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GERALD WONDER KHOZA
Komatipoort
Summary
Experienced and results-driven Livestock and Farm Operations professional with extensive hands-on experience in piggery and poultry management across South Africa and the United States of America. Proven expertise in farrowing management, gilt development, animal health and husbandry, staff supervision, biosecurity, and production performance monitoring. Holds a Higher National Diploma in Farming Management, with strong skills in data collection, record-keeping, feed management, ventilation control, and breeding support. Recognized for strong leadership, attention to detail, and the ability to meet production and shipping targets while maintaining high animal welfare and biosecurity standards.
Overview
1
1
Certificate
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Junior Farrowing Manager
Number Two Piggeries (Pty) Ltd
Bergville, South Africa
07.2024 - 03.2025
- Monitor sow performance, farrowing processes, and piglet health
- Supervise, train, and manage farm staff to ensure operational efficiency
- Conduct silo readings and oversee feed receiving and usage
- Ensure optimal growth, health, and welfare of piglets and sows
- Perform piglet weighing and production tracking
- Manage ventilation systems to maintain ideal housing conditions
- Collect, analyze, and interpret production data
- Enforce strict biosecurity measures across units
- Ensure adequate feed and water supply for all livestock
- Support achievement of weekly shipping and production targets
- Implemented innovative methods for minimizing stress levels in sows during gestation to improve birth outcomes.
- Improved piglet survival rates by closely monitoring the health and well-being of both sows and piglets.
- Collaborated with veterinarians to address health issues in a timely manner, reducing treatment time and improving herd health.
- Enhanced overall productivity by implementing efficient farrowing practices and protocols.
- Assisted in breeding program development, focusing on genetic improvement to achieve desired production goals.
- Reduced medication costs by implementing preventive measures and proper vaccination schedules.
- Conducted annual performance evaluations for employees, providing constructive feedback for continuous professional growth.
- Maintained high biosecurity standards to minimize disease risks and ensure optimal animal welfare.
- Ensured accurate record-keeping for tracking sow reproductive performance, individual piglet growth, and overall farm productivity.
- Analyzed data trends from previous production cycles to identify areas of potential improvement in future seasons.
Junior Manager
Haku Poultry Farm
Mpumalanga, South Africa
12.2023 - 07.2024
- Ensuring all aspects of running a site are met
- Overseeing the site workers on a daily basis
- Maintaining the site according to the company's standards.
- Welfare of our birds
- Ventilation management
- Feed management;
- Vaccinations
- Administer medication and manage feeding calibrations
- Supervise and train staff in daily operations and animal handling
- Conduct heat checks and support artificial insemination procedures
- Perform weighing, cross-movements, and ventilation adjustments
- Monitor silo readings and manage feed receiving
- Implement and maintain biosecurity protocols
Animal Care & Husbandry
MG Swine Management LLC
United States of America
08.2022 - 08.2023
- Assist with daily care and management of pigs
- Feed, water, and monitor livestock health and well-being
- Administer medications, vaccines, and treatments as required
- Support breeding programmes and farrowing processes
- Clean, disinfect, and maintain pens and equipment
- Monitor and control ventilation, temperature, and lighting systems
Animal Care & Husbandry
Nelson County Pigs
United States of America
01.2020 - 01.2021
- Clean and maintain pig housing facilities
- Administer medication and provide pregnancy scanning
- Perform artificial insemination and support activities
- Assist with pig marketing and shipping preparation
- Conduct weighing, data recording, and reporting
- Enforce biosecurity and hygiene standards
- Poultry production inclusive of broiler (GP) breeder management
- Understand basic poultry nutrition, growth, anatomy and reproduction
- Agricultural and farm operations and processes
- Ability to recognize ventilation, brooding, feeding and water requirements of the birds and make the correct adjustments
- Operation of farm equipment
- Lighting programmer for optimal performance
- Calculation of feed requirements
- Ability to make feeding decisions to obtain target weight
- Troubleshooting to achieve targets and objectives
- Understand disease and biosecurity fundamentals as well as vaccination and immunity principles
- Labour relations legislation and procedures
- ISO and health, safety and environmental legislation
- National best practice standards
- Systems for SHERQ
- Fully computer literate in all MS Office and related software
Poultry Technician Assistant
Maine-ly Poultry
United States of America
07.2018 - 07.2019
- Supervise and coordinate farm workers in poultry houses and related facilities.
