Training Tools

Training your workforce: Virtual reality as an aid

axb779@psu.edu — Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

We can't ignore that training dairy farm workers effectively presents dairy farms with several challenges. One promising solution may be the use of virtual reality (VR) technologies.

Safe silage harvest: Prepare now to prevent accidents later

krek0033@umn.edu — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Safety for corn silage harvest includes everything from equipment checks to personal care. It’s no secret that harvest season is a dangerous time on any farm. Help prevent your farm from becoming another statistic by following these easy – and potentially lifesaving – safety tips.

Tips for building skilled farm labor through employee trainings

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Value-added dairy – From feasibility to follow-through

Heather.Weeks@FarmCreditEast.com — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 16:54:44 -0400

Farms start value-added enterprises for many reasons. A dairy may have a high cost of production for the commodity milk market. More revenue may be needed to pay an additional owner or a retiring generation.

Setting the foundation to create a farm team motivated to achieve business and personal goals

jrb7@cornell.edu — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The life lessons of work ethic, respect for the animals, and care for employees Jared Duppengeisser learned growing up on a dairy in western N.Y. have translated into his focus on creating a positive farm culture as a manager.

el Lechero: Adopting a healthy work environment for healthier animals

axb779@psu.edu — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 15:22:55 -0400

When it comes to optimizing animal health in food-producing operations, there are many factors to consider. I have covered several of them in previous articles, such as providing a comfortable and clean environment, excellent nutrition and adequate disease monitoring protocols.

What is emotional intelligence and why should I care?

tim.schaefer@encore-consultants.net — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Leadership is so much more than how intelligent or skilled we are. Have you ever met or managed someone who was smart and skilled yet couldn’t lead? Most likely, the missing ingredient was emotional intelligence.

Employee training: Not one-size-fits-all

kimmi@agproud.com — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

While training takes many forms and varies greatly from one dairy to the next, two common goals among producers are to increase employee engagement and to grow employee skill sets.

Overcoming a language barrier with employees

jdelgado@alltech.com — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

As a nation that depends on immigrants and foreign labor to work in agriculture, the diversity of this population and their languages bring new challenges to the dairy industry.

Technology within your training system

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Odds are if I asked about technology and regulations in place on your dairy you’d tell me there are significantly more of both today than 20 years ago.

Structure and clarity retain employees and enhance efficiency

Collin_McCarthy@cargill.com — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

One of the biggest differences between farmers who struggle to be progressive and make changes and those who possess the agility to tackle change boils down to structure and clarity.

Lack of workforce development puts farms at a competitive disadvantage

rmilligan@trsmith.com — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 13:28:45 -0400

“The only thing worse than training your employees and having them leave is not training them and having them stay.” Since this quote is from Henry Ford, it is approximately a century old. If this was true for his assembly line workers, it certainly is even more true today.

[Podcast] Resources for new dairy farmers and those transitioning into management

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode, host Kimmi Devaney visits with Charlie Gardner and Emily Barge from the Center for Dairy Excellence in Pennsylvania about their new resources for new and beginning farmers.

Program aims to strengthen dairy farm leadership, employee engagement

kimmi@agproud.com — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 11:33:07 -0400

The program provides tools and resources to dairy owners and managers to help them identify strengths and opportunities related to employee engagement and build a plan to address and improve weaknesses.

Getting an excellent hire off to a great start

rmilligan@trsmith.com — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 11:25:46 -0400

“The process of ensuring the new employee has a great start, becomes engaged and stays is called onboarding.” Onboarding is more than just the orientation and training that have traditionally been our focus for new employees.

Injury prevention when administering medicines and vaccines

cheryl@peoplemanagementgroup.com — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Whether you are new to needling cattle or a seasoned pro, the risk of injury or side effects from mishaps that may occur while performing this task are always present.

Creating a team that works together to accomplish your goals

aibeatsthebull@gmail.com — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Yes, employees do need training, accountability and incentives to stay on track. However, I generally find the core of most employee problems to be a lack of clear, intentional leadership.

Get into the details of managing change

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 13:30:37 -0400

Moving from one herd management software to another is a significant step. Your herd management software is the most important, yet least recognized, part of your business.

Slips, trips and falls … oh my!

amber.adamsprogar@gmail.com — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 08:12:58 -0400

What causes the highest number of human injuries on dairies? Most of us think of machinery or confined spaces, but cattle actually hold the No. 1 position. Now, if I asked what causes the second-highest number of injuries, what would be your response?

How to deal with unmet expectations

rmilligan@trsmith.com — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 09:13:02 -0400

Unmet expectations for performance and behavior are likely the greatest stressor for most, if not all, supervisors. A failure to meet animal or crop goals, arriving late for work and skipping an assigned task are all examples of unmet expectations.

Making employee training more efficient and fun by using on-farm video production

jdelgado@alltech.com — Sat, 25 Feb 2023 08:34:47 -0500

Visual training in this era is very important, and it is an easy way to explain protocols, ideas and content to your workers about a specific topic.

Soft skills are for owners: The secret skill in a tight labor market

tim.schaefer@encore-consultants.net — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 18:11:40 -0500

How often have you seen a highly skilled manager fail in leading their team? Some signs are high turnover, lax standards and low morale. How often have you seen employees or owners in charge of managing people struggle to connect with employees and keeping everyone aligned with the goals?

How to have productive conversations when disagreements happen

laura@redbarnwriter.com — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 11:29:36 -0500

We all find ourselves in situations where we need to have tough conversations. No one wants to deal with conflict, yet it's important to remember that productive conversations are still possible, even when it seems like neither side is willing to budge.

Lifelong learning: Making the most of challenges

hwagner@wagnerfarmswi.com — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 22:56:50 -0400

We’ve all asked that question at one point or another. Whether it’s on the farm, a committee or at church, we sometimes find ourselves in a role that feels over our head.

People are the key to diet consistency

tthayer@diamondv.com — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 21:38:10 -0500

Change is hard – especially for cows, who are creatures of habit even more than we are. Any changes in a cow’s routine can quickly add up to compromise her health and performance. Some of these changes are out of our control, but the more consistency we can build into a cow’s diet and routine, the more she has the resiliency to deal with unforeseen changes.

Dear dairy employee: Thank you from our family to yours

mdeharo@uidaho.edu — Fri, 22 May 2020 13:00:01 -0400

We would like to start this letter by introducing ourselves. Our names are Mireille Chahine and Mario de Haro-Martí. We are husband and wife, and we both work at the University of Idaho Extension, supporting you and the dairy industry.

el Lechero: The Milking Routine

jdelgado@alltech.com — Fri, 22 May 2020 13:00:01 -0400

Remember: Personal safety first. Wear the appropriate gear. Recuerde: Seguridad personal primero. Use el equipo adecuado.

el Lechero: What you need to know about coronavirus (COVID-19) on your dairy

Wed, 06 May 2020 13:00:01 -0400

What is coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)? ¿Qué es la enfermedad del Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)?

Reproductive tract of a dairy cow

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 13:00:00 -0400

Sistema reproductivo de la vaca lechera cuernos uterinos/e horns

Letter to the dairy employee: Be the best version of yourself

gdfi.gm@gmail.com — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 15:10:15 -0400

The year is well on its way! After a very challenging 2019, the dairy community is still ready to face 365-day, 24/7 work. Dairy farmers have the privilege and responsibility to feed the world, by producing milk products – a source of high-quality protein.