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Occupations / Livestock Farmers

Livestock Farmers

Livestock Farmers plan, organise, control, coordinate and perform farming operations to breed and raise livestock.

Agriculture & environmentLicensed workANZSCO 1213
72kPeople employed
+1% ▲Growth to 2035
74%Work full time
60Median age
Source: ABS · JSA, 2025-26ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 1213.More about our sources: How we check our facts

What they do

The main tasks of this occupation, from the national occupation standard.

breeding and raising livestock for the production of honey, meat, milk, skins, eggs and woolmonitoring and maintaining the health and condition of livestockproviding pastures and fodder to maintain appropriate nutritional levelsmoving livestock to optimise feeding opportunitiesorganising and conducting farming operations such as catching, drenching and milking livestock, sterilising machines, and collecting, grading and packaging producedirecting and overseeing general farming activities such as maintaining pens, sheds and cages, fertilising, controlling pests and weeds, and growing fodder
Source: JSA occupation profileTask list from the Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profile for ANZSCO 1213 (ANZSCO task statements).More about our sources: How we check our facts

The outlook

A steady field: around 80k jobs in livestock farmers through 2035

The field shrank 5.3% in the year to February 2026, losing about 4,000 workers. Most of the jobs are in NSW and VIC, with QLD third.

Source: JSA · ABS, 2025-26ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 1213.More about our sources: How we check our facts
78.9k2025
76.6k2030 PROJ.
79.8k2035 PROJ.

Getting in

There is no single way in. 30% trained through VET, 15% hold a degree.

Both paths are common in this field. These are the nationally recognised courses mapped to this occupation, with the number of registered training providers that offer each one.

Source: JSA · training.gov.auEducation split: JSA (Jobs and Skills Australia) occupation profile, using ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Census data, ANZSCO 1213. Qualification mapping and provider counts: training.gov.au, the national register of vocational education, October 2026. Listed providers are current registered training providers (private providers and TAFE institutes).More about our sources: How we check our facts

Nationally recognised training · most offered first

AHC31824Certificate III

Certificate III in Beekeeping

Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation and Land Management Training Package · licensed work.

See 5 providers
RGR30619Certificate III

Certificate III in Horse Breeding

Racing and Breeding Training Package.

See 2 providers
SFI30520Certificate III

Certificate III in Working with Crocodiles

Seafood Industry.

See 1 provider

Licensed work: several of these courses lead to work that also needs a state or territory licence. Training is the first step; licensing rules are set by each state.

See all 5 mapped courses
AHC31824Certificate III in Beekeeping · 5 providers
RGR30619Certificate III in Horse Breeding · 2 providers
SFI30520Certificate III in Working with Crocodiles · 1 provider
RGR40619Certificate IV in Horse Breeding · 0 providers
RGR50319Diploma of Horse Stud Management · 0 providers

Providers are shown in A-Z order on each course page. A listing is not a recommendation.

Jobs open right now

72k Australians do this work. See who is hiring this month.

Search job ads by state

Each link opens seek.com.au in a new tab, showing ads posted in the last month. SEEK is a job site; we link there because that is where most Australian jobs are advertised. We have no commercial relationship with SEEK.

Source: ABS · JSA, 2025-26State chart shows people employed, not current job ads. ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 1213.More about our sources: How we check our facts

People employed by state, 2025-26

NSW24.5k
VIC21.2k
QLD13.5k
SA7.3k
WA3.8k
TAS2.9k
NT0.4k
ACT0.1k

Occupations near this one

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