Description
Animal feed operators tend various animal feed processing machines in industrial plants such as mixing machines, filling machines, and loading machines.
Other titles
The following job titles also refer to animal feed operator:
animal feed worker
animal feeder
feeder
feed worker
Minimum qualifications
A high school diploma is generally required to work as an animal feed operator.
ISCO skill level
ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:
- the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
- the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
- the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.
Animal feed operator is a Skill level 2 occupation.
Animal feed operator career path
Similar occupations
These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to animal feed operator.
blender operator
fruit-press operator
candy machine operator
cocoa mill operator
cocoa press operator
Long term prospects
These occupations require some skills and knowledge of animal feed operator. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of animal feed operator with a significant experience and/or extensive training.
animal feed supervisor
green coffee coordinator
malt house supervisor
water treatment systems operator
green coffee buyer
Essential knowledge and skills
Essential knowledge
This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of animal feed operator.
- Prepared animal feeds: Composition, nutritional specifications and formulas of animal feeds. Feed additives, energy values, nutritional and supplemental needs depending on different species. Feed requirements according to legislation in force.
- Prepared animal feeds contamination hazards: Contamination and spoilage hazards related to animal feeds. Prevention and reaction.
Essential skills and competences
These skills are necessary for the role of animal feed operator.
- Inspect silo systems: Inspect silo systems to minimise any harmful emissions during their use.
- Tolerate strong smells: Tolerate strong smells expelled by the goods being processed during the production of goods.
- Disassemble equipment: Disassembles equipment using hand tools in order to clean equipments and to perform regular operational maintenance.
- Operate forklift: Operate a forklift, a vehicle with a pronged device in front for lifting and carrying heavy loads.
- Tend prepared animal feeds equipment: Use equipment and material handling for the production of prepared animal feeds. Perform maintenance to machinery and ensure steady production ratios and productivity.
- Manage the reception of raw materials for animal feeds: Ensuring procurement and reception of raw materials, planning and execution of production, as well as the loading and dispatching of feed.
- Perform cleaning duties: Perform cleaning duties such as waste removal, vacuuming, emptying bins, and general cleaning of the working area. Cleaning activities should follow health and safety regulations if required.
- Clean food and beverage machinery: Clean machinery used for food or beverage production processes. Prepare the appropriate solutions for cleaning. Prepare all parts and assure that they are clean enough to avoid deviation or errors in the production process.
- Apply HACCP: Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).
- Administer ingredients in food production: ngredients to be added and the required amounts according to the recipe and the way those ingredients are to be administered.
- Follow evaluation procedures of materials at reception: Oversee the delivery of incoming materials and follow a detailed procedure to evaluate and assess their characteristics accordingly.
- Be at ease in unsafe environments: Be at ease in unsafe environments like being exposed to dust, rotating equipment, hot surfaces, sub-freezing and cold storage areas, noise, wet floors and moving lift equipment.
- Adhere to organisational guidelines: Adhere to organisational or department specific standards and guidelines. Understand the motives of the organisation and the common agreements and act accordingly.
- Apply requirements concerning manufacturing of food and beverages: Apply and follow national, international, and internal requirements quoted in standards, regulations and other specifications related with manufacturing of food and beverages.
- Apply GMP: Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
- Carry out checks of production plant equipment: Carry out checks of the machinery and equipment used in the production plant. Ensure that the machinery is working properly, set machines before usage, and assure continuous operability of the equipment.
- Adapt efficient food processing practices: Ensure to adapt the most efficient production techniques to accomplish food processing tasks with the least amount of time, effort and costs.
- Have computer literacy: Utilise computers, IT equipment and modern day technology in an efficient way.
- Dispose prepared animal feeds waste: Dispose prepared animal feeds waste while striving to minimise the environmental impact of feed compositions. Follow the relevant legislation.
- Control odours from prepared animal feeds production: Control the odours generated during grinding, heating, and cooling, the discharge of liquid waste, and other emissions. May use thermal oxidiser for the purpose.
- Fill sacks: Fills sacks with feeds coming from a sack holder machine.
Optional knowledge and skills
Optional knowledge
This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of animal feed operator. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Health, safety and hygiene legislation: The set of health, safety and hygiene standards and items of legislation applicable in a specific sector.
- Food legislation: Legislation related to the food and feed industry including food manufacturing, hygiene, safety, raw materials, additives, GMOs, labelling, environmental and trade regulations.
Optional skills and competences
These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of animal feed operator. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Set up equipment for food production: Set up machinery and equipment for food production. Make sure that controls, settings, and input requirements are according to the required standards.
- Label foodstuffs: Uses adequate equipment to place label on food goods.
- Apply extruding techniques: Apply specific techniques for extrusion process in the food industry.
- Measure ph: Measuring pH which is a measure of acidity or alkalinity.
- Check quality of products on the production line: Check products for quality on the production line and remove defective items before and after packaging.
- Follow hygienic procedures during food processing: Ensure a clean working space according to hygienic standards in the food processing industry.
- Lift heavy weights: Lift heavy weights and apply ergonomic lifting techniques to avoid damaging the body.
- Work in a food processing team: Collaborate in a team with other food processing professionals in service of the food and beverages industry.
- Ensure compliance with environmental legislation in food production: Make sure to comply with environmental legislation in food production. Understand the legislation related to environmental matters in food manufacturing and apply it in practice.
- Label samples: Label raw material/ product samples for laboratory checks, according to implemented quality system.
ISCO group and title
8160 – Food and related products machine operators
References
- Animal feed operator – ESCO