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THE DHIA

SUPERVISOR'S MANUAL

I LIBRARY

BY J. F. KENDRICK

. ^^.^. DAIRY HUSBANDRY RESEARCH BRANCH

AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK 96 Agricultural Research Service

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
THE SUPERVISOR'S JOB

The supervisor of a dairy-herd-improvement association has a great

responsibility and also has many opportunities to be of service. He is in

position to be of material help to the members of his association, and if he

does his job well he will bring much credit to himself.

To be successful, the supervisor must be enthusiastic about dairying and

he should have a knowledge (gained by experience, study, or traming) of

up-to-date methods of breeding, feeding, and managing a dairy herd. He

should be trained thoroughly for his work, because most of it requires special

knowledge and skill.

The supervisor must determine the production, feed consumption, and

income for each cow in the herd, and keep complete records so the herd owner

can use the records as a guide in feeding and culling the herd for more efficient

milk production. He must also keep complete, up-to-date identification

records on all animals in the herd, so the owner can use the production records

in a progressive breeding program.

The supervisor's records and reports are used not only by the individual

herd owner and by the association, but also by the Dairy Husbandry Research

Branch and the State extension services. These agencies use the records as

the basis of a nationwide program for proving all sires used in dairy-herdimprovement associations and for locating the animals or families that transmit

high production. It is most important that the supervisor fill out completely

and properly the various blank forms used in the association work. He should

understand thoroughly the exact nature of the information wanted about each

item in these forms and how to record it properly.

Because of the accuracy required in collecting and reporting the identification and production records, well-trained supervisors are of vital importance

to the successful operation of the whole dairy-herd-improvement-association

program. The purpose of this manual is to provide the supervisor with complete instructions for obtaining the production and feed records required, for

making the necessary tabulations, and for preparing the various reports.

The supervisor should study the manual carefully and refer to it frequently

to insure that his work in the association always conforms to the high standards

of the dairy-herd-improvement-association program.
b'351IG

THE DHIA

SUPERVISOR'S MANUAL

AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK 96

BY J. F. KENDRICK

Dairy Husbandry Research Branch

Agricultural Research Service

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. • Price 40 cents

May 1956
CONTENTS

Page

Chapter I. The DHIA program _ . 1

Chapter II. Outline of supervisor's work 2

Chapter III. Testing equipment 4

Chapter IV. Weighing and sampling milk 6

Chapter V. Testing milk 7

Chapter VI. Calculating DHIA records 9

Chapter VII. Calculating records for testing period 14

Chapter VIII. Feed reports. 16

Chapter IX. Special situations 18

Chapter X. The herd-record book 21

Chapter XI. Identification records 25

Chapter XII. Lactation records 27

Chapter XIII. Monthly and yearly reports 30

Chapter XIV. Summary analysis of DHIA records 31

Chapter XV. DHIA rules 33

APPENDIX

Figure 1. Barn book, DHIA-2 36

Figure 2. Barn book, DHIA-2A 37

Figure 3. Lifetime record of individual cow, DHIA-22 38-39

Figure 4. Lifetime record of individual cow, DHIA-22A 40-41

Figure 5. Monthly herd summary, DHIA-12 42-43

Figure 6. Ten-year herd summary, DHIA-14 44-45

Figure 7. Register of animals in herd, DHIA-16 46-47

Figure 8. Index and yearly record of individual cows, DHIA-21 48

Figure 9- Work sheet for calculating lactation records 49

Figúrelo. DHIA production report, DHIA-718 50

Figure 11. Yearly herd summary, DHIA-780 50

How much should we charge for pasture? 51

How to tell the age of dairy cattle 52

Acknowledgment is made of the many suggestions received from State extension dairymen in the preparation of this Manual. Special acknowledgment is made to Prof. Leo

Fryman (Illinois), chairman, 1955 ADSA Records Conmiittee; Prof. J. D. Burke (New

York); and Prof. D. E. Voelker (Iowa), who reviewed the manuscript.
Chapter I. The DHIA Program

The primary purpose of a dairy-herd-improvement

association is to afford the members an economical

method of obtaining information they can use in improving the producing efficiency of their herds. The records

of identification, production, feed cost, and income

enable the herd owner to cull the least profitable cows,

to feed the rest according to their production requirements, and to select the most suitable animals for breeding up the inherent producing ability of the herd.

