A24-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 14,1990
On The Record
Dick Barth
PA DHIA General Mgr.
DICK BARTH
General Manager, PA DHIA
In the May 1990 issue of '‘Asso
ciation Management” magazine,
the publisher, Elissa Matulis
Myers, had this to say about the
efforts within many different
types of associations (like DHIA)
to merge local chapters (local
associations).
“To borrow a phrase from the
remarkable architect Louis Henri
Sullivan, ‘Form ever follows
function.’ The proper distribution
of power in an association net
work can only be determined after
a careful analysis of the work to be
done. Since, as associations, we
have no direct profit motive, the
traditionally American notion of
‘firee-market competition’ seems
less relevant to me in chapter rela
tions than the notion of manifest
destiny- we have a ‘member
given’ right to unite our industries
or professions from sea to sea,
protecting the freedom of the
members to act individually and
within their local units, but also
protecting the sanctity and
strength of the federation.”
I was struck by the direct appli
cation of what Ms. Myers said to
the current situation within Penn
sylvania DHIA. The association’s
borders may not extend from sea
to sea, but surely from one border
of the Commonwealth to another.
And within those borders our
motive is consistent, to provide
How Does Your Herd
Compare?
STATE COLLEGE (Centre Co.) —This data is
pulled from Pennsylvania DHIA’s mainframe
computer each week. It is a one-week summary
representing approximately one-fourth of the
herds on test, as they are tested monthly.
These data are valuable from a business man
agement standpoint and can be used for compai'‘-
ing your operations to the averages from almost
1,400 herds across the state.
DHIA Averages for all herds processed between
6/25/90 and 7/02/90
Number of Herds Processed 1,355
Number of Cows Processed 79,738
Number of Cows Per Herd 58.8
Milk Per Cow (Lbs) 16,749
%-Fat 3.69
Fat Per Cow (Lbs) 619
%-Protcin 3.19
Protein Per Cow (Lbs) 534
Average Days in Milk Per Cow 315
.Value for CWT Milk(s) 14.44
.Value for CWT Grain(s) 8.00
.Value for CWT Hay(s) - 4.31
.Value for CWT Silage(s) 1.49
.Value for Pasture Per Day(s) .30
.Value for Milk Per Cow Per
Year(S) 2,418
.Feed Consumed Per Cow Per
Year(Lbs)
A: Grain 6,789
B: Hay 2,654
C: Silage 14,699
D: Day Pasture 65
.Feed Cost Per Cow Per Year(s)
A: Grain 543
B: Hay 114
C; Silage 220
D: Pasture 20
.Total Feed Cost Per Cow Per
Ycar(s) 898
.Income Over Feed Costs Per
Year(s) 1,520
.Grain to KlilK Ratio 1:2.4
.Feed Cost Per CWT Milk(s) 5.36
Avg Level For 1097 SCC Herds 327,720
generated figure*
l lm
Wmmm
the best member services possible
at cost (without making a profit).
I agree completely with Louis
Sullivan that form follows func
tion, which translates to mean that
(he work you have to do deter
mines what your organizational
structure (your form) will look
like.
Years ago before the advent of
the personal computer when
DHIA was an Extension function
our mission was far simpler than it
is today. DHIA did not educate
members because Extension did
all that. DHIA had no significant
competition because there were no
computing systems for farms
available. DHIA did not have to
meet a wide variety of member
needs because there was no varie
ty and everyone managed, more or
less, like everyone else. DHIA
rarely had to change because tech
nology just didn’t change all that
often. In those days a federated
structure of local county associa
tions worked well.
But, times have changed.
Extension resources are slim
mer and are needed for many more
missions than in the past, so time
is not available to educate DHIA
members like it used to be. Who’s
to do that now?
Times have changed.
The personal computer and
dairy management software to go
with it threaten to replace DHIA
services on large farms that can
afford computerized milking par
lors. How can we respond?
Times have changed.
Dairy management technology
is more complex with changes
made faster than ever, and keeping
up with new technology applica
tions is tough for both members
and DHIA staff. The need to get
services to members faster creates
its own problems because DHIA
cannot effectively direct its field
service resources (Supervisors).
Design Affects Outcome
Sullivan said an architect must
select the best form to accomplish
the job. He can’t design a ware
house and then expect it to serve
well as a hospital when the work
activities change from storage of
containers to health care for
humans.
(Turn to Pag* A 25)
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