National Holstein Research Study brattleboro. Vt. Registered Holstein dairymen who accept emerging biogenetic technologies and closely manage their profit margins can look for ward to a more important industry role and exciting business oppor tunities during the 90’s. Those who don’t, face an uphill battle, according to findings of a national research study commissioned by the Holstein Association. Conducted by Bruce K. Symonds & Co., Inc,, St Paul, Minn., and the Management Cen ter for Agribusiness, Kansas City, Mo. The study, designed to profile the dairy industry and identify fac tors which will be associated with profitable dairy enterprises during the next 10 years, was presented to the Holstein Association national directors at their December meet ing in New York City. Opinions expressed in the com prehensive, six-month study rep resent those of 140 registered and grade Holstein dairymen in nine stales, plus 50 key industry leaders associated with AI firms, DHIA, Farm Bureau, milk marketing co ops, export services, dairy sup pliers, government agencies and university specialists. Douglas Maddox, Riverdale, Calif., chairman of a Trends Task Force comprising a dozen industry leaders who directed the study, said the final report will be shared with the Holstein membership at the 1990 Winter Holstein Forums PUTTO MM DOLLARS TO WRK You could lose your form. Failure to hare Workers' CompensMbalnsurance can cause you severe financial hardship. IT'S THE LAW. If fapi&atoe employees, you must have Workers 0 Compensation Insurance coverage . IT 18 THE LAW! So, an omployoosuffora a work rotated Injury on youtfazm. You don't have the proper coverage. 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Maddox said the next 10 years promise to be a decade of signific ant, dramatic changes for the dairy industry. “We wanted to identify and monitor those changes,” Mad dox said, “so we can help our members make plans to stay competitive.” The board of the largest breed organization in the country has an obligation to its membership to base its strategic planning on the best information we can obtain about the future impact of regional economics, new technologies, and consumer-and environmental issues, Maddox said. ‘That’s why we did this study,” he said, “to keep our association relevant and our members competitive.” Maddox, who is national direc tor of the Holstein Association, was joined on the Trends Task Force by Hugh Sutherland, N.Y.; Dr. William Pettit, Jr., NJ.; Paul Knox, N.H.; Mike Rainey, Ga.; Tom Kelly, Pa.; Robert Kindig, Pa.; Ted Halbach, Ariz.; Dan Ran ney, Calif.; Elmer Paper, Iowa; Gary Wagner, Wis.; and Dr. Paul Miller, Wis. TTie group was instru mental in setting general direction for the research study and arrang ing for thirteen group interviews with registered and grade dairy producers. Bruce Symonds, whose career with Ralston Purina and as an agricultural marketing consultant PENNSYLVANIA FARMERS’ ASSOCIATION spans 40 years, interviewed and tape recorded the thoughts of 50 industry leaders, many of whom had conducted their own research on selected areas of the industry, “We wanted the very best thinkers to give us their thoughts on tough questions about the future,” Symonds said. The final report includes their responses to, “Where will the major dairy pro ducing areas be by the year 2000?, What role will the registered breeder play in the 21st century?. What changes are anticipated in the price support program?”, and “What challenges and opportuni ties will face the Holstein Associ ation during the next ten years?”. “According to industry sour ces,” Symonds said in his final report, “many of the trends we’ve seen during the 80’s will continue, and at a faster pace. As productivi ty per cow increases, cow num bers will decline, but farm mem bers will decline even more. With the advent of cloning, semen sex ing and DNA genetic selection, registered breeders will have glob al opportunities to market very special genetics. The marketing opportunities created by develop ing special cows for special pur poses are unlimited.” Inquiries regarding the full report should be directed to the Holstein Association Member Service Unit at (802) 254-4551. • ’‘s' I*# 4, I Herd Management (Contlmrad from Pag* DIO) out of the information each time he comes to the farm. McCulloh vaccinates for IBR, PR3, Lepto 5, hemophilis, and BVD. Heifer calves are vacci nated the day they are bom. McCulloh treats repeat breeders if they have discharge, and uses GNRH if they require a third service. The most important data to him about his herd’s reproduction are his DHIA records and the breed ing wheel. Heifers are housed in an area where he can watch them daily. They are bred artificially at 16 months. Sherwin Brechbill, along with his father, a herdsman and two part-time employees, milks 156 cows on a farm near Chambers burg. The herd’s calving interval is 12.3 months, with 1.8 services per conception. Cows are observed for heat in the parlor and the feed lot. Brechbill paints the cows’ tailheads to aid him in heat detection. “We rely on that a lot,” he said. The veterinarian visits the farm twice a month to pregnancy check, and to examine recently fresh cows. A Real Work Horse WSStiu. . 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All groups are fed the same total mix ed ration. “A good feeding prog ram is important,” in reproductive management, he said. Brechbill uses his breeding wheel to give him a fast indication of his herd’s status, and is also on a record-keeping program with his veterinarian. He cites the routine visits of the vet as the most impor tant aspect of reproductive man agement. “It helps us to keep abreast of what’s going on with the herd,” he said. A home-raised bull out of a good cow, or a purchased bull, is used to breed the heifers, which are kept at a second farm. In other business, Darren Ston er, of Mercersburg, won a heifer calf given away by Farm Credit of York. The calf, a Russell Dale Promise daughter, had been pur chased from Ro-Meyer Farm, St Thomas. ANNUAL
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