- Quality aquafeeds can only be made by knowledgeable and trained personnel.
- Training is an on-going process mentioned in various sections above, and
can be summarized as follows: General management should have formal training
in feed technology, sufficient to assure the competent purchase and handling
of quality ingredients, correct manufacture, storage and handling of finished
feeds. In addition to assuring that the feed manufactured meets the intended
specifications for the species to be fed, the manager must maintain documentation
of the process sufficient to allow accurate tracing of the ingredient sourcing
and manufacturing events of a finished feed. This will include a record of
who received the feed, and any other pertinent details including medications.
- Personnel should receive refresher training on a regular basis, or additional
training on new equipment and/or processes to be employed. There will be a
particular emphasis on regular safety meetings where employees will make known
any safety problems (violations) in need of correction. A log or journal of
safety meetings should be kept. Particular attention must be given to record
keeping as it relates to animal health products; these should always be stored
separately from other ingredients to avoid any possibility of cross contamination.
- Procedures for training and refresher training, as well as plant organizational
structure shall be sufficiently flexible as to allow immediate adaptations
to changes in evolving aquafeed technology. Certification of management and
staff may become essential for ingredient purchasing, process control, and
quality assurance.
- Every employee from top management on down should have a working knowledge
of the mill and the various specialities required to produce a finished product.
Cross training can be a particularly valuable means of problem solving and
lead to greater flexibility in a feed mill.
- Regular meetings to express customer satisfaction, evaluate procedures,
introduce new technology, and problem solving, will assure effective communications
up and down the chain of command (UKASTA, 1998, 2000).
