with health and safety requirements.
- Identify need for euthanasia, contact relevant professionals and complete necessary paperwork
- Plan, implement, monitor and review health and safety of self, others and livestock; including risk assessments and biosecurity policy.
- Manage, monitor and evaluate the financial viability of delivered diets, using relevant resources
- Maintain, analyse and utilize production records (both written and digital) to improve productivity and aid compliance
- Implement breeding plan, monitor and manage the physical condition and check that selected stock are in the correct condition for breeding.
- Use the most appropriate technology or digital system (for example, robotic milking, EID tagging, GPS tracking) to ensure that livestock performance is optimised, and its health and welfare is maintained.
- Prepare, maintain and operate farm vehicles, and attachments, in different environmental and ground conditions
- Carry out day-to-day management of unit conforming to current welfare legislation and current industry welfare codes, including planning for personnel and undertake key activities, to meet KPI’s
- Implement, monitor, manage and review livestock health & welfare plan.
- Ensure that grass and forage crops are of the appropriate quality and quantity in accordance with farm KPIs
- Plan, implement, monitor and review movement of livestock at different stages of production cycle, including preparation of movement documents and allocating resource
- Plan and implement cleaning procedures across the livestock unit, including management of manure and manage livestock in accommodation
- Implement changes to policy and working practice, based on market factors such as price, supply chain requirements and new legislation
- Establish and maintain relationships with stakeholders to support business operation and development
- Select and prepare livestock for sale or transfer in accordance with health and safety requirements.
- Identify need for euthanasia, contact relevant professionals and complete necessary paperwork
Training schedule
Reaseheath Training will be the apprenticeship provider for this Level 3 Livestock Unit Technician apprenticeship.
- Gain Level 3 in Livestock Technician
- 12-to-18-months depending on previous experience (1 day per week)
- Level 3 award in Emergency First Aid at Work, which is a minimum of 1-day course (Ofqual regulated)
- Level 2 in safe use of vet medicines
- Level 2 safe handling of pesticides or lanta safe use of pesticides
- Progress onto Level 4 Assistant Farm Manager Apprenticeship
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
Own travel is required due to lack of transport routes around place of work.
About this employer
Alkmonton Dairy is a small, family-run business. We’re based in Alkmonton, just south of Ashbourne in Derbyshire . We process and bottle milk that has been produced by our own Pedigree Ayrshire herd of cows. Passionate about promoting our own products locally, we decided to cut out the middleman. We supply locally sourced and produced food products straight to people’s doorsteps.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
To be employed as the herdsperson once fully trained.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
REASEHEATH COLLEGE
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000038031.
Apply now
Closes on Friday 31 July 2026