A History And Perspective Of The Pennsylvania DHIA Program
(Continued from Pag* B 20)
father on a dairy farm. As a programmer, his know
ledge of dairy and DHIA needs made him the leader in
writing programs and perfecting them, including the
ones that generated the AI reports. In later years he
devoted full time to DHIA. and has since moved from
Management Services to direct employment in DHIA.
While DHIA has paid Management Services for
computer lime and expertise, they have played a criti
cal role in the successes of records reporting. As DHIA
has enlarged and perfected its own computer system,
the affiliation with PSU and Management Services is
being phased out.
The interaction among the highest level officers of
PSU, the College of Agriculture, the Department of
Dairy and Animal Science, the State and District DHIA
Directors, and the dairy industry has been a positive
force. PSU, DHIA, and its dairymen have benefitted
from this symbiotic relationship. None of these organi
zations could have achieved their goals working alone.
There is more to be accomplished, but the close work
ing relationship must remain strong to achieve ma-ci
mum benefit for all concerned.
Section 6
Artificial Breeding Cooperatives and DHIA
The Bull Rings preceding artificial insemination
(AI) relied on dairy records to evaluate their sires. As
late as 1941 about 80 Bull Rings were active in the
state. With the founding of First Pennsylvania Artifi
cial Breeding Cooperative (First PA) in 1942, the use
of DHIA records expanded beyond the confines of the
county line and the local bull ring. Apparently some
dairymen resented having their dairy records used to
evaluate bulls owned by another organization. Even
though the same dairymen were active in both DHIA
and First PA. some had a hard time seeing the common
ground and benefits. In 1957 a resolution was sent to
First PA from a county in their service area saying
"Since the IBM Record System is to be imposed on all
State DHIAs, and whereas the Artificial Breeding
Cooperatives (ABCs) have approved of such records,
the benefits of which are altogether to the advantage of
the ABC rather than DHIA. and since DHIA herd own
ers are asked to bear all costs of records, the County
does seek and petition First PA ABC to reduce the cost
of first service to all DHIA herd owners."
When the State Board of DHIA was formed in 1954,
representatives from die AI Studs weie asked to be
members of th 6 Policy arid Planning Coimnittee. They
continued their presence on the DHIA Policy Commit
tee for some years. The ABCs were assessed 10 per
first Service beginning in May 1955 to help finance
State DmA* and could receive copies of completed
lactation reports at cost. Later additional reports based
on DHIA records were approved for AI pse at cost. Lar
ry Specht played a major role in generating these sire
reports since the advent of computer processing.
In May 1960, when State DHIA was operating so
let
Our
Experience
Work
For You -
Establishei
7 Since
L 1070| r
Our Sales Tool
Is A Satisfied
Customer -
Call Us For
Information!
Sizes And
Layouts To \bur
Specifications
Partial In-Ground Tank Featuring Commercial Chain Link
Fence (5’ High - SCS Approved)
Agricultural • Commercial • Residential
deeply in debt, they met with the ABCs and prepared a
proposal for the ABC Directorate that "a grant at the
rate of 30 per cow bred per year be given to DHIA by
each ABC Unit based on 1959 breedings." In October
1960 this was approved by the five Cooperative Breed
ing Organizations, and State DHIA received a check in
the amount of $13,805. They voted to continue this
grant for the 1960 business year. There is no evidence
that it was extended further.
Prior to 1964 the ABC Units had been awarding a
certificate and five dollars to each supervisorwho was
judged by the DHIA fieldman to be doing superior
work. In 1964 it was proposed that in lieu of the SS
award the PA Association of ABC sponsor the annual
banquet at the State Supervisors meeting in State Col
lege. During the same time, the State Association of
ABCs was abandoned and Atlantic Breeders Coopera
tive and Northeastern Breeders Cooperative emerged
as the AI Units operating in the state. They alternated in
sponsoring the DHIA Supervisors Annual Banquet
from 1964 to about 1985. They also sponsored the meal
at each of the five district supervisor conferences, held
in the spring and fall each year, beginning in 1964.
