EB-Uncaster Fanfling, Saturday, June 3, 1995
DHIA Changes For Next Century
Pennsylvania is putting an
increased emphasis on AM/PM
DHIA testing and innovative pro
grams to position DHIA for the
next century. Recently announced
changes in pricing place AM/PM
plans in a more favorable light
against the traditional twice a day
regimen, and new experimental
types of test may help some dairy
men save additional money on
their monthly DHIA bills.
In the last year alone, about 20
percent of DHIA members have
switched from 2X programs to
AM/PM programs, and the move
to AM/PM hasn’t slowed yet. In
just the closing weeks of the year,
more Khan a hundred herds
changed testing schemes, continu
ing a trend that was strong
throughout 1994.
“There’s no doubt that AP is
the wave of the future,” said Dean
Amick, PA DHIA’s director of
field services. “We’re now at 2/3
of all herds on test using AP, and I
wouldn’t be surprised if that num
ber is more like 3/4 of herds by
spring.”
The charts of enrollment in var
ious types of test in 1993 and 1994
tell the story. While official
records continued to provide the
bread and butter of DHIA’s busi
ness at around 90 percent a
number that has remained stable
over the years the shift in offi
cial plans to AM/PM is clear, (see
charts)
“I think two things really
account for the push," Amick said,
“the Holstein Association’s accep
tance of AP tests was one factor,
and of course our own pricing
changes were the other.”
Are members happy about the
change?
“For the most part, yes,” Amick
said, “although some folks are still
skeptical about AP. No matter
how long the program’s been
around, or how good the research
is, there will always be some skep
tics. But we really don’t have any
choice. By far and away the
biggest cost we have is putting a
technician on the farm on test day,
and AM/PM reduces that cost to
the farmer, and to us, by one test
per day. It’s as simple as that.”
But is there any reason to be
suspicious of AP testing?
Not according to Jim Boyer,
Pennsylvania DHIA’s Processing
Center manager.
“If you look at the comparison
between milk shipped and milk
weighed on test day, that’s what
counts. And we see virtually no
difference between AP and 2X
plans. In fact the overage between
2X milk weighed and shipped, and
the same numbers for AP is slight
ly smaller, showing that, if any
thing, AP testing may be just
slightly more accurate. Statistical
ly speaking we see virtually the
same average, and the same over
all distribution.” (see chart)
“If you don’t think the numbers
will apply in your herd, there’s a
good test available,” he said. “The
DHIA technician’s laptop pro
gram allows him to calculate total
milk weights. If you’re currently
testing 2X, have the technician run
the AP total calculation the next
time he’s in your barn. Right after
the first milking print off a list of
total milk weights and compare
the results with what you actually
see after the cows are milked the
second time. Maybe you’ll still
find that AP isn’t for you, but you
may be surprised.
On the leading edge of DHIA
testing plans are the LER, or
Labor Efficient Records pro
grams, now in their seventh year.
Under LER testing, a farmer
with electronic metering equip
ment takes milk weights on a
monthly or semi-monthly basis
and forwards those results to the
DHIA processing center, either
electronically or on diskette. Milk
is only actually weighed and sam
pled by the DHIA technician on a
quarterly basis.
“Pennsylvania DHIA was one
of the first in the country to be
involved in this program, and
we’ve seen slow but steady
growth,” Boyer said.
“As on-farm computing becomes
more and more common, I expect
the LER type programs to really
take off. At this point. I’m not sure
how many of our dairymen really
even know about them. We have
about two dozen herds on the
option. Mostly, but not exclusive
ly, the larger herds have signed up
so far.”
Bulktank v.Testday Milkweights
2X Supervised (DHI) Herds in 1994
Bulktank v. Testday Milkweight
Beaver
Allen Barr Holsteins, Swiontek
Dairy Farm.
Bedford
Mervin Weaver, Tom & Karen
Eshelman, Mark Snyder, Mervin
Z. Marlin, Winding Brook Farm,
Warren Oberholtzer.
Berks
Kirbyville Holsteins, John &
Beth Schueller, One Hill Farm
Moyer, Neil W. Stoudt, Carl
Oberholtzer, Aaron R. Martin,
David Rohrer, Lee or Timothy
Behm.
Blair
Robert N. Stultz.
Bradford
Scott Mosier, Denise A. Knell
er, Thomascrest Farm, James L.
Shedden.
Carbon
Steele Farm,
Centre
Daniel Warntz, Scarlet Oak
Farm, Abner Z. Fisher, Hosterman
Bros.
Chester
Comer Ketch C. Corp, Paul S
Lapp, John Ray King.
Beyond LER there are a num
ber of innovative or experimental
programs. Some of the options
available include: alternate DHI
supervised and owner supervised
tests on test day,’alternate DHI
supervised and owner supervised
tests on a monthly basis, APCS
quarterly sampling, and a number
of variations on the 2X LER pro
gram for those herds with elec
tronic meters.
Amick said that right now
Pennsylvania has about 75 herds
enrolled in various innovative
options, and points out that not all
of them are restricted to herds with
electronic equipment.
