Lean dairy farming: making it happen

A. Ryan1, A. Ahearne2, P, O’Connor3 and M. Beecher1 1Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre,Teagasc Moorepark, Fermoy, Co.

Cork, Ireland. 2 Scart Dairy Farm, Cappagh, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford.

3Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre,Teagasc Grange, Dunsany, Co.

Meath, Ireland.

National Dairy Conference

3rd and 5th December 2019

Lean focuses on cutting out waste, whilst ensuring quality

• Henry Ford

• Toyota in Japan

Many farmers are already implementing Lean without realising it

• Measurement

• Small steps - CHANGE

Why implement Lean? Where is your waste?

• Reduce costs

• Too much work

• Fire fighting – no plan or structure

Introduction

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Farm hours worked: Jan - June

1883 2157

2558

3230

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50-90 90-140 140-240 240+

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Herd size

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Lean dairy farm: making it happen, NDC 2019 Hogan et al. 2019

X

Farm hours worked: Jan - June

26.2

18.8

14.4

11.3

1883 2157

2558

3230

0

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1500

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50-90 90-140 140-240 240+

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hours/cow

total farm hours

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Lean dairy farm: making it happen, NDC 2019 Hogan et al. 2019

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Benefits of Lean

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Increase

profitability

– less waste

Improve work

conditions

– satisfaction

Save time

– efficient

practices

Improve

safety

8 deadly wastes

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WASTE Type Example of WASTE types

TRANSPORT

(materials) Poor farmyard layout resulting in excessive movement of

materials

INVENTORY Excess machinery, keeping cull cows for too long, expired

items

MOTION

(people)

Walking, lifting, searching, moving, carrying

WAITING Meal, vaccines, machinery, people

OVER PRODUCTION Overgrown grass

OVER PROCESSING

Over-cooling, recording too much information, or duplicating

paper work

DEFECTS

(inferior quality) Antibiotic milk, machinery breakdown, low milk solids,

unhealthy cows

SKILLS Not training new employees correctly or at all

Visualisation Example 1: Large Farm Map

Communication

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Example of a Farm Map

Design

Guidelines: Farm satellite map/

printed on white aluminum

Cost: <€100

How it works: mark paddocks to

be grazed after each farm walk,

for contractor (slurry/ fertiliser/

silage)

Visualisation Example 2: Workstation

Assess current status of the farm

Communication

Organisation

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Example of a workstation

Design

Guidelines: white board, tape, white

board marker, planner, roster

Cost: <€100

How it works: Weekly 30 min.

meeting, stand up

Key to success: Allow time for

people to get used to it

Case Study: Aidan Ahearne

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Partnership: Aidan, Lisa &Thomas

Cappagh, Co. Waterford

Craig, Nicky & Stephen,

207 crossbred cows on 82 ha

16 unit herringbone parlour (13 rows)

ACR, manual drafting

Milking Process

• Remove waste using

Lean principles

» 5S, Standardisation

Measurement Day 1 Day 2

First cluster on 07.08am 07.08am

Last cluster off 08.38am 08.33am

Time taken to treat cow for

mastitis

- -

No. of times exited parlour

pit

14 6

Milking duration 1hr 30min 1hr 25min

Average row time 6min26 sec 6min04 sec

Milking process start time 06.40am 06.32am

Milking process finish time 09.40am 09.10am

Total time: milking process

(hrs.)

3hr 2hr 38min

Case study: Milking process

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5mins

20mins

1. Cow flow: improve cow flow

2. Cow flow: hang gates

3. Reduce times operator exiting parlour pit

4. Teat spraying system

5. Slow milkers

6. Visual mgmt.: yellow tape- 4th cluster

7. 5S board: parlour pit

8. 5S plan: dairy and plant room

9. Fix leaky water pipes

10. Keep large water hose tidy

11. Wash yards immediately after milking

12. Develop a SOP for milking & washing

Recommendations

Case Study: Milking process

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Cow flow Visual & 5S

10 13

23

27

30

47

51

58

62

79

40

12

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5S

What is 5S? Process for organising, cleaning and maintaining a workplace

Creates a safe, standard, efficient and effective workplace

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Case study: 5S

Before

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After

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Case study: 5S Before After

Case study: 5S

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Before After

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What is Standardisation?

Standardised work is an agreed set of work procedures

Useful for repetitive processes that need to be done regularly by

different people

SOP

Visual

Location

Update

Training

Case study: Standardisation – milking process

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Standard operating procedure (SOP)

Lean lessons learned

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Aidan Ahearne

Perception v reality – some jobs not

as long as perceived

Lean gave the structure needed to tidy

the area

“Walk before you run” start in an area

that is small enough to give you a

‘quick win’

Cleaning is addictive – but first step is

the hardest!

Excellent routine

& low wastage,

high quality

product

Saved: 40 min/ d

Conclusion

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LEAN

• 8 WASTES

• VISUALISATION

• 5S

• STANDARDISATION

• SAVES TIME

• EXCELLENT

QUALITY

• LESS WASTE

BENEFITS 2020

• REPEAT THIS

EXCERISE ON YOUR

FARM (DISCUSSION

GROUP)

Thank you to Aidan

for his enthusiasm

and willingness in

this project

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