Pen Rider
Sublette, KS · On-site
Overview: As a Pen Rider, you will be responsible for identifying and applying appropriate ... Knowledge of cattle feedlot industry is highly desirable. * Willingness to work non-traditional ...
Pen Rider
Sublette, KS · On-site
Overview: As a Pen Rider, you will be responsible for identifying and applying appropriate ... Knowledge of cattle feedlot industry is highly desirable. * Willingness to work non-traditional ...
Feedlot Pen Rider information
See Kansas salary details
$13.29 - $14.46
9% of jobs
$15.40 is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$14.46 - $15.63
20% of jobs
$15.63 - $16.80
16% of jobs
The median wage is $17.01 / hr.
$16.80 - $17.97
26% of jobs
$18.26 is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$17.97 - $19.14
15% of jobs
$19.14 - $20.31
0% of jobs
$20.31 - $21.48
0% of jobs
$21.48 - $22.65
0% of jobs
$22.65 - $23.82
0% of jobs
$23.82 - $24.99
0% of jobs
$24.99 - $26.15
13% of jobs
$13
$18
$26
How much do feedlot pen rider jobs pay per hour?
What does a feedlot pen rider do?
A typical day for a Feedlot Pen Rider involves riding through feedlot pens to monitor cattle health, checking for signs of illness or injury, and sorting or moving cattle as needed. You’ll work closely with veterinarians, feedlot managers, and other pen riders to ensure proper treatment and record-keeping. Expect to spend much of your time outdoors in varying weather conditions, and be prepared for physically demanding work that requires both attention to detail and quick decision-making. Effective teamwork and communication are central, as you’ll often coordinate with others to handle cattle safely and efficiently. This role is vital in maintaining the wellbeing of the feedlot’s livestock and ensuring smooth daily operations.
What is a feedlot pen rider?
A Feedlot Pen Rider is responsible for monitoring the health and well-being of cattle in a feedlot. Their duties typically include riding through pens on horseback to spot sick or injured animals, administering basic treatments, and moving cattle as needed. They play a crucial role in maintaining herd health by identifying issues early and working with veterinarians and feedlot staff. Strong horsemanship and knowledge of cattle behavior are essential skills for this role.
What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a feedlot pen rider?
Success as a Feedlot Pen Rider requires strong horsemanship, livestock handling experience, and an understanding of animal health and welfare. Familiarity with feedlot management systems, cattle identification technology, and sometimes certifications like Beef Quality Assurance are valuable technical assets. Excellent observation skills, effective communication, and reliability help Feedlot Pen Riders efficiently identify animal health issues and coordinate with team members. These skills are essential for maintaining herd health, ensuring timely interventions, and supporting overall feedlot productivity.

Full-time
Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO
Re-posted 6 days ago
Job description
Overview: As a Pen Rider, you will be responsible for identifying and applying appropriate treatment to sick cattle ensuring all livestock is handled in a safe, professional and humane manner.
Essential functions
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.
- Review daily agenda for cattle movements.
- If shipping, perform and verify head counts, retrieve cattle from all applicable pens and move to scales and shipping pens.
- On horseback, safely ride through pens, inspect cattle and make decisions about pulling animals to be evaluated and treated based off appearance and other signs of illness.
- Evaluate respiratory observe and recovery pens for re-treatment or movement to home pens.
- Gather and move strays back to appropriate lots and pens.
- Notify appropriate personnel regarding dead cattle and repairs or maintenance needed.
- Maintain physical condition of horse(s) and tack.
- Ensure compliance with all OSHA/Safety procedures, rules and regulations.
- Maintain housekeeping of horse barn and tack rooms.
- Maintain inventory of horse feed.
- Other duties as assigned.
- Adequate verbal and written communication skills.
- Adequate mathematical skills: Ability to add and subtract, multiply and divide numbers.
- Adequate horsemanship skills
- Knowledge of cattle feedlot industry is highly desirable.
- Willingness to work non-traditional hours as required
- This individual must have the ability to work with a team, or individually.
- Ability to communicate in English is preferred, not required.
- Ability to prioritize tasks when appropriate.
- None
- You will be required to work at times in extreme weather conditions, such as rain, snow, wind, heat, cold.
- Ability to work nights on occasions, weekends, and holidays.
- Ability to sit in a saddle for long periods of time.
- Ability to work extended hours 10-11 hours per day.
- This individual must be able to lift a minimum of 50 lbs.
- Individual must be able to push, pull, and twist often on horseback.
- Pull oneself up on a horse with just one side of their body (one leg and one arm) 3-4 times per day.
- Must be able to throw a saddle onto a horse (twisting while using force to lift 30-40lb saddle up to eye level)
- Reaching out away from body to pull 8lb gate rods up at a 56 degree angle while sitting on and holding onto a horse 130 times per days.
- Must be able to push gate open from horseback using one arm extended out and away from body while controlling the horse 130 times per day.
- Must be able to perform a higher volume of lifting gate rods and pushing gates open once per week for 3-4 hours when shipping cattle. (Opening 70 more gates on top of the normal 130 opened per day.)
- When applicable during freezing conditions, must be able to mount and unmount horse to break ice.
- None
- High school diploma or general education degree (GED); or 1-3 month’s related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Adequate horsemanship skills
- High school diploma or general education degree (GED); or 1-3 month’s related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Experience working with and identifying sick cattle in a feedlot setting
- Adequate horsemanship skills – feedlot setting
- 401K Company Match
- Health, Dental and Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Paid Holidays
- Paid Time Off(PTO)
Cobalt Cattle Company LLC participates in E-Verify. You must be authorized to work in the United States.
Affirmative Action/EEO statement
Cobalt Cattle Company LLC is an equal opportunity employer
Note: Specific statements in each section of this Job Description are not intended to be an all-inclusive explanation of work to be performed. They represent typical elements and criteria considered necessary to perform the job successfully. Nothing in this document restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities at any time. Employees are expected to perform any and all duties as assigned to the levels expected by management. This job requires regular and predictable attendance. The Employee’s signature below is only an acknowledgment of receipt and understanding of the job description and in no way alters the Employee’s “at will” employment, and neither implies nor constitutes a contract of employment for a definite period of time.