Dairy Herd Manager

This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.

Overview

Are you an experienced Dairy Herd Manager? Do you have people management experience? Have you got training in herd management software particularly in Uniform Agri?

The Company

An established mixed farming business.

The Job Role

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Dairy Herd Manager to lead and manage an organic, regenerative dairy operation. The Dairy Herd Manager will support in overseeing the day-to-day management of the herd, with a strong focus on staff leadership, herd health and fertility, milking operations and grazing management. The successful Dairy Herd Manager will bring expertise in calf health, nutrition, artificial insemination, foot trimming and data-driven decision-making. Proficiency in Uniform Agri software is essential, alongside being trained in Cow Signals and ROMS locomotion, to ensure optimal herd performance and welfare. As Dairy Herd Manager, you will work closely with vets, foot trimmers, nutritionists and specialist suppliers, building a strong support team network. Leading by example, driving team engagement with strong communication, and using data to meet estate-wide targets and objectives will be central to this role.

Location

There are two positions available in different locations - one based in North West England and one based in the East Anglia Region.

Salary Package

£40,000 - £45,000 basic salary depending on skills and experience + accommodation available + benefits.

Key Responsibilities

• Cleanliness and Pride: Maintain a "show farm" standard across the dairy unit, reflecting frequent public visits and events. Ensure the farm is consistently tidy, well-presented and professionally managed.
• Staff Management: To manage and organise staff rotas to ensure efficient daily and seasonal dairy operations, covering all aspects of herd management, including milking, feeding, routine etc. Train, mentor and motivate staff, ensuring the maintenance of high standards of animal welfare and farm operations, following protocols set out by the wider team. Lead by example and with high attention to detail, communicating clearly through the farm messaging platforms regularly, and collecting and using data to drive team performance. Develop, update and implement clear protocols and procedures to structure workloads and accountability.
• Milking Operations: Lead and oversee all milking operations, ensuring procedures are followed to maintain the quality of milk and herd health. Setting and achieving targets for milk quality, and improvements on milk yields are essential. Review, reset and implement robust milking protocols, addressing issues promptly. Record and treat cows using data sheets to meet compliance requirements. Coordinate projects, engineers and contractors to resolve parlour, tank or refrigeration issues.
• Grazing Management: Support in the planning and management of grazing schedules, to ensure optimisation of pasture use and animal nutrition with the grassland team. Monitor grass growth and quality, adjusting plans as required. Provide weekly sheets to outline paddock management, and communication with tractor operators on paddocks to mow and add slurry. Record plate meter readings regularly.
• Calf Health and Nutrition: Be responsible for the management of calf rearing practices, ensuring the health, growth and welfare of youngstock through effective protocols. Implement and monitor feeding programs. Management of cow colostrum with experience of storing, thawing and calf colostrum quality testing being an advantage. Monthly weighing and recording of weights are desired to meet soil association and milk supplier contracts. Drive low calf mortality along with weights.
• Artificial Insemination: Lead AI programs and procedures, ensuring optimal breeding success and genetic improvement. Work with external providers to ensure staff cover is supplied during staff shortages. Achieve a strong submission rate over 75%, walking cows twice a day, and driving heat detection. Hitting a pregnancy rate of close to 30% is preferred, or an empty rate of less than 10%. Ensuring cows have collars added on when entering the herd.
• Foot Trimming and Herd Health: Oversee regular foot trimming, lameness prevention, and foot baths, to ensure hoof health is managed effectively. Work closely with vets to maintain a comprehensive herd health plan. Record and make lists for foot trimmer on bi-weekly visits. Identify and lift lame cows promptly. Dairyland trained trimming is preferred but not essential.
• Winter Housing: Ensure the team are scraping the yard regularly alongside bed and lime the cubicles regularly. Delegate tasks to the team for clean water troughs and feed passageways regularly.
• Dairyland Initiative: Implement and promote sustainable farming practices in line with the Dairyland Initiative. Engage with the wider agricultural community to ensure the farm remains at the forefront of industry best practices.
• Grassland Societies, Networking and Pride of Work: Represent the farms in local farm walks, sharing knowledge and having a focus on driving staff focus. Have "show farm pride" mentality where the farm is kept tidy for visitors.
• Veterinary Collaboration: Work closely with veterinary professionals to monitor and maintain the overall health and welfare of the herd. Ensure timely intervention and treatment of health issues, maintaining detailed health records. Ensure cows are vaccinated at the right time yearly and organise staff to assist with this.
• Systems, Data and Compliance: Use Uniform Agri software daily for herd management records, analysis and reporting. Ensure accurate completion of all farm diaries (Vet & Med, AI, NMR). Apply Cow Signals principles and ROMS locomotion scoring to improve welfare and performance.
• Busy Times of Year: Take responsibility for being present during the busiest times of the year which include April - June and August - December.

Candidate Requirements

• Proven experience in dairy herd management with a strong background in all aspects of dairy farming.
• Expertise in artificial insemination, calf health, nutrition, and foot trimming.
• Familiarity with grazing management, fertility, milking operations, and sustainable farming practices.
• Proficient in the use of Uniform Agri software.
• Training in Cow Signals and ROMS locomotion is essential.
• Excellent leadership and staff management skills.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks effectively.

We thank all applicants who apply for this role. However, please be advised that only those shortlisted for an interview will be contacted. Please be assured that your job application will be managed in complete confidence and your personal details will not be passed to any third party without your prior permission.