Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals

We own and operate a family farm and ranch in North Dakota. Our operation consists of cow-calf and stocker grass cattle. We are located in North Dakota, we have very cold winters lasting from December to the end of March , which require livestock feeding through the winter. We bring the cow herd home to feed them in confined pens in December. Feeding in pens helps us deliver a cost-effective feed ration to our cattle during the cold winter months, which require more calories to maintain body weight for our livestock. We also calve cows at these facilities during the winter months, which requires extra labor for calving. Our farm has great facilities for calving during colder months but still requires a lot of labor to monitor cows calving and care for them, keeping them out of the dangerously cold weather. North Dakota winters average 30–50 inches of snowfall and can vary depending on winter conditions. Temperatures range from 20 degrees Fahrenheit to negative 30 degrees Fahrenheit, which require more feed and labor for cows that are in the third trimester of calving. Extra dependable and experienced help for this short time during calving and feeding has compounding positive effects on our operation in multiple ways, such as being on site to assist cows with labor complications, keeping calving barns clean and in good order for receiving the new arrival of baby calves in our maternity barn. In the fall, we sell our calf crop, so every baby calf we can save and keep healthy helps our profitability for our family. To sum it all up, the biggest reasons for the extra help would be mainly for animal welfare and human welfare, to do an excellent job at caring for our livestock during this busy season of calving and feeding. During our non-H-2A months (April to November), as much labor help is not required because our cattle are out to pasture grazing. Once the cattle are done calving during the cold months, or by the end of March, we move them out to pasture. Our labor requirements greatly decrease once they are moved out. Night checks during calving, assisting cows calving, checking, and doctoring cattle, and feeding cattle. Job duties will include: drive farm trucks, tractors, and other equipment to distribute feed to animals; feed and water livestock and monitor food and water supplies; perform duties related to livestock reproduction, such as breeding animals within appropriate timeframes, performing artificial inseminations, and helping with animal births; care for animals; examine animals to detect illness, injury, or other problems; perform animal breeding procedures.