Louis Trichardt: Feed Operations Manager

About the Role

The Feed Operations Manager is a critical role in our farm-based operations, responsible for managing the day-to-day activities of the on-farm feed mill and TMR mixing facility. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in animal science or a related field, with extensive experience in feed mill management, TMR production, or animal feed processing.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day operations of the on-farm feed mill and TMR mixing facility, ensuring efficient, safe, and uninterrupted production schedules.
• Oversee procurement of raw materials (grains, forages, concentrates, additives, minerals), including sourcing, supplier negotiations, quality checks, and cost optimization.
• Maintain accurate inventory control for raw materials, finished feeds, and consumables, implementing stock rotation, minimizing waste, and preventing shortages or overstocking.
• Supervise the formulation, mixing, and production of high-quality TMR and supplementary feeds in strict adherence to nutritional specifications, recipes, and dairy herd requirements.
• Implement and enforce comprehensive quality control procedures, including sampling, testing, record-keeping, and corrective actions to ensure feed meets nutritional, hygiene, and safety standards.

Requirements

• Minimum 35 years’ proven experience in feed mill / feed factory management, TMR production, or animal feed processing.
• Demonstrated knowledge of dairy cattle nutrition, TMR formulation principles, raw material quality assessment, and feed safety regulations (e.g., HACCP, R158, or equivalent standards).
• Strong operational management experience, including team supervision, inventory control, procurement, and cost management in a production setting.

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification in Animal Science, Agricultural Engineering, Feed Technology, Food Science/Technology, or a related field.