Also called: Herdsman, Dairy Production Manager
Oversees the health, breeding, feeding, and milking of hundreds or thousands of dairy cows.
You check overnight data from cow collars that track how much each animal walks and chews, then walk the barns looking for sick cows. You plan breeding with a vet, adjust feed rations with a nutritionist, and train milking crews. Cows need milking 2-3 times a day, every day, holidays included.
Housing is often included on large dairies.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Associate's degree (2-year), about 2 years after high school. Associate or bachelor's in dairy or animal science, or years of experience rising from milker.
Ways in: 2-year college, 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Dairy Science, Animal Science.
Shrinking (about -1% over 10 years). Dairies are consolidating into larger, more high-tech farms.
Medium risk for 10 years. Robotic milkers and cow-collar sensors flag sickness and heat; managing staff, breeding plans and herd health still need a pro.
Classes: Animal science CTE, Biology, Chemistry, Spanish.
Official data: O*NET occupation 11-9013.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.