What is Lean?
Lean is about creating more value by using fewer resources. Lean means “slim” and aims to increase productivity through efficiency improvement. They say that Lean is organized common sense.
Lean is about creating more value by using fewer resources. Lean means “slim” and aims to increase productivity through efficiency improvement. They say that Lean is organized common sense.
The system dates back to the Toyota factories that avoided mass firings in the 1960s by changing the production mindset into what we nowadays call Lean.
Lean is not a cut-and-dried solution that can be implemented all at once, instead it is an ongoing process. To a large extent, the purpose of Lean is to create a culture in which both managers and employees constantly look for smarter ways to organize their work tasks.
Lean is based on the following 5 principles:
All Lean tools aim to remove waste from the production to increase efficiency. Lean works with 8 types of waste.
Situations may occur in which the removal of all waste is an impossible task. In this type of situation, Lean works with improvement by finding the best possible solution and making the most of a given situation.
Production of more milk than the quota allows.
Mixing of more feed than needed.
Overproduction of roughage which cannot be sold at a good price.
Using large machines for tasks that could easily be carried out with a smaller and cheaper machine.
Transportation, for instance to a stack in the field.
Poor logistics at the farm, causing more driving than necessary.
Turn off the water when the trough is filled.
Colostrum cannot be obtained till after milking.
Employees await their turn to be helped by a colleague.
Cleaning just for the sake of cleaning
Preferring traditions for new and more efficient solutions.
Mixing 5 different loads of feed although 3 different loads cover the needs of the animals.
Stale feed that needs to be thrown away.
Money tied up in too large quantities of stocked items.
Occupy storage space with unnecessary items.
Poor coverage of ensilage.
Uncertainty as to whether a work procedure leads to different results.
Dead animals.
Searching for tools.
Manual labor when machines can carry out the task.
Getting on and off the tractor to drive through the gate.
The employees are not only extra hands, they also have useful knowledge.
Course experiences are not shared.
Division of tasks without taking the competencies of the employees into consideration.
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