Dairy-herd-improvement associations are organized

by farmers and are operated as agricultural extension

demonstration projects under the supervision of State

extension dairymen and county agricultural agents,

in cooperation with the Dairy Husbandry Research

Branch. As demonstration projects, they encourage

farmers to adopt improved methods of dairy husbandry.

A Dairy-Herd-Improvement

Association

A typical dairy-herd-improvement association is an

organization of about 26 dairy farmers who employ

cooperatively a man, called the supervisor, to determine

the quantity of milk and butterfat produced by each

cow in each herd, the cost of the feed used in its production; and also to keep a record of the information

obtained.

County Associations

In recent years more and more associations have been

organized on a county basis. The county association

employs as many supervisors as are needed to conduct

the testing work in aU the herds enrolled. Some county

associations operate a central testing laboratory where

all milk samples are tested and all records are calculated.

Regardless of the type of organization and method of

operation, the testing work in herds under standard

test (tested according to the American Dairy Science

Association uniform rules governing the operation of

dairy-herd-improvement associations, which are listed

in ch. XV) is conducted as outlined herein.

Most county associations that operate a central

testing laboratory in addition to conducting standard

testing also conduct owner-sampler testing. As the

name implies, in owner-sampler testing the herd owner

takes milk samples and weights on each cow in his herd.

The sampled are tested in the central laboratory where

the records are calculated. The records are private

records suitable for the herd owner to use in feeding

and culling his herd, and in selecting the cows in his

herd from which to save heifer calves for herd replacements. The records are not used in the nationwide

proved-sire program because tiie milk samples and

weights were not obtained by a disinterested person,

the association supervisor.

Statewide Organixations

In several States, the local and county associations

liave formed statewide organizations or federations.

Representatives from each local and county association

make up the board of directors of the State organization,

which usually is financed by assessing member associations on a per-cow basis. A State organization, in cooperation with the State college, can render valuable service to the dairy-herd-improvement program in the State in

the following ways: (1) Establish State DHIA poHcies

and rules; (2) coordinate the programs of the local

associations; (3) interpret and enforce all DHIA rules

uniformly throughout the State; (4) establish standards

of performance for supervisors; (5) determine the status

of the State associations for income-tax purposes; and

(6) arrange on a statewide basis for compensation and

liability insurance for the supervisors, social-security

payments, etc.

Broad Program of Herd Improvement

Although each association benefits its individual

members, the information obtained from these associations is used also in a national extension program for

improving the general efficiency of dairying throughout

the country. In general, the objective of this larger

program is to so improve the association herds that they

may serve as sources of breeding stock for improving

the whole dairy-cattle population.

Because the use of good proved sires and sons of such

sires is the surest and quickest way to improve the

inherent producing ability of dairy herds, the Dairy

Husbandry Research Branch and the State extension

services are cooperating in a nationwide program to

prove all sires that are used in association herds and to

aid in disseminating and perpetuating the hereditary

influence of the outstanding sires.

Forms Used for Recording Data

The Dairy Husbandry Research Branch, through the

office of the State extension dairyman, makes available

to dairymen who are members of standard dairy-herdimprovement associations, forms for recording identification, feed, and production data obtamed m

accordance with the DHIA rules of the American Dairy

Science Association. The list of forms is as follows:

DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A), Barn-book filler and binder.

DHIA Herd-Record Book filler. The individual forms that

make up the herd-record book are listed m chapter A.

The forms are furnished to cooperating dairymen by the

Dairy Husbandry Research Branch, through the office of

the State extension dairyman, with the understanding

that the data collected during the year will be reported to

the Branch for study and analysis. Herd-record book

binders are obtained by purchase through the office of the

State extension dairyman.

DHIA-4, Monthly Association Summary.

DHIA-718, DHIA Production Report Card.

DHIA-780, Yearly Herd Summary.

In addition to the above record and report forms, the

State extension dairyman may supply additional forms

to meet the special needs of the DHIA program withm

the State. You will receive special instructions from

your State extension dairyman regarding the use ot tne

additional State forms.

