A24-Lanc««ter Firming, Saturday, February 18, 1995
DHIA
DAVE SLUSSER
DHIA General Manager
Ninety-six members and delegates attended the recently completed
round of district meetings for PA DHIA.
Director elections were held in six districts and three resolutions were
passed to be introduced to the state annual meeting on March 10.
The topic of the meeting surrounding a round table discussion was
"Bringing PA DHIA Together." Also as part of the round table was a
discussion of the new herd profile and cow profile proposal being intro
duced by National DHIA to replace the rules.
District 1 - Ralph GiUdnson, Erie County.
District 4 - Marian Butler, Tioga County.
District 6 - William Itle, Cambria County.
District 9 • Lane Sollenberger, Franklin County.
District 10 - Neal McCulloch, Cumberland County.
District II - Mark Eby, Sullivan County.
Bringing PA DHIA Together
A discussion was held at each district meeting concerning differences
that still occur between counties. Topics discussed include member fees,
technician pay, and local annual meetings.
Last fall when the fee adjustments were made, a major step was taken
toward a more uniform method of fees to members, it also reflected more
our cost of providing service. Our field technicians, and the board of
directors were promised a plan by management for a uniform method of
pay and bonus for the field technicians by mid-summer.
The plan, after approval by the Technicians Advisory Committee and
the board of directors, would be implemented with next year’s fiscal
budget, beginning Oct. 1, 1995.
Suggestions by delegates at the district meeting included the follow
ing:
• Uniform stop pay, plus per cow pay.
• Over a three-year period, bring technicians’ pay across the coopera
tive to a more equal basis.
• Pay technicians based on a percentage of gross sales.
• Use merit award as basis for bonus pay.
• Make every effort possible to keep good field techn : cians.
The biggest cost to members is people.
These costs continue to increase regardless of the price of milk, there
fore employee efficiency must constandy be improved.
Serving more cows per employee is the only solution to low milk
prices, therefore A/P testing and other innovative programs that allow
members to spread these costs over more cows will be a major part of our
future.
However, traditional services will always be available, but must cover
their cost Technicians will be crossing county lines to more efficiently
serve our members.
As we make necessary changes, the delegates suggested we work
closely with county committees and notify our members when changes
are made.
County annual banquet suggestions included the following;
• State develop uniform awards and ribbon programs. Anything differ
ent would be up to the county to prepare and fund.
• State pay the ticket to the banquet for field technicians.
The State Annual Meeting is scheduled for March 10 at the' Days Inn
in State College. An awards breakfast will begin at 8 a.m. and the annual
meeting will follow at 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Delegates and members are
encouraged to attend. This is an excellent opportunity to voice your con
cerns and vote on issues if you are a
Suggestions For Improved Service
ro “ nd 1315,6 discussion at the district meeting, delegates and
members made suggestions and stated concerns.
The following is a list of those concerns and suggestions:
tion PlOVldC ° W COSI, quallty scrvicc «"d maintain integrity oforga-nza-
• cSStZt nm?” ° f COdeS in rcportin B somatic ceU count
. Condul ;t DHIA workshops and write more articles on use of records
and report information (too many members do not realize the value of
the information they receive).
• Improve software-to-software communications between membeis’
computers and technicians’ computers.
• Send list of services and supplies with bam sheet reports.
• List heifers with cows on Reproductive Management Rei; 'it for
members on Heifer Management Program.
• Send list of innovative programs out with reports.
Many members d 0 not what technicians can provide on test
members tCChniC,ans underst and farm reports better so they can assist
• Evaluate truck cost on samples.
• Develop better communications with veterinarians, feed consultants
PA^DHIA* 8 * SUggestions |* ave bccn dis,ribu ‘c d to the board and staff of
Election Results
Last year at the district meetings a resolution was passed to improve
the way feeds were reported to PA DHIA that would more reflect the
modem way the dairy cows are fed -
As a result of the resolution and after a year’s work, the program has
been completed and Herd Summary I has been redesigned. Herd Sum
mary II was not changed.
The new report will appear in your reports in April after the field tech
nicians have been properly trained to collect feed information under the
new system. This training will occur starting with the spring Technicians
Training Conferences beginning March .17 and ending April 13.
The new Herd Summary I will Include the following information:
1. Test period daily averages - very similar to the old summary.
2. Rolling Herd Average.
3. Profile of cow by lactation dumber - all information will include
solid non-fat if you arc on SNF program, dry matter fed as percent of
body weight, and coded information and recommendations if feeding in
formation has problems. v
4. Profile of cows by group'number
• Provide milk information and feed information by group
■ Even if you do not group your cows you can designate groups as in
the example below:
2-year-old cows, under 120 day milk
2-year-old cows, over 120 day milk
3-year and older cows, under 120 day milk
3-year and older cows, over 120 day milk
You can select any group that you want or put therti all in one group.
S. Profile of feeds fed
• You can report up to 13 different feeds per group and up to five
groups of cows.
• Feed reported as • As Fed, and Dry matter pounds.
• Feed weights can be measured in tenths of a pound.
• You can assign any name you want to each feed or forage.
6. Test Day Somatic Cell Count Summary
7. Test Day Herd Summary
8. Rolling 365 day average for last year.
9. Profile of Projected Herd Inventory and Milk sales.
• Projects for 10 months ahead.
• Project cows and heifer freshing based on breeding dates.
• Projects cull cows by month.
• Projects pounds milk sold.
• Projects gross milk check based on your history, your numbers of
fresh cows and heifers, your culling rate and economic forecast for millr
prices.
