Technical
Training

Tom
Fuhrmann

Leadership
Skills

Parlor
Evaluation &
Milker Training

Hoof
Trimming &
Hoof Health

Herdsmen hold very responsible positions on large dairies. They make many critical cowside decisions each day, usually in the absence of the owner or dairy manager. Since herdsmen are largely unsupervised, they need to be trained as professionals to assure that they make the correct decisions and work properly. A professional herdsman is one who has experience and training to fulfill their occupation and then implements that knowledge daily in their work routines. Think of other professionals with whom you work or interact; you expect them to work diligently, produce expected results and perform to a code of standards or ethics.

I am fortunate to work with hundreds of herdsmen across the US and Mexico. The really good ones are true professionals. They become “true professionals” because their dairy owners invested the time and the training for them to progress and develop. They understand the dairy owner’s management philosophy, have gained knowledge and experience, work harmoniously with other workers and care for cows properly because they really like animals and want them to be productive. I see an obvious trust between owners and the professional herdsmen; health, breeding and productivity results are good.

As dairy owners expand their businesses, their employees often can’t “keep up” with them. Herdsmen have less opportunity to work with owners who used to teach by example, but who now must learn from fellow workers, or from the herd veterinarian and others. Many workers aspire to become herdsmen, try hard but lack experience and training. For example, I know that hundreds of fresh cows are incorrectly treated on large dairies every day. This is because many herdsmen don’t understand the process of normal uterine involution which causes every fresh cow to produce a uterine discharge. Without proper training, consciencous employees incorrectly treat a fresh cow with a perceived abnormal condition. With little or no criteria the herdsman chooses to treat with antibiotics, hormones and anti-inflammatory agents for which they have little information. Often this results in either over treating or under treating cows while the dairy may experience fresh cow losses that exceed industry standards despite inappropriately high drug costs.

Dairymen and their service professionals can correct this deficiency. Here is what is needed to develop professional herdsmen.

Dairymen

1. Make a conscious decision to identify and develop herdspersons from within your staff of workers. You won’t be able to hire herdsmen……there are just not enough professionals available. Select candidates on their attitude, ethics, intelligence and interest. Workers who care, ask questions, show up on time and want to “get ahead” are eager and trainable. Many potential herdsmen are Hispanic and you along with them will have to work through the language barrier.
    
2. Spend some time with your potential herdsman to teach him your business philosophy. Others can supply the technical training, but no one else can teach your workers your expectations, how and to what level you want things done, when to treat vs. cull, how to handle your cows, equipment and other workers.
    
3. Expect and plan to spend money and effort to train your workers. Some technical aspects of cowside decisions are best explained by your veterinarian, consultants, industry representatives and others. Control what information is presented to your workers, but use those who are specialists and know how to train to help you and your aspiring herdsman.

Dairy Industry Professionals

1. Veterinarians, nutritionists, consultants, and industry representatives can influence dairy farm workers. Consider providing this service to your clients and customers. It creates a “win – win” situation for you and the dairy.
    
2. Consider the content and level of information you offer. Information must be accurate, pertinent and practical and presented at a level that general farm workers can understand. Presenting information that is bias to a product or program or at an academic level can be inappropriate for most dairy situations. Always communicate with the dairy owner or manager before training workers.
    
3. Become a teacher. Training is different than doing. Successful trainers simplify complicated concepts and give students criteria and mental pictures as they explain principles. Herdsmen learn best when they hear, see and then do. Cowside demonstrations and hands on experience are very effective training techniques.
    
4. Attempt to train in Spanish and English. Even when a herdsman understands some English, he/she generally gains more understanding when information is presented in the native language. Owners gain confidence when they see the English version of the Spanish information.

Prospective Herdsmen

1. If you want to earn and learn more, work toward being a herdsman. Advancement won’t just happen; show your interest by asking questions. Herdsmen are leaders and doers. Let your owner or manger know you care and you want to do more.
    
2. Gain knowledge through information. Talk with more experienced workers about why things are done specific ways. But be careful and skeptical when these workers can’t explain why or when you doubt their logic. Always confirm questions and what you’ve learned with your owner, supervisor or a consultant such as a veterinarian.
    
3. Seek to learn both cowside technical skills as well as personnel management principles. Herdsmen often fill the role as midlevel managers. Learning personnel management skills expands the contribution you can make to the dairy and improves your earning potential.
    
4. Attempt to learn English/Spanish. The most valuable herdsmen are those who understand the dairy owner’s principles but can translate these to Hispanic workers. Regardless of your native language, there are good resources available in the language which is not native to you.
5. There are simply not enough qualified herdsmen to fill the current need on large dairies. This emerging professional will have to be developed rather than simply hired. Dairymen need assistance to train candidates in the cowside techniques and personnel management principles that dairy industry professionals can provide. But dairy owners and managers must come forth with the candidates, the commitment, and the business philosophy to develop these workers to be the professional herdsmen of the future.