Dairy Specialist

Position Overview

Dairy specialists work with farmers and feed companies to develop recommendations for animal nutrition. They are often called on by dairy farms and must troubleshoot to solve a wide variety of problems. They are considered advisors for dairy producers as they know what the best feeding programs are to implement, taking into consideration both economics and nutrition. They provide their customers with support and training in relation to proper ration formulation. Having a career as a dairy specialist often requires a lot of research in order to keep up-to-date with recent developments in the dairy industry to ensure they provide accurate recommendations; sometimes this can include attending conferences on nutrition. They will work with other diary specialists and the company's technical team regularly to coordinate the sales process with potential clients.

Dairy Specialist Duties

• Work individually or as part of a team to support customers (such as technical services)
• Deliver training to farmers
• Ration formulation
• Troubleshoot on the farm
• Help grow and support the dairy business
• Nutrition research

Typical Employers

• Consulting firms
• Feed manufacturers
• Large scale dairy farms
• Agriculture companies

Required Education and Training

At minimum, candidates should have a bachelor's degree in nutrition, animal science, or dairy science. Candidates who have a masters or Ph.D. are preferred. Ideally, individuals who apply should have at least 3 years of experience in dairy production, dairy sales, or agriculture sales. The candidate should understand ration balancing and have the ambition to grow the dairy industry. As diary specialists often have to travel across the region to different farms, they should have a valid driver's license.

Key Skills and Qualities

• Ability to time manage effectively
• Technical skills
• Strong customer service skills
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment
• Strong relationship building skills
• Good at problem solving/troubleshooting
• Self-motivated
• Highly organised
• Strong communications skills, both verbal and written
• Ability to collect and analyze data