Feed Operations Manager at Mayfly Agri (Pty) Ltd

• A proud, fully integrated dairy company is seeking the above to be responsible for overseeing all aspects of feed production — from raw material procurement and inventory to mixing, quality assurance, and delivery — ensuring that high-quality, nutritionally precise dairy feed is produced safely, on time, and at optimal cost to support maximum herd performance and farm profitability.

Minimum requirements for the role:

• Must have a tertiary qualification in Animal Science, Agricultural Engineering, Feed Technology, Food Science/Technology, or a related field
• Minimum 3–5 years' proven experience in feed mill / feed factory management, TMR production, or animal feed processing, preferably in a dairy or livestock farming environment
• 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
• Effective communicator and team player able to work collaboratively across departments (feed, dairy, farm management)
• Hands-on leader with strong problem-solving skills and a practical approach to farm-based operations
• Excellent command of English (spoken and written), high computer literacy (Microsoft Office suite, especially Excel for reporting/inventory)
• High attention to detail, organizational ability, and commitment to safety and quality
• Self-motivated, resilient, and comfortable in a rural, agricultural environment with potential variable hours during peak seasons
• Must have a valid driver’s license

The successful candidate will be responsible for:

• Managing day-to-day operations of the on-farm feed mill and TMR mixing facility, ensuring efficient, safe, and uninterrupted production schedules.
• Overseeing procurement of raw materials (grains, forages, concentrates, additives, minerals), including sourcing, supplier negotiations, quality checks, and cost optimization.
• Maintaining accurate inventory control for raw materials, finished feeds, and consumables, implementing stock rotation, minimizing waste, and preventing shortages or overstocking.
• Supervising the formulation, mixing, and production of high-quality TMR and supplementary feeds in strict adherence to nutritional specifications, recipes, and dairy herd requirements.
• Implementing and enforcing comprehensive quality control procedures, including sampling, testing, record-keeping, and corrective actions to ensure feed meets nutritional, hygiene, and safety standards.
• Leading, training, motivating, and supervising feed mill staff (operators, mixers, maintenance, loaders), including scheduling, performance management, safety training, and compliance with labour regulations.
• Collaborating closely with the Dairy Manager to align feed production with herd nutritional plans, milk yield targets, reproduction goals, and seasonal variations in forage availability.
• Monitoring production costs and efficiency metrics (e.g., milling losses, energy use, throughput) while implementing continuous improvement initiatives to reduce expenses and maintain quality.
• Ensuring full compliance with health, safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements, including occupational safety, waste management, feed hygiene standards, and biosecurity protocols.
• Preparing regular reports on production output, inventory status, cost variances, quality results, and operational performance for senior management, troubleshooting issues, and recommending upgrades or process improvements.