Livestock handler careers in the USA present themselves as a full line of work for anyone who has the patience to work with animals. These positions require duties that play a key role in the protection of animals such as cows, sheep, pigs, and poultry.
It is now common to see many American farms and ranches looking for experienced livestock workers and in 2025, some employers are ready to help these foreign workers obtain visas to allow them to work in the country. Below, the reader will find information about everything.
Key Points:
- Country: USA
- Job Title: Livestock handler
- Visa Sponsorship: Yes
- Job type: Part-time/Full-time
Requirements for Visa Sponsorship Livestock Handler Jobs in USA:
To become a livestock handler in the USA, specific skills and qualifications are usually required:
- Experience with animals: Employers also prefer candidates with prior experience handling livestock.
- Physical stamina: Handling livestock involves physical work and can be quite strenuous most of the time. Handlers must be in a position where they can lift heavy objects.
- Basic animal knowledge: Livestock handlers must know how to feed, water, and meet the needs of different animal species.
- Communication skills: Working directly with farm veterinarians or other personnel handling animals can take time.
- Visa sponsorship eligibility: For foreigners, employers can provide sponsorship using visa programs such as the H-2A visa, which is used to provide agricultural labor.
Check Also: Visa Sponsorship Laboratory Assistant Jobs in USA
Duties for Visa Sponsorship Livestock Handler Jobs:
The specific activities performed by a livestock handler vary with the farm and the type of animal handled, as outlined below. However, common responsibilities include:
- Feeding and Watering Livestock: Handlers are responsible for ensuring that animals are fed and watered. This includes operating feeding equipment or mechanically feeding other licensed animals.
- Livestock Health: The livestock handler is required to closely monitor the animal for illness or injury and report suspected cases to the farm owner or veterinarian.
- Herding and Moving Livestock: Handlers may occasionally move livestock from one location to another, for example from a shed to a grazing field.
- Cleaning and maintenance: Very important for treatment to cure disease
- Helping in breeding and appearance: They are directly involved in matters like animal breeding and can even create some situations regarding farming.
Benefits of Visa Sponsorship Livestock Handler Jobs:
- Legal Work Authorization: Visa sponsorship ensures that you can legally work in the USA under programs such as the H-2A visa for agricultural workers.
- Competitive Salary: Livestock raisers in the USA earn competitive wages, often with additional pay and bonuses for overtime.
- Job Stability: The USA has a strong agricultural sector, ensuring high demand and long-term employment opportunities for livestock handlers.
- Housing Provided: Many employers offer free or low-cost housing for international workers, reducing living expenses.
- Health Insurance Coverage: Workers often receive health insurance benefits, which ensure access to medical care while working in the US.
- Paid Overtime: Additional pay is often available for additional hours worked, especially during peak farming seasons.
- Training and Skill Development: Gain experience with advanced livestock management techniques, improving career prospects.
- Work in a growing industry: Agriculture and livestock farming are essential industries in the USA, offering long-term career opportunities.
- Path to permanent residency: Some visa programs offer a path to long-term employment and potential green card sponsorship.
- Cultural exchange: Working in the USA allows you to experience American rural life and interact with people from diverse backgrounds.
- Travel opportunities: Employees can explore different states and regions of the US during their vacation.
- Safe working conditions: Employers must comply with US labor laws, ensuring a safe and fair working environment.
- Food and transportation assistance: Some employers provide free meals and transportation to and from the job site.
- Networking opportunities: Connect with professionals in the agricultural industry, opening doors to future job opportunities.
- Opportunity to learn advanced techniques: Work with modern farming equipment and livestock husbandry methods, improving your skills in handling livestock.
Handler Livestock Jobs:
Livestock handlers are divided into several categories, and the tasks they perform depend on the type of animals the company deals with. Here are a few examples:
- Cattle handler: In this role, workers handle beef or dairy cattle – tending to herding and milking where appropriate.
- Sheep handler: Sheep handlers are responsible for shearing, feeding, and health-related matters for flocks of sheep.
- Poultry handler: Poultry processors handle chickens, turkeys, or other birds and are responsible for feeding them, testing them for disease, and putting them into the processing chain.
Salary Expectations:
Livestock handler salaries vary across regions, depending on location, type of livestock, or experience.
- Average Salary: Livestock handlers in the USA earn an average of $28,000-35,000 USD per year. Skilled handlers are often paid relatively well. This depends on the size of the farms they manage or the specific types of livestock they are handling.
- Hourly Wage: However, the average hourly rate for entry-level positions varies between $12 and $16 per hour. This can increase over time, especially during peak periods or during periods of population growth such as harvest or birth.
How to Apply for Visa Sponsorship Livestock Handler Jobs in USA?
To apply for livestock handler jobs with visa sponsorship in the USA, follow these steps:
- Job Search: Search for livestock handler jobs that have visa sponsorship available on job listing websites such as Indeed, AgCareers, and ZipRecruiter. This is especially true if, as is often the case, you are searching for a specific type of job, such as “H-2A Visa Livestock Handler Jobs.”
- Tailor your resume: Tailor your resume appropriately to reflect your experience handling livestock and any training certifications in handling animals or operating farm equipment.
- Apply Online: Apply for the position through the company’s homepage or one of the posting sites. Be sure to include all required paperwork, including your resume, references, and documents showing your eligibility to apply for a visa.
- Visa Application: It is your employer’s responsibility to help you process your H-2A visa application. This involves completing some forms, going to the US embassy for an interview, and preparing items such as a valid passport.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is a livestock agent in the USA?
A livestock agent is an agricultural specialist who purchases and sells farm animals on behalf of farmers, ranchers, meat processing plants and other such clients. Many livestock agents are often self-employed , while others work for companies.
What is the role of the handler?
A handler is a professional who efficiently executes various operational tasks to facilitate smooth operations in an organisation. They can be involved in logistical, supply chain, or inventory management tasks.
Why do you need livestock?
Livestock provides milk, meat, and eggs to domestic consumers as well as many other products like leather and wool for international markets. In 2020 there were over one billion head of cattle in the world, which make up 30% of all terrestrial mammalian biomass.