1
Chapter II. Outline of Supervisores Work

If you are a DHIA supervisor in a typical dairy-herdimprovement association, you will visit each herd once

a month. (If you are a supervisor in an association

that operates on the so-called bimonthly testing plan,

you will visit each herd only once in 2 months.) As a

rule, you will arrive at the farm early in the afternoon,

or at least 1 hour before milking time, and remain until

about the same time the following day. If the association operates on a county plan with a central testing

laboratory, you may leave the farm after you obtain

the milk weights and samples at the evening milking and

return the following morning to obtain personally the

milk weights and samples at the morning milking.

Regardless of the plan of operation of the association,

your work as a DHIA supervisor is essentially as

outlined in this manual.

In order to obtain reliable and comparable records,

standard DHIA testing work is performed in accordance

with rules established by the American Dairy Science

Association. (See ch. XV.) The principal points of

the rules are: (1) In each herd all weighing, sampling,

and testing of milk must be done by the supervisor; (2)

all cows of milking age in the herd, including dry cows,

must be on test, regardless of ownership; (3) all cows,

including dry cows, that have been on test in the herd

during the year must be included in the yearly herd

average; and (4) the supervisor must use the figures he

himself obtains on the testing day as a basis for computing the monthly and yearly production records. All

reports must be compiled and made by the supervisor.

You are never permitted to modify these rules.

However, in some cases the board of directors of a

local DHIA, with the advice and approval of the State

extension dairyrnan, may modify the rules slightly to

meet local conditions. It is your responsibility as a

supervisor to see that the rules (either the standard

rules, or the slightly modified rules approved for your

association) are followed. If any basic rule is not followed, the herd is not on standard DHIA test. General confidence in DHIA records is maintained and enhanced when all standard DHIA testing work is done

in conformity with DHIA rules. Any supervisor who

makes exceptions or permits any association member to

make exceptions to the rules loses the confidence of that

member and all other members of the association. You

should refer any questions about the interpretation of

the rules to your State extension dairyman.

Your duties as a DHIA supervisor during the 24-hour

period on each farm are, in general, as follows:

Evening Work

1. Arrive at the farm at least 1 hour before milking

time so as not to cause any delay in the evening milking.

2. Before milking time, fill in the heading of the barnbook sheet, DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A) ; also list all cows

in the herd by name and number on the barn-book

sheet.

3. Definitely identify each cow in the herd from markings or eartag number with data in the herd-record book

as the day^s feed and milk records are obtained.

4. Obtain and record the dates when dry cows were

turned dry.

5. Obtain and record the approximate dates when

other cows will be turned dry during the next testing

period.

6. Obtain and record the freshening dates of cows

that have freshened since the last test and the date

new cows were purchased.

7. Make note of cows that may freshen before the

next test.

8. Weigh or measure the grain fed to each cow and

determine on a herd basis the amount of roughage consumed. Record weights on the bam-book sheet,

DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A). Usually with the help of the

owner you can estimate in the evening the quantity of

feed to be fed in the morning. If so, you can calculate

the month's feed and cost records for the herd in the

evening.

9. Weigh the milk of each cow in the herd. Record

weights on the bam-book sheet, DHIA-2 (or DHIA2A).

10. Mix the milk from each cow thoroughly by pouring

it 2 or 3 times from one pail to another; then take the

sample.

11. Number the sample jars of milk to correspond with

the numbers of the cows on the barn-book sheet. Keep

the sample jars closed tightly and in a locked box untu

time to determine the percentage of butterfat in the

milk.

12. Record the prices of all feeds fed (market value or

cost on farm).

13. Calculate and record the amount and cost of feed

fed the herd during the testing period (if you have

estimated the quantity of morning feed).

14. Record the prices received for milk and butterfat.

15. Get as much of the information indicated above

as possible in the evening. The dairyman is likely to be

too busy in the morning to have time to give you the

data you need to complete the records.

16. Discuss herd problems with the owner and become

so familiar with each part of the herd-record book that

you can show the owner how to use the book as an aid

in improving the feeding, management, and breeding

of his dairy herd.

Morning Work

1. Be on the job before milking time. Weigh or

measure the grain fed each cow (if you did not do so the

previous evening).

