Veterinary Specialist

Job Summary

The Veterinary Specialist manages the health, welfare, and breeding protocols for the goat herd at Barnabe Farms in Kasanda, Mubende. This specialist diagnoses and treats livestock diseases, designs vaccination, deworming, and biosecurity plans, oversees kidding and reproductive management, maintains digital clinical records, and trains farm staff in animal handling and disease prevention.

Key Roles & Operational Responsibilities

1. Goat Herd Health, Clinical Care & Biosecurity

• Comprehensive Clinical Care: Conduct routine health checks, diagnose illnesses, perform minor surgical/clinical procedures, and provide prompt emergency treatment for livestock.
• Preventive Health Programs: Design, implement, and oversee structured vaccination, parasite control (deworming), and biosecurity protocols tailored to local regional disease challenges.
• Herd Welfare & Monitoring: Continuously monitor goat herd welfare, nutrition, and environmental safety to ensure compliance with ethical and science-based husbandry standards.

2. Reproductive Management & Kidding Supervision

• Breeding & Reproduction: Implement and manage breeding programs, estrus synchronization, and reproductive health monitoring to optimize herd growth and productivity.
• Kidding Management: Oversee kidding procedures, neonatal care, and maternal health during peak birthing cycles to minimize mortality rates.

3. Staff Supervision, Administration & Governance

• Capacity Building: Train, guide, and supervise farm hands and staff on proper animal handling, hygiene, early disease detection, and welfare practices.
• Medical Recordkeeping: Maintain meticulous digital clinical, breeding, treatment, and mortality records for all animals across the farm.
• Regulatory & Farm Collaboration: Collaborate with farm management to ensure regulatory compliance, interpret laboratory results, and build quantitative reports for continuous farm performance improvement.

Foundational Capabilities & Prerequisites

Required Technical Profile & Experience

• Professional Qualification: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or equivalent professional veterinary degree from a recognized institution.
• Board Registration: Valid professional registration (or immediate eligibility for registration) with the relevant veterinary regulatory body (e.g., Uganda Veterinary Board).
• Clinical Livestock Experience: Practical experience in large animal or livestock clinical practice, including diagnosis, treatment, and preventive healthcare programs for common farm species.
• Specialized Caprine Knowledge: Strong understanding of goat herd health, reproductive management, disease prevention, vaccination, and biosecurity measures.
• Physical & Environmental Readiness: Capability to perform physically demanding tasks, work outdoors in a farm setting, respond to after-hours health emergencies, and reside full-time at the farm in Kasanda, Mubende.
• Technical & Digital Literacy: Proficiency with basic digital tools for recordkeeping and reporting (familiarity with specialized farm management or veterinary software is an advantage).
• Communication Skills: Clear interpersonal and training abilities to guide a diverse team of farm workers effectively.

Desired Skills

• Direct experience with commercial breeding programs, kidding management, and intensive herd health monitoring.
• Previous experience in a farm environment within Mubende District or similar geographical regions, with familiarity with local livestock health issues and endemic diseases.

What Barnabe Farms Limited Offers

• Practical Career Growth: Opportunity to lead clinical operations and herd health strategies in a practical, hands-on farm setting.
• Residential Role: Full-time on-site farm residency providing immersive clinical and operational management experience.
• Ethical Impact: Drive sustainable, science-based livestock production that prioritizes animal welfare and regional food security.

Skills Required:

• Animal / Science / Veterinary