Dairy Herd Supervisor job description
A dairy herd supervisor runs the daily care, feeding and milking of a herd on a dairy farm. The business needs steady milk yield, healthy animals and a clean shed routine.
Why the role exists
The herd supervisor looks after the animals and the shed team every day. The person reports to the dairy farm manager or owner and leads milkers, feeders and shed cleaners. A missed heat, a sick cow or a feed error shows up quickly in milk output and cost.
What the person does
- Run the morning and evening milking schedule and check that milkers follow the set hygiene routine.
- Check each animal at feeding for appetite, gait, udder condition and signs of heat or illness.
- Prepare feed rations as advised by the nutritionist or vet, covering green fodder, silage, dry fodder and concentrate.
- Record milk yield by animal and by session, and flag any sudden drop to the farm manager.
- Keep breeding, calving, dry-off and vaccination records and tell the vet when animals are due.
- Supervise shed washing, bedding, drainage and dung handling so the shed stays clean and dry.
- Call the veterinarian early for sick animals and carry out the treatment steps the vet advises.
- Manage the shift roster for milkers and helpers, and look after milking machine cleaning and daily checks.
Skills and tools
- Milking routine, teat dipping and udder health checks
- Reading heat signs and keeping breeding records
- Ration balancing basics with green fodder, silage and concentrate
- Milking machine operation and cleaning in place routines
- Spotting early signs of mastitis, lameness and fever
- Calf and heifer care and weaning routines
- Shed hygiene, fly control and heat stress management in summer
- Daily herd registers or a herd management app
Education and experience
Preferred, never a bar: equivalent experience counts.
- Preferred: dairy or animal husbandry diploma, or equivalent experience in a commercial dairy.
- Preferred: several years handling milking herds of crossbred or improved breeds.
- Useful: experience supervising shed staff on split shifts, including early mornings.
- Useful: familiarity with herd records on registers or a herd management app.
How the work is judged
- Milk yield per animal and per herd compared with the plan, within the feed cost set
- Udder health and milk quality results reported by the collection or lab team
- Completeness of breeding, calving and vaccination records
- Time taken to notice and report sick or heat animals
- Shed cleanliness and hygiene seen on inspection
Where the role can lead
- Dairy farm manager responsible for a whole herd and budget
- Herd manager across several sheds or a larger commercial dairy
- Dairy extension or support role with a milk company or cooperative
Interview questions to ask
Ask every candidate the same questions in the same order and score them against written anchors, so the decision rests on the work and not the impression.
- How do you notice that a cow is coming into heat, and what do you record when you do?
- Milk yield from the herd drops suddenly in one week. What do you check first and in what order?
- Describe how you train a new milker to follow the hygiene routine.
- How do you manage feeding when green fodder becomes scarce in summer?
- What would you do if you find two cows with swollen udders at evening milking?
- Tell us about a time you had to handle a calving that was not going smoothly.
Hiring tips for this role
- Watch the candidate handle an animal if you can. Calm, confident handling matters more than a long list of claims.
- Ask for their breeding and yield record habits. Poor records often mean missed heats and late treatment.
- Check the shift fit. Milking starts before dawn, so confirm availability and housing near the shed before the offer.
- Animal medicines and treatment depend on the vet. Make clear what the supervisor may do alone, and confirm limits with your own adviser.
Questions about hiring a dairy herd supervisor
The herd supervisor runs animal care, milking and shed staff. The farm manager also handles budget, feed purchase, milk sale, equipment and reporting to the owner.
It depends on shed layout, machines and staff. Agree a reasonable herd size and number of helpers in the job description, and review it when the herd grows.
Treatment depends on the veterinarian's advice and local rules. State clearly what the supervisor may do alone and what needs a vet, and confirm this with your own adviser.
GullyHR agrees the job description with you, finds and screens candidates with real dairy experience, and supports the offer. This is permanent hiring for your dairy.
Hiring a dairy herd supervisor?
GullyHR runs talent acquisition for permanent roles. We agree the job description with you, find and screen candidates against it, and support the offer through to joining. We recruit permanent employees. We do not supply contract or temporary staff.