2. Weigh and sample the milk from each cow as you

did in the evening.

3. Test a composite sample of the evening's and

morning's milk of each cow for butterfat content,

(jrreater accuracy is obtained by using proportionate
quantities from each milking in making up the composite sample.

4. Complete all calculations on the barn-book sheet,

DHIA-2(orDHIA-2A).

5. Post total and average data for the herd from

form DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A) to form DHIA-12 in the

herd-record book.

6. Copy individual cow records from the barn-book

sheet, DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A), into the herd-record

book on form DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A).

7. If you are qualified, make feed recommendations.

Write them on the back of the barn-book sheet, DHIA2 (or DHIA-2A), or on the barn feeding sheet, if your

State provides one.

8. Be sure that all information is complete in the

owner's herd-record book.

9. Eartag all unidentified calves and purchased

animals that have entered the herd since your last

visit (see ch. XI).

10. Use the special measuring tape in your supervisor's testing outfit to estimate the weight of each cow

that freshened or was purchased since your last visit

and record her weight in ''Remarks" column of DHIA-2

(or DHIA-2A) and on the DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A)

record of the cow in the herd-record book.

11. No identification record exists until the identification data are recorded. Record the identification data

on form DHIA-16 and on the dam's DHIA-22 (or

DHIA-22A) record in the owner's herd-record book.

12. Report on form DHIA-718 the production

record of each cow that has gone dry or has completed

the first 305 days of her lactation period (discussed in

ch. XII). Write in the herd-record book the date

you report the record.

13. Go over the record with the farmer. If qualified,

discuss feeding problems or any other phase of herd

improvement the records indicate should be brought to

his attention.

14. Before you leave the farm, recheck all phases of

the work, to be sure that all records are up to date.

Remember if your record work is not up to date, the

dairymati may justifiably think you are not capable of

handling your job.

15. Leave the herd-record book on the farm. It is

the property of the herd owner. He will need it.

16. Fill out the monthly association summary,

DHIA-4.
Chapter III. Testing Equipment

Standard Testing Equipment

(1) 24-bottle Babcock tester (combination hand and

electrically operated, 500-watt heating element.)

(2) Field case with padlock (inside dimensions approximately 18 inches long, 7 inches wide, 10 inches deep)

for the following equipment :

(a) 48 milk sample bottles (3-ounce bottles).

(b) 2 trays with bales (approximately IQ% inches

long, 6)i inches wide, 3% inches deep, with drain holes

at 2?i-inch level). Each to hold 24 sample bottles

arranged in 3 rows, 8 in each row.

(c) Two 30-cc. sample dippers (heavy type with

rounded bottom).

(d) 60-pound scale, graduated in tenths.

(3) Field case with padlock (approximately 22}2 inches

long, 7 inches wide, 12 inches deep) for the following

equipment :

(a) 48 milk test bottles (8-percent bottles, with

0.1 percent graduation). 24 bottles to be carried in rack

in water bath tank; 24 bottles to be carried in 2 original

cartons of 12 each.

(6) 2 pipets, 17.6 cc.

(c) 2 dairy thermometers (floating, 30°-220° F.).

(d) 2 skim-milk test bottles (for States requiring

them).

(e) Needlepoint dividers with tension screw or

Wagner butterfat reader.

(/) 3 brushes (1 test-bottle brush; 1 sample-bottle

brush; 1 pipet brush).

(g) 2 acid dippers or measures.

(h) Acid bowl approximately 5 inches in diameter

and 4 inches deep, if dippers are used.

(i) Electric heater for water bath (small hotplate type).

(j) Water-bath tank 8K inches deep, the width and

length necessary to accommodate a rack holding 24

test bottles in 3 rows, 8 in a row. Tank to be made of

copper or rustproof material, and marked with indentations on side showing level of water necessary to bring

water to the proper height (approximately the 8-percent

mark) when 12 test bottles, 18 test bottles, or 24 test

bottles are placed in water bath.

(k) Rack to go in water bath and to hold 24 test

bottles (3 rows, 8 in a row). Rack to have partitions between bottles and holes in bottom of rack. These holes

should not be directly underneath the bottles.

