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Groom

Also called jockey, stud hand, horse groom

Grooms provide practical daily horse care to ensure the horses health, welfare and safety. They take part in exercising horses, cleaning and maintaining the stables, buildings and territory.

Will there be jobs?Yes, good prospectsShortage in 9 countries now. 3 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Agricultural, forestry and fishery labourersWhat does it pay?Below averageFrom about €700 (Bulgaria) to €3,800 (Denmark) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Agricultural, forestry and fishery labourersWhat do I need to study?Basic schooling6 in 10 have basic schooling only. 1 in 10 train through vocational routes.Agricultural, forestry and fishery labourersWill AI change it?Very littleLevel 1 of 6. AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.Livestock farm labourers · ILO

What you'd do

Livestock farm labourers · ILO
  • Digging and shovelling to clear ditches or for other purposes
  • Loading and unloading supplies, produce and other materials
  • Feeding, watering and cleaning animals and keeping their quarters clean
  • Monitoring livestock and reporting on their condition
  • Assisting with maintaining the health and welfare of livestock
  • Assisting with herding, droving and separating livestock for milking, shearing, transportation or slaughter and between pastures
  • Collecting eggs and placing in incubators
  • Raking, pitching, stacking and storing hay, straw and other types of animal feed and bedding
  • Grading, sorting, packing produce into containers
  • Performing minor repairs on fixtures, buildings, equipment and fences
Maintain the farmBreed stockMaintain pasturesOperate agricultural machineryPerform farm equipment hygiene+ 11 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors and outdoors
  • On your feet most of the day
  • Constant contact with people, including the public
  • Some freedom to decide
  • Usually 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines now and then
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the related, broader US job "Animal Caretakers"

Will there be jobs?

Yes, good prospects

9 EU countries are short of livestock farm labourers now, but fewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.

People working as agricultural, forestry and fishery labourers in the EU
1.81m1.92m1.45m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
455,000 replacing leavers 405,000 jobs disappear
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Agricultural, forestry and fishery labourers3
All jobs29
Right now
9 of 27 countries report a shortage of livestock farm labourers, 5 a surplus.
Livestock farm labourers · EURES

What does it pay?

Below average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €700 a month (Bulgaria) to €3,800 (Denmark), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among elementary occupations in the EU, women earn 9% less per hour than men. Elementary occupations · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Basic schooling

Most people start with basic schooling and learn on the job.

Highest qualification of agricultural, forestry and fishery labourers (EU, 2025)
Degree 5%Vocational 25%General secondary 8%Basic schooling 61%
Fields that teach it
Biology · Crop and livestock production
Vocational route, EU
1 in 10 trainees in this field

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Very little

AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.12 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 10 tasks
Assisting with herding, droving and separating livestock for milking, shearing, transportation or slaughter and between pastures0.15
Monitoring livestock and reporting on their condition0.15
Grading, sorting, packing produce into containers0.15
Assisting with maintaining the health and welfare of livestock0.14
Performing minor repairs on fixtures, buildings, equipment and fences0.12
Feeding, watering and cleaning animals and keeping their quarters clean0.12
Loading and unloading supplies, produce and other materials0.11
Raking, pitching, stacking and storing hay, straw and other types of animal feed and bedding0.10
Collecting eggs and placing in incubators0.10
Digging and shovelling to clear ditches or for other purposes0.07

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for livestock farm labourers. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).