Milking automation represents not only a technological advancement but a fundamental shift in dairy farm management. While automation simplifies processes, the human touch remains indispensable. Successfully managing employees requires finding the right balance between leveraging the power of technology and nurturing a supportive, engaged work environment.

It pays to get the most out of farm meetings because animal well-being and productivity are usually involved. Whether discussing nutrition plans, health protocols, farm management strategies and more, our experiences point to one overarching factor that maximizes meeting time: preparation.

In a breakout session presentation at the Pennsylvania Dairy Summit, held in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, last February, Sarah Moag discussed management transitions and employee management strategies that have worked for her business, Noblehurst Farms, in western New York.

There are six main hazards when it comes to silage: 1) complacency and fatigue, 2) entanglement by machinery, 3) rollover by machinery, 4) fall from heights, 5) crushing by silage avalanche or collapse, and 6) silo gases. By regularly taking safety precautions at each of these hazard points, we can ensure that our farm workers return home safely at the end of the day.

Protocols on a dairy farm are essential for a smooth, organized workflow, ensuring safety and efficiency for cows and farm staff. They maintain high health and well-being standards by supporting proper animal care and management.

You never hear someone say they love farming because they love sitting in a meeting room talking about business. They will probably say they’d rather be doing anything else – with animals, crops, machinery, you name it – than sitting in meetings.

Retaining employees is critical to the long-term health and success of a dairy operation. Therefore, failing to create the right environment to retain employees will affect the bottom line of the business and create organizational issues, such as worker insecurity, excess duties that workers must absorb and time invested in recruiting, hiring and training new employees.

The key to good training is to first determine what type of training each position requires. A herdsperson will not need the same type of training as a manager.

Amid a decade-long labor shortage, dairy farmers recognize the importance of training their employees, both informally and formally. And they are leaning on their veterinarians, county extension agents, nutritionists and other consultants to support and carry out these trainings.