A&Cahcaafer Farming, Saturday, October 19, 1996 DAVE SLUSSER Manager Pa. DHIA STATE COLLEGE (Dauphin Co.) National DHIA is on a crusade to push a new DHIA envi ronment that begins with signific ant rule changes to become effec tive on the first day of the new year. But the effects on the industry in general, and DHIA members in particular, have yet to be deter mined or satisfactorily explained. While a great deal of ink has been committed to print over the last year on herd profiles, reliabili ty factors, and a ‘Code of Ethics’ that replaces THE RULES, the real direction for DHIA in the coming years may not be a great deal different from the direction of the old DHIA. While no one dis putes the importance of getting DHIA out of an enforcement regime that was sometimes arbi trary, often cumber some. and always expensive, much of the current furor over DHIA’s new face is related to its effect on genetic evaluations, an area that has been of steadily diminishing importance to DHIA members for years. Under the code of ethics that replaces the old rules structure, dairymen on all types of DHIA testing plans will soon be able to custom tailor their own prog rams, choosing how fre quently to test, how often they should ship samples to DHIA milk labs, and even how often (if ever) they may want to supervise their own test days. Some rules, those necessary to the organi zational efficiency and standardized data col lection procedures for all DHIA’s, will need to be retained. But fra* the most part these will serve as guidelines for a uniform but flexible program under which service rather than rule enforcement receives the major emphasis. The key to under standing the new DHIA environment is this: the end user of records will now determine their val ue, based on com prehensive information about the conditions under which the infor mation was collected and prepared. Unfortunately, a number of industry sources have seized on this outlook as a justifi cation for reduced DHIA testing. This is unfortunate for a num ber of reasons. First, genetic test ing is a by-product of our manage ment program and not the purpose of DHIA. As end users, each AI unit and breed association will need to determine the genetic val ue of different kinds of DHIA ser vice. Many have yet to make these decisions. The USDA Sire Evaluation program itself has yet (if ever) to completely determine the weight assigned to all testing plans. For example, an infrequently owner-sampled program will receive lower genetic weighting than 12 supervised 2x tests. The weighted values are yet to be resolved and will probably change over time. Many AI organizations have not decided what differentials will bd applied to programs with reduced supervisions by DHIA employees. The Holstein Associa tion and Jersey Club will have additional requirements as well. Our advice to farmers is: con sult the end user of your DHIA records to find out what their requirements are before you change tests. DHIA can’t and shouldn’t answer these questions and you may very well be in for a disappointment if you change programs and find out later that your PTA or pedigree has less val ue than you hoped. A second reason why the emphasis on end users is unfortu nate is that all too often it causes us to lode away from our own farms. How often does your veterina rian need to evaluate Somatic Cell County to monitor mastitis con trol? How frequently does your vet or nutritionist need DHIA informaiton to evaluate the effi ciency of your feeding, reproduc tion, or herd health? Issues that are national in scope too often overlook vets, feed deal- ers, financial consultants and other agribusiness support people' as important end users of DHIA records. And remember, the most important end user of DHIA records is you. How valuable is your time? Do you have extra help on lest day to collect data and milk samples accurately? Can you really man age your herd prafitabliy if you don’t have fresh information every month? Will you keep time ly records without a DHIA techni cian on hand to prompt for it? Every dairyman will need to wrestle with these questions, while again keeping in mind the rule: consult with the person mak ing use of the information to deter mine its value. And of course, that includes taking honest council with yourself. At this point confusion reigns among DHIA industry groups, technicians, members, and tradi tional allies. But this need not and will not be the case for Pennsyvlania DHIA. Pennsylvania DHIA has consis tently pioneered an innovative approach to DHIA testing. Our Labor Efficient Records Program Increase Your Income From Milk Sale We are looking to increase high quality milk supply in Berks, Chester, Dauphin and Lancaster Counties. • Quality Premiums • Lower Hauling Rates & Stop Charges From a proud neighborhood dairy in the 1920’s to a modem manufacturing company of the 1990’5, the Dietrich family-owned business continues to move forward. With the dedication of three generations and a heritage rich in experience and innovation, Dietrich's Milk Products faces the future with confidence. 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Today, Pennsylvania DHIA has one of the highest percentages of herds on AP testing in the country. For several years we have encouraged enterprising members to consider alternate test day pro cedures, including 3x/lx AP. par tial owner supervision, partial owner sampling and the like. Today, Pennsylvania DHIA has more herds on innovative test plans than any other DHIA affili ate in die world. As with the rest of the dairy industry, we are look ing towards an exciting and cer tainly bumpy ride. But we will not be leaving any of our members behind. Pennsyl vania DHIA has been preparing for and living in the future dreamed of by National DHIA for a long, long time. Horse owners across America call us for advice and superior fencing materials at great prices -- because we are the Horse Fence People. Call toll free today for your free copy of "How To Select The Right Fence" and more information. 1-800-441-5832