Breeding Fields Person

Location: Stradbroke
Department: Breeding
Reporting to: Breeding Farms Manager

About the Role

We are looking for a proactive and knowledgeable Breeding Fields Person to support our outdoor breeding farms at Stradbroke.

This role acts as the primary point of contact for breeding farmers ensuring strong communication consistent standards and high levels of performance across the breeding supply base. You will work closely with farmers vets and internal stakeholders to drive pig welfare productivity biosecurity and compliance while embedding Pilgrims Europe values and expectations across all farms.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide management and technical advice to outdoor breeding farms to maximise productivity and efficiency
• Plan and carry out farm visits focusing on key production areas including:
  • Gilt management
  • Service and dry sow management
  • Farrowing performance
• Drive improvements in key performance metrics:
  • Pigs per sow per year
  • Tonnes per sow per year
  • Weaning weights
• Monitor herd health welfare and biosecurity in conjunction with the BQP veterinary team
• Set individual farm targets and agree action plans to improve performance
• Ensure welfare standards are consistently met and recorded
• Utilise computerised herd recording systems to identify priorities and improvement actions
• Ensure accurate data capture and reporting
• Support efficient management of pig production costs
• Ensure farms meet all required assurance and retailer standards including:
  • Red Tractor
  • RSPCA
  • Outdoor Bred / BQP audit standards
• Attend assurance visits and audits
• Close out nonconformances within agreed timescales
• Understand and support additional retailer requirements (e.g. QBA)
• Act as a liaison between farmers and vets including oversight of vaccination programmes
• Support the Breeding Farms Manager in recruiting new breeding farmers and managing existing contracts
• Encourage and explore opportunities for new units where appropriate
• Attend farmer awards shows and company events as required
• Attend weekly team meetings and OPEX meetings
• Take responsibility for actively driving OPEX performance
• Maintain required compliance and company training
• Lead by example demonstrating Pilgrims Europe values and recognising others through the Stars scheme

Measures of Success

• Improvement in farm performance KPIs
• High welfare and biosecurity standards maintained
• Assurance compliance achieved and sustained
• Strong positive relationships with breeding farmers
• OPEX welfare and performance targets met or exceeded

What Were Looking For

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Practical experience or working knowledge of pig production and animal welfare
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with farmers and stakeholders
• Organised selfmotivated and able to manage multiple priorities
• Comfortable working independently and as part of a wider team
• Commercial awareness
• Confident using IT systems including Word Excel and Outlook
• Good awareness of Health & Safety requirements

Behaviours

• Strong attention to detail
• Commitment and reliability
• Confidence to make independent decisions
• Ability to challenge appropriately and constructively

Why Join Pilgrims Europe

• Be part of a leading European food business
• Play a key role in welfare productivity and farm standards
• Work closely with farmers vets and internal teams
• Enjoy a varied fieldbased role with real autonomy
• Be part of a valuesled organisation that recognises and rewards contribution

Interested

If youre passionate about pig production enjoy working with farmers and want to make a real impact on welfare and performance wed love to hear from you.

Apply today to join Pilgrims Europe as a Breeding Fields Person.

Pilgrims Europe produces some of the best-known and most iconic brands in the UK and Ireland including Fridge Raiders Rollover Denny Richmond Oakhouse and Moy Park alongside a diverse range of industry leading own-label products in categories including fresh pork lamb and chicken working with all the major retailers and food service outlets.

Our portfolio extends to authentic chilled and frozen ready meals snacking ranges added value and food service products.

Across Pilgrims Europe we combine 20000 of the best people in the industry united by a shared set of core values and a passion for producing the highest quality most delicious and innovative food which is enjoyed by millions of people in the UK Ireland and Europe every day. Our Pilgrims Europe team are based in our Pilgrims UK Moy Park Pilgrims Food Masters and Pilgrims Shared Services businesses.