(I) Shield to hold test bottles in position in rack

and with some device to hold rack and bottles in position when they are submerged for washing.

(m) Small oil can and oil.

(n) Rubber cork for acid jug.

(o) Cow marking crayons.

(p) Dixon 352 white pencil.

(g) Tape for estimating weights of cows.

(r) DHIA eartagging outfit.

(4) Case for record forms, etc. (inside measurements

18 inches long, 6 inches wide, 12 inches deep).

(5) 2 seamless 20-quart milk pails.

(6) Extension cord with a three-way, plug-in socket.

Care of Testing Equipment

The condition and appearance of your testing equipment often are considered an indication of the type of

person you are and the quality of work you do. Keep

all your equipment clean and in good operating condition at all times.

Centrifuge

Keep it clean. Oil it frequently with a high-grade

lubricant. Keep it adjusted properly and in repair.

For repairs, write direct to the manufacturer or to

your State extension dairyman.

Operate the centrifuge only on a level, firm foundation. Start and stop the machine slowly. In cold

weather, warm the machine before using it. If possible, place it overnight in a warm room with the lid

open. A cold centrifuge cools the test bottles below

the temperature required to obtain an accurate test.

Scales

Keep the scales clean and free from rust. Do not

drop or overload them. Wrap the scales in a dry cloth

and keep them in a kit or dry box when not in use.

Check the accuracy of the scales frequently, especially

if they are old. With inaccurate scales, you are

wasting your time and the dairyman's money, as you

can obtain only worthlesb, misleading records.

Glassware

Glassware is expensive. Use, store, and carrv it with

care. If your supervisor's kit does not provide a specific place for the glassware, wrap it separately and

carry it so jarring or shifting of equipment will not

cause breakage.

Acid

Acid will burn holes in clothes and will burn the

skin. In fact, it will burn or damage practically

everything (except rubber or glass) with which it

comes in contact.

You must regard the acid as dangerous and handle it

accordingly.

If you accidentally spill acid on your skin, wash it

off umnediately. It is good practice to keep your

hands wet while pouring the acid. Keep baking soda

in your kit, handy for use in neutralizing spilled acid.

10 bring acid to the proper temperature, place it in a

warm room in the evening, if possible. If the acid

must be warmed in the morning, place the jug in a

warm-water bath. If the acid and jug are cold, warm

tne jug in a lukewarm-water bath. Never place the

jug in hot water or on a stove to warm it, for the heat

may crack the jug and permit the acid and water to
mix, which would cause an explosion with probable

disastrous results.

Always keep acid away from children. After you

have completed the test, empty the test bottle, and any

milk to which preservative was added, on an ash pile

or some place where children or animals cannot get

to it. Do not empty test bottles down a drain; the

acid will damage the plumbing and may interfere with

the bacterial action where septic tanks are used.

Carrying Case for Acid Jug

Carry the acid in a strong, glass jug with a hardrubber stopper. Carry the jug in a strong, locked,

wood case. The case should be made of not less than

three-fourths-inch material and it should be padded

on the sides and bottom to fit the jug snugly. It

should be just deep enough so that when the lid is

closed and locked, it automatically holds the jug

stopper firmly in place. Keep the jug in the case at

all times except when warming the acid in a water

bath. When carrying the acid in a car, place it so that

it will not tip over and so that in case of a traffic

accident it cannot spill on the occupants of the car.

Cleaning Equipment

Test BoHles

1. While they are still hot, empty the test bottles

in a safe place where acid will do no damage. Shake

the bottles while emptying them, to keep sediment

from sticking to the glass.

2. Rinse the bottles with cold or lukewarm water

3. Replace the bottles in the water bath. Add a

good dairy cleaner (not soap); put a little cleaner in

the neck of each bottle.

4. Add hot water to the water bath, until water fills

the test bottles.

5. Wash bottles thoroughly; use stiff brush on the

necks of the bottles. If dirt has accumulated inside

the bottles, add BB shot with the cleaner and rotate

the bottles vigorously.

6. Empty bottles, rinse with warm water, and invert

to drain.

7. Rinse with hot water, and invert to drain and dry.

Other Equipment

1. As soon as possible after use, rinse the sample

bottles, pails, dippers, and other equipment with cold

or lukewarm water.

