MANAGEMENT

Ah, yes, one of the dairy manager’s most cringe-worthy duties, creating the employee schedule. You think you have it all figured out, and then someone needs a day off, or better yet, your employees want a different schedule all together.

As 2018 comes to a close, it is time to plan for 2019. As your dairy business continues to change, business planning becomes more critical than ever.

When someone mentions A.I., minds in the dairy business immediately think about artificial insemination. However, this article will focus on a different type of A.I. Regardless of our personal views on the issue, artificial intelligence (A.I.) technology is here to stay and should not be ignored.

Editor’s note: This article is the second in a two-part series. Click here to read part-one "Are your ready and equipped to lead business succession?"

In the first article, which appeared in the Oct. 1, 2018 issue of Progressive Dairyman, I focused on the leadership, parenting and mentoring required by parents from birth of their children to the time they do or do not return to the dairy farm business.

Over the years, I’ve heard just about every reason why a client “needs” to buy the 40 acres next door. Let’s run through a few of them.

You’re busy – milking cows, feeding cows, managing employees, attending the Royal Winter Fair, etc. With that in mind, Progressive Dairyman introduces this column: “What Happened? What’s Next?” In recognition of your time, we’ll attempt to summarize recent events or actions making dairy headlines that will have an impact on your farm business.