Feed Management - January 2013 - 8
8| [ COVERSTORY ] be generated automatically. Combine that with information about what group of livestock are being fed and what stage of the feeding plan the group is at, and the mill can begin to predict orders-avoiding the Saturday "I'm out of feed" call. The ultimate step in automation is allowing customers to directly enter their own orders using a website, but mills have been reluctant to offer that service. "People tell us they'd like for customers to enter their own orders, but that self- Efficiency inevitably goes up when ordering is done with software and not by hand. service piece still offers risk to the mill if there's an error," said Lori Harner. Harner worked for Microsoft for Cost Cost is another consideration. A system can cost many years before joining FMS as senior marketing manager three years ago. $75,000 to $200,000 depending on the number of users, sites and features. "Automating feed ordering is Make a successful leap to an automated feed order system by: the cream of the systems," said Cam McCollough, a software services and support technician with Easy Automation Inc., another Minnesota-based feed automation ✔Working with a company that understands the feed industry and the unique processes within a mill. Automation is not a one-size-fits-all businesses company. "Feed mills can see how auto- approach. ✔Knowing your business and what your needs are before deciding on a software mating mill operations and batch- solution. What information do you need and how do you want to see it? ing will allow improved efficiency. Different security levels can be built into programs so that the account But making an investment into information that order clerks see is different than what the nutritionist sees and automated feed ordering doesn't that is different than what the mill manager can access. have as visible of a pay off. If the ✔Demanding that the system be easy to use and generate reports with data that will help you make decisions. ✔Selecting a system that is compatible with others you or your customers are already using. If most of your regular customers are using one production margins aren't there, it's easy to say, "Let them keep calling in their orders like they've always done," McCollough added. services company, make sure your feed order system will share data with that program. Compatibility between the feed ordering system and the mill's accounting program will also make bookkeeping easier. Cloud computing Another issue is that mill managers don't want to be forced to WATTAgNet.com | January/February 2013
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