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The DAT People's Choice Question of the Week: Labor
One of the biggest challenges on many dairies is labor. How is this handled on your farm?
Reader Comments
Comments posted do not express the viewpoint of Dairy Agenda Today or its staff members.
Tony Whitehead
November, 17 2018
I'm being very intrusive. Have they paid for their jobs? We used to have takeoffs. I hated them. I viewed alot of that stuff as working on the average. Now I'm putting in some things like cow manager. I try not to manage to the average. Time and labor are moving in that direction. Granted that the average ain't what it was. If I was 10 or 20 years younger I could look at it. If I was 10 or 20 years older I'd be in Florida. Stuck in the middle.
Observer
November, 16 2018
We've had robots for 5 years. Life changing decision on our part. Now I can focus on hiring a good employee as opposed to a body to get milking done.
Tony Whitehead
November, 14 2018
Its really hard around here. I have a great guy until noon. Then he goes to the neighbors to help in the afternoon. That's 5 days a week. 4 high school kids for the rest of it on an absolutely confusing schedule. I installed cow manager this week. Hopefully it will take a layer of pressure off me. Trump has put America to work. Wish he would have kept one back for me.
John
November, 12 2018
Finding laborers is very difficult for us. We are fairly remote and the only people interested in doing the work are generally migrants. They work hard but we do our best to take care of them.
George P
November, 12 2018
70 cow tie stall barn, Family labor plus 1 hired young man who has been with me for 3 years. I think labor concerns force me not to expand.
Tom
November, 12 2018
20% of the herd cause 80% of labor and cow touches. Cows bred for DPR, SCS, and low maintenance do their thing and don't need several vet and herdsman touches to stay around. Employees don't care if a cow is 82 or 92 points, if the milker is easy to attach and she fits in the stall, that goes a long way in creating a positive experience for employees where they want to work at your farm vs a neighbors.