Pennsylvania Dairymens Association and DHIA
The Pennsylvania Dairymens Association (PDA)
was formed in 1925. Membership in the PDA is com
posed of dairymen who are DHIA members. In 1926
the first yearbook listed herds and production averages
completed the previous year. Early yearbooks (Annual
Meeting Reports) contained the complete text of all
remarks made by speakers, and Charlie Gearhart was
usually one of the speakers on matters related to DHIA
The format of this yearbook has changed over the
years. Now it is nearly 100% an annual report of DHIA
activity, listing all herds on test over specified mini
mums of butterfat.
The yearbook herd and cow listing from 1926
through 1957 was taken from a yearly state summary
compiled by Gearhart, Gilmore, Ace, and others. Since
1958 a hard copy taken directly from the computer
printout has been photo reproduced for the year book.
In addition, the yearbook now contains some advertis
ing, an educational section provided by Extension, a
DHIA organizational section, and a listing of all super
visors and award citations. The cost of printing this
yearbook is borne by PDA at a cost of approximately
$BOOO per year.
At year «d summary lime each herd over a mini
mum level of butterfat received a ribbon. Certificates
were awarded for herd lactation averages and for life
time production of both milk and fat. PDA purchased
and gave to DHIA members all ribbons, certificates,
and seals for about 60 years. Starling in 1964, the PDA
awarded a plaque and a check for $lOO to the Superior
Supervisor, a practice that continued each year until
about 198S.Foreach supervisor completing 25 years of
testing PDA awarded a gold wrist watch. That too was
discontinued in 1985.
INC.
430 Concrete Ave., Leola, PA
717-656-2016
Section 7
Working With
Farmers With
Chesapeake
Bay Funding
We Work Hard
For Customer
Satisfaction!
Lancaster mining. Saturday, Dscsmbtf 7, IWI-821
The partnership and solidifying leadership on a
national level began when Helman Rabild left Michi
gan to join the United States Departlnent of Agricul
ture (USDA) in 1908. In his new role he developed and
extended organized cow testing throughout the United
States. USDA has continued an active role for many
years through the dynamic leadership of J. F. Ken
dricks, and others including Dean Plowman, Frank
Dickenson, and Basil Eastwood.
The American Dairy Science Association (ADSA)
began its active role in 1924 when a Dairy Records
Committee was named. From then until about the mid
-19605, a special Extension Section at each ADSA
annual meeting was devoted to every matter of concern
related to the conduct of DHIA programs. This gather
ing of Dairy Extension and USDA scientists who were
responsible for dairy record programs in their respec
tive area was an intense work session, lasting the dura
tion of the ADSA meeting, and was devoted to making
testing procedures uniform throughout the United
States. Rules and regulations were improved, sampling
and testing procedures and forms were standardized,
and educational use of the records was presented. It
was at this annual meeting that Lyman Rich and Bliss
Crandall of Utah first presented the possibility of using
computers for records keeping. The forwarding of
records to USDA from each of the states offered many
opportunities for broadened use of records, and has
helped develop our present sire and cow evaluation
information.
ADSA and USDA were to the national progress of
DHIA what the Dairy Extension Specialist was to the
State, and the County Agent was to the County level of
testing. It's difficult to imagine a successful records
keeping program without the input of each of the inter
ested parties. The beneficiary of this program is DHIA
as we know it today.
There is no word to adequately describe a DHIA
Supervisor. The person is a composite of qualities and
character. Some have endured all of two weeks on the
job, and some have been ILlctures for 50 years. They
have been and are the backbone, the foundation, and
the energy upon which a strong testing association has
prospered. Because they arc at the mercy of the dairy
man's schedule they work long hours, often on the road
by 3:00 AM and packing the final samples in refrigera
tion at 11:00 PM. They believe in what they are doing
and delight in seeing a good herd and good records
being used to the fullest benefit. One of the more soul
disturbing experiences for a Supervisor is going to a
farm and having to open last months test report to find
the bam sheet for this months test. Time and money is
wasted for both the dairyman and the Supervisor. Lack
of attention or interest on the part of dairymen is a parti
cularly "down-time" for the Supervisor, and it happens
on occasion. On the other hand, praise, an invitation to
I the family picnic or a wedding, or a bonus at the end of
the lest year makes the job rewarding.
Pennsylvania has employed over 200 Supervisors
per year for the past 25 years. Most were farm raised
boys and girls who left the home farm because their ser-
We
Origin-
atecj
The
Concrete
System!
Section 8
ADSA, USDA, and DHIA
Section 9
The DHIA Supervisor
(Turn to Pag* 822)