2. After rinsing, scrub thoroughly with a stiff brush,

using hot water and a good dairy cleaner.

3. Follow the washing operation with a hot-water

rinse—the hotter the water, the better.

4. A final rinse in a chlorine solution (200 parts per

million) will help to keep the milk samples from souring

by destroying bacteria on the equipment.

5. Invert and air-dry the equipment, to prevent rust.

Source of Supplies

The office of the State extension dairyman will advise

you as to where and how to obtain supplies, equipment,

glassware, acid, etc.
Chapter IV. Weighing and Sampling Milk

Identification of Cows Being Milked

You must verify the identity of each cow when she

enters the milking herd by comparing color markings,

eartags, and registration certificates and by recording

the information on the individual cow record, form

DHIA-22 (or DH1A-22A).

Thereafter, at each milking, you must check the

records to be absolutely positive of the correct identity

of each cow as she is milked.

Supervision of Milking

The cows being milked must be located so that you

can effectively observe the milking at all times.

Weighing

You personally must weigh the milk produced in a

24-hour period by each cow in the herd. You personally must record the milk weights on the barn-book

sheet, DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A).

You should hang your scales at eye-level height at a

place in the barn where you can observe all milking

operations at all times. Adjust the red hand on the

milk scale so that it will rest on zero with the empty

but wet pail. Always read the red (adjusted) hand

and record the milk weight to the nearest ^'tenth'^ of

a pound.

Sampling

At each milking, pour the milk of each cow from one

pail to another enough times (2 or 3 times) to insure

that the milk is mixed thoroughly before you take a

sample. The test will be more accurate if you use

proportionate quantities from each milking to make up Lock Sample Cases

a composite sample for each cow. This is best done

by placing a full sample dipper of milk from the first

milking in the sample bottles and then varying the

amount of milk added from the next milking according

to the weight of the milk obtained from that milking.

If the second milking is heavier than the first, add a full

dipper plus a little additional milk. If the second

milking is lighter, add less than a full dipper of milk

from that milking. The composite sample should

always be large enough to run two tests if necessary.

Pipeline Milker With Weighing and Sampling

Device

Check the scales in each milking unit for accuracy

before milking. Be sure that the hand on the scale

points to zero before the unit is attached to the cow.

MLX the milk thoroughly by bubbling air through the

milk. To do this, open the sampling valve before the

vacuum is released. First record the milk weight,

then release the vacuum and take the sample.

Care of Milk Sample

Keep each cow^s milk sample in a clean, tightly

closed milk-sample jar. The number on the samplejar lid should correspond with the sample number listed

for the cow in the first column on the barn-book sheet.

Keep the sample jars in a locked box or case.

Do not test sour or frozen samples of milk. In

freezing weather, keep the samples in a warm place.

In extremely hot weather, keep the samples in a cool

place or use a preservative. Corrosive sublimate or

potassium dichromate tablets may be used according

to the directions of the manufacturer, to keep the

samples from souring. Caution: Preservatives are very

poisonous and must he kept away from children ard

animxüs. Milk samples that have been treated with

preservatives and that are not used in making the test

must be disposed of where children or animals cannot

get to them.

To insure reliable records and to prevent outside

criticism, you must keep all milk samples, glassware,

and your supply of barn-book pages under lock and

key at all times except when you are actually using

them.
Chapter V. Testing Milk

The Babcock test is used in all dairy-herd-improvement associations. In using the Babcock test, follow

the official rules adopted by the American Dairy Science

Association.

Testing Whole Milk

Tempering

1. Place the bottles holding the composite milk

samples in a water bath with the surface of the water

slightly above the level of the milk in the bottles.

2. The temperature of the bath should not exceed

110^ F. at the time you place the cold samples in it.

Shortly thereafter, as the water bath cools off and the

milk warms up, adjust the temperature of the bath so

the final temperature of the bath and the samples is

between 90° and 100°. You may use two baths, one

for heating and one thermostatically controlled for

holding at 90° to 100°. Do not shake or mix the milk

in the sample bottle until it has reached 90°.

3. If any sample becomes diluted with water, discard

it and make a permanent record of the date of the

accident and identity of the sample.

