PA DHIA Goes International
(Continued from Page D 2)
ennarians have informed us
that they would be willing to
be instructors to foreign dairy
farmers.
The Polish Breeders
Federation, a private farmers
association in Poland is plan
ning to take over the milk
recording business from the
government. The Polish gov
ernment has been privatizing
state business ever since they
left the communist system.
With the help of Norm
Hershey, President of PA
DHIA, we conducted semi
nars already in Poland on
cooperative development. If
all goes as well this Polish
Cooperative will be a sister
coop to PA DHIA. Farmer to
farmer working together.
What is in it for PA DHIA
members? By processing
records, licensing software,
and selling consultant ser
vices, PA DHIA members will
have dairymen all over the
world sharing the overhead
Relationship Between Milk Production And Reproductive Performance
MICHAEL O’CONNOR
Dairy and Animal
Science Extension
Penn State University
STATE COLLEGE (Centre
Co.) How much impact
does high production have
upon reproductive perfor
mance? Most studies moni
toring the genetic relation
ship between milk yield and
reproductive performance
indicate there is a slight but
adverse relationship. It is
very difficult to select for fer
tility because even the high
est estimates of heritability
for reproduction are less than
10 percent. In well-controlled
studies, age of cow and clini
cal problems, during and
after calving had more of an
adverse impact upon repro
duction than did level of milk
production. Cows in third or
later lactation have lower
conception rates, longer
intervals to first ovulation
and first service than cows in
earlier lactations. In addition
to proper nutrition during
early lactation, there are
three areas of management
which should help to mini
mize the effect of age on
reproductive performance:
proper dry cow nutrition,
maintaining cow comfort and
minimizing health problems
around the time of parturi
tion. A routine and aggres
sive veterinary reproductive
health program is important
to minimizing postpartum
problems and maintaining
good reproductive perfor
mance.
On a herd basis, what is
the relationship between
level of production and repro
ductive performance? Several
extensive summaries from
DHIA processing centers
across the country have
examined this question. In
general, when herds were
categorized into various
groups based upon levels of
milk production, the groups
with the highest producing
of our cooperative. Also, prof
its from our international
business will eventually be
distributed to our members,
finally, foreign dairymen
want to purchase our genet
ics. Though PA DHIA does
not plan to get into the cattle
business, we do want to facil
itate the domestic and for
eign market for cattle and
embros. HeiferAe/ 1 is the next
phase of Barn Owl. From our
data base of members we will
be able to locate genetics that
meet the buyers specifica
tions by herd code numbers,
and identification numbers.
The world is Big. The pop
ulation is growing. Milk con
sumption is growing world
wide. The dairymen of the
world that want to improve
their efficiency and milk
quality want to work with
Pennsylvania dairy farmers
and their own cooperative.
Farmer to farmer helping
each other.
herds had the better repro
ductive performance
Although services per concep
tion were slightly higher in
the higher producing herds,
days to first service, days
open were lower and heat
detection efficiency was high
er in the better producing
herds. The total culling rate
and culling for reproductive
reasons were similar across
production groups. These
summaries involving several
thousand herds also docu
ment that the larger herds
tended to have the higher
rolling herd averages.
These trends indicate that
solid management practices
can help to minimize the neg
ative impact of high milk
yield on reproductive perfor
mance. A systematic
approach to reproductive
management is more likely
applied in high producing
herds that achieve good
reproductive performance.
This approach would include:
• Maintaining appropriate
body condition throughout
lactation. Cows with severe
change in body condition
(greater than 1 point loss on
a scale of 1 to 5) during the
first five weeks postpartum
tend to have an extended
interval to first ovulation,
first observed estrus, days
open and reduced conception
rate compared to cows with
only minor or moderate body
condition change.
•Adopting a sound dry
cow feeding program: The key
to any successful dry cow pro
gram is maintaining dry mat
ter intake prior to calving.
