stockmen

Stockman is a worker who tends and manages livestock on farms or ranches, especially on large pastoral properties. The term is common in Australia and New Zealand and describes a role that may be called a cowhand or ranch hand in other regions. A stockman’s duties include mustering and droving stock, assisting with births, branding and tagging, ear marking, and administering basic veterinary tasks. They also maintain fences, water points, yards, and gates, and operate vehicles and animals used to move stock, such as horses, motorbikes, and four-wheelers. On some stations stockmen work with dogs as part of the stock-handling process.

Stockmen work as part of a station crew led by a manager or overseer. They need knowledge of animal behavior, welfare, pasture management, parasite control, and safe handling practices. Skills are often developed on the job, though many workers undertake agricultural training or an apprenticeship. The work is physically demanding and performed outdoors on large properties, with long hours during mustering seasons or calving.

In modern practice, technology such as motorbikes, four-wheelers, helicopters, or drones may assist mustering on extensive properties. The stockman shares similarities with related roles such as shepherd, cowhand, or ranch hand, with duties varying by country and property. The stockman is closely linked to the history and culture of pastoral life in several regions.