“Some of the best innovative
plans are designed around letting
the member take some of the milk
weights and have the technician
take the others when he comes to
sample,” he said.
% of Bulktank
AM/PM Herds in 1994
% of Bulktank
Clarion
Ken Crissman, Jeff/Galye
Jones.
Clearfield
Steve Hansel, Blackburn Dairy
Farm.
David Z. King, Daniel M. Stolt
zfus, David L. Fisher, Ed & Jackie
Seyler.
Cumberland
Justa Beauty Colors, Enos Bru
baker, Eric Jordan Herd.
Dean Benges, Lorie Schweit
zer, Mark Vogel.
Lynn & Rhonda Stone, Stephen
N. Leinbach, Charles Geotz, Con
rad J. Hege, Mi-Rose Jerseys,
Kenneth R. Wadel, Wit-Brook
Farms.
Indiana
Ridge Top Dairy.
Lancaster
Abner G. Zook, Lloyd M. Bru
baker, Leroy S. King.
Lawrence
Jeff McKissick.
New Herds List
Clinton
Erie
Franklin
“There arc a lot of alternatives,
both for cost-savings, and in order
to minimize the amount of incon
venience a DHIA technician might
cause on test day. I really say that
no technician should have any
body quit DHIA anymore. We just
have so mush flexibility in what
wc can allow in official programs
that wc never had in the past.”
But Amick cautioned (hat the
innovative plans, while official,
arc regarded as “provisional” by
National DHIA.
“I don’t doubt in the ling run
most of these are going to be made
regular DHIA tests,” Amick said.
“That's what happened with LER,
Kindig Receives
Leadership Award
Robert Kindig
EVERETT NEWSWANGER
Managing Editor
STATE COLLEGE (Centre
Co.) Robert Kindig, the Pen
nsylvania dairyman from Conesto
ga in Lancaster County, received
the Clyde Robinson Leadership
Award at the Pennsylvania DHIA
annual meeting.
The award created two years ago
Lebanon
Chris & Steph Anderson,
Luzerne
Andy Zagata
Lycoming
Scott & Rhonda Lovell, Bryon
& Evelyn Bitner.
Mercer
B&K Dairy, H. Valley F Ed
Andrus.
Mifflin
Shady-Run Farm, Willows
Farm.
Montour
Noah A. Hostetler, A&A Dairy
Farm.
Northampton
Heather Ford, Nicole Roth,
Carol Kloiber.
Northumberland
Gary Whitmoyer, Gravel
Springs Farm, Merle Zimmerman.
Perry
Edward & Irene Horn.
Potter
Bill Vanetten.
which was once an innovative
plan. In the meantime, I have
dairymen check with their AI
units, or with their breed associa
tions to see how (hey feel about a
particular innovative program.
While we might allow it, some
body at a bull stud might have
questions if the herd is on a young
sire program, for example. When
in doubt, call the people who are
using your records outside of
DHIA to be sure.”
Call DHIA if you’re interested
in LER or innovative plans for
your own herd, and ask for Dean
Amick at I -800-DHI-TEST.
by the board of directors is in mem
ory of the late Clyde Robinson,
who spent a lifetime in service to
the dairy industry and especially
DHIA. It is given to a dairy farmer
who has proven to be a leader in the
dairy industry.
Frank Omcr, association presi
dent, made the presentation and
said Kindig exemplifies the ideals
that were put forth in the award.
Having completed an unprece
dented three-year term as president
of the National DHIA, Kindig has
also served as president of his state
and local DHIA, as well as the loc
al school board. In addition, he has
been a4-H leader and served on the
local extension board and the coun
ty Holstein board.
In t written tribute, Glenn Shirk,
Lancaster County Agent, said Kin
dig is perceptive to the needs of the
dairy industry and how people, in
spite of differences, can work
together to the mutual benefit of
all.
Obviously moved by the award,
Kindig said the award was espe
cially meaningful because of
whom it was named. “Clyde was
my mentor.” Kindig said. “I try to
live up to the ideals he set for
DHIA, but I never profess to have
achieved that stature in the indus
try. Clyde was ah example to fol
low and it is with sincere gratitude
that I accept the award."
Snyder
Enos L. Horst.
Somerset
Carey Kimmel, David & Barba
ra Mast, Harris Farms, Hickory
Bottom, Donald Diller, Ernest
Holsopple.
Susquehanna
Fred Benson, Frank J. Payne,
Warrendale Farm, Paul
Berdbener.
Tioga
Lynn-Eddie-Lee Farm,
Union
Floyd W. Martin, Shoemaker
Bros, Zi-Wes J Dairy Farm, Clear
Mountain Holstein.
Warren
Rolling Acres.
Washington
Triple Ridge Acres.
Wayne
Foxland Farm, Brian/Bruce
Frisbie, James & Linda Billard,
Rullel Labar.
Westmoreland
Hixson “J” Farm.
York
Scott D. Marstellar. *