Dairy Milking Supervisor Job Description

This Dairy Milking Supervisor job description sets out the main duties, qualifications, skills and measures of success for the role, which is also known as Parlour Manager, Milking Manager, Head Milker or Parlour Supervisor. Download it free as a Word or PDF template and adapt it for your own vacancy.

Download Word template

Download PDF

Job title	Dairy Milking Supervisor
Also known as	Parlour Manager, Milking Manager, Head Milker, Parlour Supervisor
Department	Dairy farming
Reports to	Farm Manager
Direct reports	Milkers and parlour assistants

What does a Dairy Milking Supervisor do?

The Milking Supervisor runs the parlour day to day, making sure every milking is clean, calm, on time and produces high-quality milk. The role leads the milking team, protects udder health, looks after parlour and cooling equipment, and keeps clear records for management.

Dairy Milking Supervisor duties and responsibilities

Milking routine

Plan and run each milking to the set timetable, usually two or three times a day
Make sure every milker follows the agreed routine of pre-dip, fore-strip, wipe, attach and post-dip
Keep cow flow and parlour throughput steady and remove bottlenecks
Divert milk from treated or high cell count cows so it never reaches the bulk tank
Hand over clearly between shifts

Hygiene and milk quality

Set and enforce hygiene standards for staff, the parlour, equipment and the dairy
Check that plant wash routines run correctly after every milking
Monitor teat condition and udder cleanliness before and after milking
Track bulk milk results for cell count, bacteria and residues and act on any rise
Keep the parlour ready for milk buyer and farm assurance inspections

Cow health and welfare

Watch for mastitis, lameness and stress during milking and report cases at once
Carry out California Mastitis Test (CMT) checks when needed
Mark and record treated cows clearly in the parlour
Insist on quiet, patient handling with no rough treatment of cows

Team leadership

Train new milkers and refresh the skills of the existing team
Draw up milking rotas and allocate parlour duties
Monitor performance and deal with conduct issues fairly
Enforce safety and biosecurity rules in and around the parlour

Equipment, supplies and records

Check milking machines, vacuum, pulsation and milk cooling every day
Report faults quickly and arrange routine servicing
See that clusters, hoses and tools are used, cleaned and stored correctly
Keep stocks of teat dips, gloves, liners, filters and cleaning chemicals topped up
Record daily yields, cow problems, treatments, cleaning and maintenance and report them to management

Dairy Milking Supervisor qualifications and experience

Essential

Several years' milking experience on a commercial dairy, including time as a supervisor
Proven record of running a milking team and parlour routine
Good knowledge of mastitis prevention, milk hygiene and milk quality testing
Experience with modern parlours, such as herringbone, rotary or parallel systems
Understanding of the milk hygiene regulations that apply in the country of work

Desirable

Diploma or degree in animal science, dairy technology or a related subject
Formal training in milking technique, mastitis control or milk hygiene
HACCP or milk quality assurance certificate
Experience of robotic milking or parlour automation
Experience on a large, well-managed dairy unit

Skills and attributes

Leadership and team management
High standards of hygiene and attention to detail
Calm, skilled cow handling
Basic mechanical understanding and fault-finding
Accurate record keeping and reporting
Clear communication
Good time management and sound decisions under pressure

How success is measured

Bulk milk cell count and bacteria within buyer targets
New clinical mastitis cases per month
No antibiotic residue failures
Milkings started and finished on schedule
Parlour throughput in cows per hour
Rota fully covered by trained staff

Working conditions and safety

Shift work in the parlour, including early mornings, evenings, weekends and public holidays on a rota. Waterproof PPE, gloves and boots are worn, and the supervisor covers for absent milkers when needed.

Follow health and safety rules and safe systems of work, and wear the correct PPE
Follow animal welfare, biosecurity and medicine-use procedures at all times
Report hazards, accidents, near misses and concerns promptly

Dairy Milking Supervisor interview questions

Use these questions to assess candidates for a Dairy Milking Supervisor role. Each one includes what a good answer shows.

Talk me through the milking routine you expect every milker to follow, and why each step matters.
What a good answer shows: Explains pre-dip, fore-strip, wipe, attach and post-dip, linking each step to let-down, hygiene and udder health.
What daily checks do you make on vacuum, pulsation and milk cooling?
What a good answer shows: Knows correct vacuum levels, liner condition, pulsation function and cooling times, and reports faults before milk quality suffers.
How do you monitor teat condition, and what would you do about rising teat-end damage?
What a good answer shows: Scores teats regularly and checks vacuum, liners, pulsation and over-milking before changing the routine.
How do you keep cow flow and parlour throughput steady?
What a good answer shows: Plans groups, handles cows calmly, removes bottlenecks and keeps the milking routine consistent across milkers.
Bulk milk bacteria counts have doubled in a week. How do you find the cause?
What a good answer shows: Checks plant wash, water temperature, chemicals, liners, cooling and teat preparation systematically before making changes.
The vacuum pump fails halfway through milking. What do you do?
What a good answer shows: Stays calm, protects cows and milk, arranges repair or backup and informs the Farm Manager straight away.
How do you make sure milk from treated cows never reaches the bulk tank?
What a good answer shows: Uses clear marking, records, separate milking or diversion, and checks at every shift handover.
How do you check that plant wash routines are working properly after every milking?
What a good answer shows: Checks water temperature, chemical levels, cycle completion and records, and investigates any failure immediately.
How would you deal with a milker who handles cows roughly?
What a good answer shows: Acts immediately to protect the cows, addresses it directly and fairly, retrains and follows through if it continues.
How would you train a new milker to the standard you expect?
What a good answer shows: Demonstrates, supervises closely, explains the reasons and checks competence before they milk unsupervised.

Hiring a Dairy Milking Supervisor? Advertise your vacancy on Dairy Jobs and reach a combined network of over 250,000 dairy professionals worldwide, or ask our team about recruitment support. Looking for a Dairy Milking Supervisor job? Browse live dairy jobs or create a free job alert.

Related dairy job descriptions

Frequently asked questions

What does a Dairy Milking Supervisor do?

What qualifications does a Dairy Milking Supervisor need?

Employers usually look for: several years' milking experience on a commercial dairy, including time as a supervisor; proven record of running a milking team and parlour routine; good knowledge of mastitis prevention, milk hygiene and milk quality testing.

Who does a Dairy Milking Supervisor report to?

A Dairy Milking Supervisor usually reports to the Farm Manager. Direct reports typically include milkers and parlour assistants.

Can I use this Dairy Milking Supervisor job description for my own vacancy?

Yes. Download the free Word template, add your location, contract and salary details, and adapt the duties to your site. You can then advertise the role on Dairy Jobs.