10. Group milking times
11. Reported milk price either by hundredweight or by pounds. The
new Herd Summary I will be an extremely valuable management tool for
you, your veterinarians or your feed consultant.
Over the last few years, the official DHI rules have been debated.
The vast majority of producers are less willing to pay the cost of pro
secuting a small minority that choose to tamper with their records.
Major changes in farm management practices are affecting rule en
forcement efforts, such as larger herds. BST, electronic meters, etc. and
computer technologies now allow all users of DHIA records to mal»>
their own determination regarding the integrity of records.
Major changes arc in the wind affecting official DHIA rules. A herd
profile report and a cow profile report has been developed by a national
committee of dairy producers and industry representatives for the pur
pose of replacing the rules.
The Herd Profile consists of:
1. Charted graph including Rolling Herd Average for milk, protein,
and fat.
2. Average lactation curve of herd compared to normal lactation
curves.
3. PTA Distribution.
4. Bulk tank comparison for the entire year which indicates supervised
and unsupervised test. Also dates components were taken.
5. M.E. Distribution listed possible and probable cows.
6. Number of cows in herd.
7. ID changes in herd.
8. Percent usable records in herd.
9. Percent cows completing lactations.
10. Percent average U.S.D.A. weighing of accuracy.
In addition to the herd profile, individual cow profiles have been de
veloped. Users of your DHIA information, after getting your permission,
can evaluate the accuracy based on these new tools. The users might be
bull studs, breed associations, consignment sales and buyers of your cat
tle. You will hear more of this new development over the next year.
Three resolutions were passed at district meetings. They will be pre
sented to the Resolutions Committee prior to the annual meeting, and
then to the membership for a vote. The three resolutions are listed below.
Resolutions from District 1 and 2
Wheras many PA DHIA members wish to have the options to sort
their cows, heifers, and calves by birth date, and;
Whereas, many dairy management practices such as vaccinations and
breeding require actions taken by age;
Therefore be it resolved that the PA DHIA DRPC (Dairy Records Pro
cessing Center) make available as an option, where practical, sorting by
birth date of the animals.
Resolutions from District 9 and 10
Whereas, PA DHIA technicians have difficulty receiving enough
Pennsylvania permanent ear tags to apply to calves on test day, and;
Whereas, dairymen have noticed the quality of permanent ear tags
have diminished in recent years (ear tag falling out, rusting or impossible
to clamp into ear of calf) and;
Whereas, Pennsylvania law requires permanent ear tags in dairy cat
tle,
Therefore be it resolved that the Pennsylvania Department of Agricul
ture increase the quantity of ear lags available, so PA DHIA technicians
can help their members fulfill the law of Pennsylvania and improve the
nimlitv of the tags so they will be readable and be in fact permanent.
Herd Summary I
HERD PROFILE
RESOLUTIONS
(Turn to Pago A 29)
Average Farm Feed
Costs For Handy
Reference
To help farmers across the state
to have handy reference of com
modity input costs in their feeding
operations for DHIA record sheets
or to develop livestock feed cost
data, here’s last week’s average
costs of various ingredients as
compiled from regional reports
across the state of Pennsylvania.
Remember these ate averages so
you will need to adjust your figures
up or down according to your loca
tion and the quality of your crop.
Com, No. 2y - 2.32 bu. 4.15 cwt
Wheat, No. 2 - 3.58 bu. 5.98
cwt.
Barley. No. 3 - 1.86 bu. 3.98
cwt
Oats, No. 2 -1.56 bu. 4.85 cwt
Soybeans, No. 1 - 5.24 bu. 8.74
cwt
Ear Com 59.83 ton 2.99 cwl
Alfalfa Hay - 91.25 ton 4.56
cwL
Mixed Hay - 92.50 ton 4.63 cwt.
Timothy Hay - 87.50 ton 4.38
CWL
Pesticide
License
Testing Set
ELIZABETHVELLE (Dauphin
Co.) —By law, all applicators of
certain pest control materials must
be licensed by the Pennsylvania
Department of Agriculture. Once an
applicator is licensed, she or he must
then attend educational programs in
order to remain up-to-date on the lat
est information.
In order to become licensed by
the state, applicators must prove
their knowledge and understanding
regarding pesticide safety and envi
ronmental protection by passing a
test given by the Department of
Agriculture.
Anyone who is interested in tak
ing the test is invited to participate in
a training program on Tuesday
evening, March 7/from 7 p.m. to 9
p.m. in the Ag Science classroom in
the Upper Dauphin High School in
Elizabeth ville.
Information will be presented to
familiarize attendees with the Pesti
cide Educational Manual, a study
guide for private applicators. Then
on Thursday, March 9, from 9 a.m.
until noon, a representative from the
Department of Agriculture will be
giving tests to candidates for the pri
vate applicator license.
There is a $l5 fee for attending
the training session on Tuesday,
March 7. This covers the cost of the
Pesticide Educational Manual.
Attendees can bring their own, pre
viously purchased, manual or else
purchase one on March 7. Actess to
a manual will be required.
For additional information, con
tact Paul H. Craig (717) 921-8803.
Estate Planning
Seminar Set
WEST CHESTER (Chester
Co.) A free estate planning
seminar has been scheduled Feb.
22 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. here at the
Governmental Services Building.
The free seminar is sponsored
by the Chester County extension
office.
Guest speakers include Bruce
Roscnficld, Esq.; Sam Goodlcy,
Esq.; Mary Wade Myers, Esq.;
Bob Hodge; Bob Lange; Dave
King; and Bill Moore.
For more information, contact
the extension office, (610)
696-3500 or Bob Lange, (610)
647-0711.