Pay rise for shepherds

Head shepherds topped the pay rises in the Federated Farmers and Rabobank's 2015/16 employee remuneration report.

Head shepherds' mean annual salaries rose 4.3per cent to $49,690 in the past year and their total package value - wages plus accommodation, power, food and other benefits - rose 5.6per cent to $53,921, according to Federated Farmers and Rabobank's 2015/16 employee remuneration report.

The head shepherds' pay rise was the most substantial for the 1648 dairy farm employees, 846 sheep and beef and 157 grain farm staff surveyed for the report
And while salaries in the dairy industry remained stable, for the first time there was a drop in the value of extras farmers provide their staff, pushing the total value of their packages (TPV) down.

The Feds-Rabobank report has dairy farm employees in five ranks with farm assistants - staff working under direct supervision - at the bottom of the ladder with mean salaries of $40,695 a year (0.3per cent more than last year) and TPV of $42,279 (1.2 per cent less than last year).

Up a rank are assistant herd managers - two years experience or a relevant qualification - with mean salaries of $45,753 (up 0.9 per cent) and TPV of $47,871 (down 0.9 per cent).

They are followed by herd managers - usually responsible for cow health and pasture management - with mean salaries of $52,654 (0.9 per cent more) and TPV of $55,810 (0.3 per cent less).

Next are farm managers - in charge of a farm's physical performance with little or no financial responsibility - with mean salaries of $66,655 (2.1 per cent more than last year) and TPV of $71,757 (up 1.5 per cent).

Top of the dairy farm employees, the operations manager - responsible for the farm budget and staff management - has a mean salary of $70,572 (0.6 per cent less than last year) and TPV of $73,282 (down 4.3 per cent).

Sheep and beef farm staff also have five rankings, with general hands - working under direct supervision - receiving a mean salary of $42,566 (down 0.8 per cent) and TPV of $44,545 (up 0.2 per cent).

Shepherds - with dogs and able to shift stock competently - are on the next rung with a mean salary of $44,607 (0.1 per cent more than last year) and TPV of $47,352 (2.1 per cent less).

Head shepherds are next up the pay scale, followed by stock managers with mean salaries of $53,257 (3 per cent more) and TPV of $59,053 (3.8 per cent more) and farm managers with mean salaries of $61,731 (4 per cent more) and TPV of $68,499 (up 3.3 per cent).

The Feds-Rabobank report says 88 per cent of fulltime employees have written contracts - 94 per cent for dairy, 77 per cent for sheep and beef.

Accommodation is provided to 83 per cent of permanent employees - 90 per cent for dairy, 81 per cent for sheep and beef.

Most employers (77 per cent) are very satisfied with their employees' performance, with dairy employers the least satisfied. And 63per cent claim not to have provided any formal training to their staff.

Federated Farmers Dairy Industry Group chairman Andrew Hoggard said the report once again highlighted there had been a decrease in working hours.

"Employees in the dairy industry across all levels are working an average of 46 hours each week, which reinforces the significant drop from the 2013/14 survey, two years ago," he said.

"People tend to concentrate on hours farm employees work in the busiest time of year and overlook the fact that hours fluctuate markedly from season to season. There are quiet times of the year as well - and the report's findings reflect this."

Mr Hoggard said there was still work to be done - "but that this year's results show we are heading in the right direction".