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
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was one of the first in the nation.
The LER testing plan anticipates
most if not all of the
changes proposed under the new
operating environment And in
Pennsylvania it will soon enter its
second decade.
Pennsylvania was one of the
first states to recognize later to
actively promote AM/PM testing
as an accurate and inexpensive
official records program. 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.
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BillMulhn Owner