There are many organizations that offer farms a variety of different services, but it’s the people actually providing the service that really make the difference. As a service organization, Dairy One prides itself on its people. They often come from agricultural backgrounds themselves and have an appreciation and respect for the important work farmers do.
Feedlync, not unlike our other services, is made more valuable by the people and faces providing installation and support to its users. As one Feedlync customer says, “It’s more valuable to me because I know there is a reliable, knowledgeable team supporting it when I run into problems.”
Here’s a chance to get to know some of the key players on that team and hear from them on why they think Feedlync is such a valuable tool.
Doug Hoellerer, Farm Service Installation Tech
Doug joined the Dairy One team in August of 2021. In his role as Farm Service Installation Tech, Doug spends his time installing, maintaining, and fixing precision farming and feeding hardware including Feedlync hardware and mixers. As he puts it simply, “I fix things.”
Prior to coming to Dairy One, Doug worked on a large dairy in the Finger Lakes region. Most of his work was focused on crop production, but he also spent a lot of time working with hardware and feed management tools. In his current role, Doug comes into contact with Feedlync users on a regular basis. One of the things he says they all value from the program is the additional management support it provides for their feeding programs, particularly when it comes to managing inventory. Through his own experiences and training, one aspect of Feedlync he could see farms taking better advantage of is the reporting feature.
Unlike some other feed management systems he has experienced, Doug says one of the most valuable assets of Feedlync is the Dairy One support system.
Amanda Mitcheltree, Dairy Management Support Specialist
Amanda joined the Dairy One team in July of 2021. As a Dairy Management Support Specialist, her main responsibility is providing software support for feeding and herd management software users. Before coming to Dairy One, Amanda worked as a dairy nutritionist for over 5 years which gave her experience using a number of different feeding softwares.
One of the aspects of Feedlync she feels is the most valuable is the ability to use Feedlync from anywhere. Whether it be a phone, tablet, or laptop, as long as there is a web browser, farmers are able to access the program.
“Of course, one of the most valuable Feedlync features, in my opinion, is the ability to confirm the proper diets are getting fed. Monitoring mixing errors (mixing, delivery, etc.) and tracking dry matter intake (DMI) are other great tools that Feedlync provides. The inventory tracking feature is another key benefit when used properly.”
Tim Lewis, Customer Success Consultant
Tim has been with Dairy One since January of 2020. He is focused on helping farms reach optimal yield in order to have optimal feed performance. He does this by pairing data and technology to identify tools for automation, integration, and individual variable management. Tim was raised in a family feed business and remembers mixing concentrates using index ration cards and bagging mineral blends. A tool like Feedlync allows farms to streamline this process and measure every variable of a ration for the most accuracy.
Tim has found that one of the aspects of Feedlync its users most value is that it is simple, easy to use, and practical. He also finds it advantageous that the program was developed by people who have cows and have the first-hand experience and knowledge needed.
An aspect of feed management Tim sees as an opportunity for improvement on is mixer maintenance and inspections. “Feedlync is an intense management tool. Having well-maintained equipment that is performing as it should is key to Feedlync giving accurate data and measurements,” says Tim.
For more information about Feedlync, contact Dairy One’s Integrated Farming Solutions by emailing [email protected] or calling (607) 257-1272.