STOCKMENUK SKILLS MATRIX
Note: throughout this document the terms herdsman and assistant herdsman are used. The male is also to be interpreted as the female and are to be taken as interchangeable.
This skills matrix outlines the skills required for the major job roles found on UK dairy farms. It is intended to provide a benchmark against which people involved in the industry can assess their level of skills, identify gaps in current skills for a current position and identify skills required for career progression. For people considering a career in the industry it gives a measure of the type of skills required for various levels in the industry. For employers it provides a checklist against which they can assess and objectively compare candidates.
It is important to remember that all farms are different and that the skills required for the same job may vary between farms e.g. on one farm DIY AI may be a requirement but not on another. Therefore the matrix is not prescriptive but acts as a guide of the types of skills required. It provides a specification which is appropriate across the industry and allows users to assess the total skills that might be required.
The matrix is based on a continuous scale of skill development achieved through a combination of pre-employment training and education, continued formal education, training course and on the job mentoring and training. It is divided into three broad positions which provide benchmarks along the progression through a career coinciding with the common understanding of the traditional job titles. The benchmarks are not absolute as for example some farms may not have people at all three positions so additional skills may be needed at different levels.
Assistant herdsman at the assistant level, tasks will be carried out with supervision and the person will have a basic understanding of the importance of tasks, how and why they are carried out and the consequence/cost of error.
Herdsman at the herdsman level, skills and understanding are such that tasks can be carried out independently within the farm policy and performance can be reviewed and corrective action considered
Herd manager at the manager level, tasks can be carried out independently, policy for the farm is developed and other staff are effectively led in the execution of tasks
Relief Staff
It is appreciated that relief staff are an integral part of the dairy farm labour structure and that they can operate across the full range of job titles from basic milker to herdmanager. It is expected that anyone working in a relief/temporary category must have the skills required for the level at which they operate e.g. a relief/temporary herd manager must be proficient at all the areas required by a herd manager.
The tasks and skills are categorised into four sections:
- Technical
- Personal
- Management
- Bio-security and health & safety
Technical skills are further subdivided into
- Milking cows
- Cow welfare and health
- Feeding and nutrition
- Forage management
- Machinery operation
The extent of involvement in particular tasks on a day to day basis will vary with experience and responsibility. For example, while a herd manager may not milk daily, he must be able to observe on milk technique, offer instruction and modify the routine in the light of new developments.
Health and safety awareness and biosecurity appreciation are implicit requirements in the acquisition of all skills
Report options
The following printouts can be down loaded as a pdf. Click on the report name to download the pdf.
- Total Skills Matrix
- Skills required by an assistant herdsman
- Skills required by a herdsman
- Skills required by a herd manager
- Recruitment checklist/skills assessment checklist for an assistant herdsman containing skills required and a tick box for acceptable level
- Recruitment checklist/skills assessment checklist for a herdsman containing skills required and a tick box for acceptable level
- Recruitment checklist/skills assessment checklist for a herd manager containing skills required and a tick box for acceptable level
The recruitment checklist/skills assessment checklist is designed to help when recruiting a new member of staff or when discussing progress with a current member of staff. It contains columns for skill level required and assessed score.
When recruiting a member of staff you can identify which skills the success candidate must have and the level of competence required.
When assessing performance of a current member of staff you can enter the skill level required and your assessment of the skills level achieved so far as a way of identifying future training and skills development needs.
We would recommend using the following scale
Assessment: 1 = performance/skill level below level required, 2 = adequate, 3 = proficient, 4 = fully satisfactory.
