Your Next World Class Feeder

Your lead feeder is leaving you with a two-week notice. You’ve done your best, but he is moving to a new and great opportunity; you are happy for him.

Admit it. You feel jilted. He’s been your feeder for 10 years and it’s the end of an era. Now what? Can anyone fill that role? How does that feed software actually work? Replacing a milker is tough but you’ve done that before. Many dairies only have a couple feeders; 50% of the expenses go through that mixer and you know it’s an important position.

Where do you start?

Short term. Is there someone that can step into that role? A lead feeder position should be a desirable position and a weekend feeder might have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. Are they capable and are they interested? If you have been cross training, that part time feeder should be capable to step into that role. When I’ve taught feeder schools, progressive dairies send both their lead and part time feeders.

Long term. A warm body is not the first qualification for a lead feeder.

Do the hard work. Brainstorm a job description and think bigger. A feeder is not mixing feed, they are feeding cows. Yes they need to feel confident handling equipment, but they also need to see the big picture. Will they be a great team member and communicate with the rest of the team when there is a problem? Can they teach the other feeders on the team? Are they able to work to work with your feed software like the herdsperson uses herd software?

Pick‘em.

Is there someone on the team ready to step up? Take off your blinders on gender and ethnicity. Women can feed cows and run equipment. Feeders need to be detail oriented and consistent; you probably know your team today and whether they have those traits. You can teach skills later.

Pay’em.

They affect everything on the operation and handle 50% of the expenses on your operation. A few dollars an hour is quickly diluted by total feed costs.

Ready, set, go.

STOP!

Do you have an onboarding plan? A lead feeder can be a complex position. If you can, take your time. If this is a new person, have them spend a week working in some other parts of the dairy. There are a lot of folks that will train milkers but training a feeder is a specialty. Send the new feeder to a GPS FeedFITÒ Feeder School. Do they know the 11 GPS World Class Feed Management Goals? Can they explain them to you? Bring others into the process. Your GPS Consultant, your software provider, and your feed supplier can all bring resources to the table.

Invest in your feeder, grow a leader!