- Monitor flock health daily, identifying signs of disease, stress, or injury.
- Manage feeding schedules, water supply, and environmental controls (temperature, ventilation, humidity).
- Implement and enforce biosecurity measures to prevent disease outbreaks.
- Maintain accurate records of feed usage, growth rates, mortality, and production.
- Oversee vaccination programs and liaise with managers when necessary.
- Ensure compliance with animal welfare, food safety, and labour regulations.
- Train and mentor staff on best practices in poultry care and farm safety.
- Manage inventory of feed, medicines, and supplies.
- Prepare regular reports for farm management on performance and productivity.
- Ensure the highest standard fertile eggs are set to optimism chick production.
- Manage cold room stock and egg rotation.
- Ensure that the correct number of eggs are set per week as per the plan provided by the Agricultural Planner.
- Prepare hatching schedules for chicks considering such factors as planning targets and hatchery facilities and equipment.
- Monitor thermometers, gauges and chart recorders to detect equipment malfunctions and to verify compliance with incubator temperature and ventilation standards.
- Supervise the adjustment of controls to maintain specified incubating conditions.
- Periodically inspect eggs in incubator trays to ascertain hatching progress, and order the removal of chicks.
- Observe the packing of chicks to verify adherence to shipping instructions and oversees the distribution of chickens.
- Supervise all operations relating to stock control, disinfection, and maintenance of incubators.
- Ensure that stand by electricity generators, water and air cooling systems, cold store rooms and air compressors used in the production of quality day-old chicks assure optimum biosecurity.
- Control the status of vaccines and the logistics associated with the vaccination
Education
Higher National Diploma - Farming Management
Majuba TVET College
Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal07.2017
A-Levels - Primary Agriculture
Majuba TVET College
Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal01.2013
Skills
- Livestock & Farm Operations Management
- Farrowing & Breeding Operations
- Staff Supervision, Training & Scheduling
- Feed Management & Silo Monitoring
- Animal Health Monitoring & Welfare
- Biosecurity & Disease Prevention
- Production Target Monitoring
- Record-Keeping & Data Interpretation
- Operational Planning & Decision-Making
- Team Leadership & Communication
- Farrowing House Management
- Artificial Insemination (AI) Support
- Gilt Selection & Development
- Weighing, Growth Monitoring & Cross-Movements
- Ventilation, Temperature & Environmental Control
- Medication Administration & Vaccination Support
Certification
- CA Education Programme
- Youth Employment Service (YES)
- General Computer Practice
Timeline
Junior Farrowing Manager
Number Two Piggeries (Pty) Ltd
07.2024 - 03.2025
Junior Manager
Haku Poultry Farm
12.2023 - 07.2024
Animal Care & Husbandry
MG Swine Management LLC
08.2022 - 08.2023
Animal Care & Husbandry
Nelson County Pigs
01.2020 - 01.2021
Poultry Technician Assistant
Maine-ly Poultry
07.2018 - 07.2019
Higher National Diploma - Farming Management
Majuba TVET College
A-Levels - Primary Agriculture
Majuba TVET College
Work Preference
Job Search Status
Open to workDesired start date: Immediately
Desired Job Title
Junior Farrowing ManagerJunior ManagerAnimal Care & HusbandryAnimal Care & HusbandryPoultry Technician AssistantWork Type
Full TimePart TimeLocation Preference
On-SiteRemoteLocation: Komatipoort, ZA
Open to relocation: Yes
Important To Me
Team Building / Company RetreatsFlexible work hoursPaid sick leaveHealthcare benefitsPersonal development programsCareer advancementPersonal Information
- Citizenship: South African Citizen
- Driving License: Code 10
Open To Relocation
Yes
Contacts
076 680 7397, geraldwonder@gmail.com