How to become a Dairy Cattle Farm Worker

Performs routine tasks on a dairy farm, such as breeding, raising, feeding, droving and milking cattle.

Main tasks

• Assists with maintaining the health and welfare of dairy cattle, including by patrolling, inspecting and reporting on their condition
• Provides dairy cattle with feed and water, and implements dairy cattle feeding and welfare programs
• Establishes pastures and crops for dairy cattle production
• Herds and droves dairy cattle to access feed, as well as for milking and other farming operations
• Washes and cleans udders, uses and sterilises milking machines, and performs milking shed hygiene processes
• Undertakes general dairy cattle farming activities, such as erecting and repairing fences, and maintaining and cleaning dairy cattle housing
• Operates and maintains general farm machinery, and water supply and irrigation systems

Ways in

• TAFE and VET: Certificate III in Dairy Production (AHC30224); Certificate II in Agriculture (AHC20122); Certificate III in Agriculture (AHC30122); Certificate I in Agriculture (AHC10222)

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• About 28,300 people work in this job group now, and about 28,900 are projected by 2035. (+1.8%)
• AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Related jobs

• Beef Cattle Farm Worker
• Cattle and Sheep Farm Worker
• Wool Handler
• Livestock Husbandry Worker
• Piggery Farm Worker
• Poultry Farm Worker

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Dairy Cattle Farm Worker?

Ways in include: Certificate III in Dairy Production; Certificate II in Agriculture.

Is a Dairy Cattle Farm Worker a growing career in Australia?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 28,300 people now and 28,900 later (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become a Dairy Cattle Farm Worker?

Usually not. Only 10% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate III in Dairy Production; Certificate II in Agriculture.

Will AI change the work of a Dairy Cattle Farm Worker?

AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Sources

• Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04