Labor

The key as a manager is to find or construct seats where an individual’s three circles line up with the needs and responsibilities of that seat. If you have the right person on the bus, but they’re in the wrong seat, they will fail or they’ll certainly struggle.

Automation is transforming the way we live and work. The more we understand automation, the better equipped we are to make it work for us. Let’s explore the top five reasons for automating the milking routine on a dairy, in no particular order.

Prioritize both animal and human welfare to retain great teammates and maintain a high-quality, safe and efficient production facility.

Producing high-quality milk is a labor intense job, yet it is a product that doesn’t receive a high payment compared to other industries. Although pay is a high motivator to stay at a job, employees are often more successful and retained at higher rates if training is offered. Training helps satisfy that need to develop and challenge their own set of skills and makes them feel a sense of ownership to the farm. In addition to training, how can the dairy industry stay competitive in this tight labor market?

The Cornell University Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics & Management has released a new publication that summarizes cost, efficiency and changes associated with hired labor on New York dairy farms from 2011 to 2021. We understand that New York is not Michigan. However, the states are very similar in dairy production and labor conditions. We feel the data collected, analyzed and reported is valuable and pertinent to a Michigan dairy producer.