Success can be achieved by
incorporating both good man
agement practices by the pro
ducer and working with a
competent nutritionist. Dry
cows should be fed a con
trolled ration of both forage
and grain. A true total mixed
ration can accomplish this
goal. Dry cows should be fed
feeds that are free of molds
and mycotoxins. Cows should
Polish milk recording technician testing cows in a Polish herd. This herd will be
processing with PA DHIA.
calve in individual pens that
are clean and dry. Protocols
should be established for
calving and health care for at
least the first 10 days post
calving.
•Maximize energy intake
during early lactation with
out overfeeding concentrates
so cows consistently initiate
estrous cycles before 40 days.
The only way to accomplish
this is to feed high quality
forages. They should be free
of molds and mycotoxins.
Avoid feeding any spoiled or
poorly fermented feeds. The
goal during this period is to
encourage dry matter intakes.
Even though it is important
to maximize energy intake,
forage and fiber are essential
to maintaining a health
New Millennium Offers Challenges
DAVID BIGELOW
marketing manager
STATE COLLEGE (Centre
Co.) As we are ushered
into a new millennium, dairy
management records are
vitally important in facing
the challenges of the dairy
business. Past experience and
research is evidence to the
fact that herds enrolled in a
DHIA program have the tools
available to make quick deci
sions in the management of
the herd. A computerized pro
gram named Barn Owl 2000
along with the same-day test
reports available from PA
DHIA technicians on test day
make for a winning combina
tion.
Benefits are great from
receiving testing services
through the highest rated
DHIA in the United States
when it comes to the highest
percentage of cow records
being utilized for sire evalua
tions. PA DHIA stands head
and shoulders above the rest
with an astounding 87% use
able record base being ana
lyzed by USDA. The dairy
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 18, 1999-D3
rumen and keeping cows on
feed.
•Utilize a plan whereby
the prebreeding heat detec
tion rate is high so that a
high percentage of the herd
becomes pregnant early in
lactation This would include
using an estrous-synchro
mzation program and routine
heat detection to ensure
timely first service.
•Observe for heats fre
quently and on a routine
basis so that the post-breed
ing heat detection rate is
high and intervals between
heats/services are minimized
This may include use of effec
tive estrous detection aids
•Implement a preventive
herd health program, which
includes a timely, and effec-
industry has benefited great
ly in the past several years
due to a continual climb
upward of the useable record
utilization. Young sire bene
fits along with the simple
identification of each cow in
the herd is not taken lightly
as technicians are trained
and directed in doing the
optimum technician service.
A great technician work
force makes for a winning
combination when it comes to
providing service to the
dairymen. Over 95 percent of
all the technician base aver
ages 14 or more years of ser
vice. We are happy to offer
experience and accountabili
ty where it matters most.
Whether it would be a dairy
man in Chester County
receiving service from Gerald
Miller, a 56-year veteran, or a
dairyman in Lancaster
County receiving services
from Jay Risser, a 47-year
veteran of PA DHIA, cus-
tomer service continues to be
at the top of the list in all the
PA DHIA service area.
tive vaccination program,
sanitation and cow comfort,
maintenance of accurate and
complete health records and
consultation with the herd
veterinarian
Pennsylvania, dairy cattle
should be vaccinated for the
following diseases which
affect reproduction.
Leptospirosis, IBR and BVD
Optimum reproduction
and profitable levels of pro
duction are compatible.
However, dairy producers
and their management teams
are challenged to maintain
this relationship. Summary
date from several sources
show that this can be accom
plished.
Maximize your benefits
available today by being
enrolled on a PA DHIA pro
gram. A vast array of herd
management services are
available ranging from an
owner sampler program,
which has seen a tremendous
growth of 10,000 cows for a
seventy percent increase in
business over the past one
year one half to a full service
am-pm record system.
Call today to have a PA
DHIA representative stop by
to explain the vast array of
programs available. Simply
call 1-800-344-8378 to make
your request known.
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