4. If any cream adheres to the sides of the bottle

and the stopper, genth^ rotate and invert the bottle to

reincorpórate the cream with the contents of the bottle.

Mixing Before Pipetting

After the composite sample of milk reaches 90° to

100° F., mix it in one of two ways:

1. Pour the sample into a mixing container and back

into the original sample bottle at least twice. Drain

the mixing container for at least 15 seconds before

using it again.

2. If the sample bottle is not more than two-thu-ds

full, you may mix the milk by shaking the bottle

horizontally back and forth 6 times through a distance

of about 6 inches within about 3 seconds, being careful

to avoid churning the milk.

Pipet the sample immediately after mixing.

Temperature of Milk for Pipetting

1 When you pipet the sample, the temperature of

the mük should be between 90° and 100° F.

Pipetting

1. Place the tip of the pipet into about one-half the

depth of the milk in the sample bottle. Fill the pipet,

and adjust the topmost surface of the milk to the

graduated mark (17.6 cc.) on the suction tube. Insert

the entire delivery tube of the pipet mto the neck of

the test bottle before releasing the milk. The lip ot

the test bottle should be vented, preferably with a

grooved rubber gasket at the base of the bulb of the

pipet.

2. When the pipet has drained for about 10 or 15

seconds after free flow has stopped, blow out the last

drops or remove the pipet from the test bottle with a

quick upward movement to force the last drops from

the tip of the pipet. You wUl find it advantageous to

use two pipets alternately.

Testing Milk for Butterfat

Sulfuric Acid

1. Use sulfuric acid with a specific gravity of 1.82 to

1.83 at a temperature of 68° F.

2. The temperature of the acid should be between

65° and 75° F.

3. Use enough acid (not less than 14 ml.) so the fat

column of the finished test will be clear and free of

foreign material.

Addins Acid to the Milk

1. The temperature of the milk at the time of adding

the acid should not exceed 80° F.

2. Hold the test bottle at an angle so the acid will

flow down the sides of the bottle and add the acid

slowly all at one time. Avoid blending the milk and

acid until you begin actual mixing.

3 Start mixing the milk and acid gently, by rotating

the test bottle until the curd disappears Continue

shaking the bottle for an additional period of at least

30 seconds. The time of shaking is very important in

obtaining accurate tests. If you are usmg a preservative

in the milk, mixing for 3 minutes is recoinmended.

4. Place the bottles in a heated centrifuge immediately after mixing the milk and acid.

Centrifuge

1 The centrifuge should be thermostatically controlied at 140° to 150° F. while in operation An

accurate thermometer should be Permanef ly a^^^^^^

to the centrifuge in such manner that it will indi^^^^^^^ the

temperature in the area where the test bottles are

'^^2^'^The centrifuge should be mechanically driven, free

from vibration, at the foUowing speeds: ^^^^^^^^^ ^ ^

Diameter of wheel (inches): (numba ^^^

16 " 800

18 759

20 724

22 693

24 .

Diameter of wheel is the distance between the m«jj«

bottom of the opposite cups, measured through the

center of rotation when the cups are extended hon7
zontally. This diameter must not be less than 16

inches. The speed of the centrifuge must not be less

than the figures in the preceding table and must not

exceed them by more than 40 r. p. m. Check the

speed of the centrifuge at least monthly with the door

of the tester closed. An accurate tachometer permanently attached to the centrifuge is desirable.

Centrifuging Procedure

1. Operate the centrifuge 5 minutes for the first

period, 2 minutes for the second, and 1 minute for the

third. Begin timing after it reaches operating speed.

Use satisfactory timer.

2. As an alternative method, you may operate the

centrifuge 5 minutes for the first period and 3 minutes

for the second. This requires only one addition of

water to bring the fat into the neck of the bottle.

3. Use water, free from oil, and at a temperature of

at least 140° F., to fill the bulb and adjust the level

of the fat column in the neck of the test bottle. To

soften hard water, add about two drops of sulfurife

acid to each quart of water. Never add water to acid.

4. Transfer the test bottles to the water bath

immediately after the final centrifuging period.

5. When you read the test, the entire fat column

must be within the graduated neck of the test bottle.

Tempering Bafhs

1. The temperature of the water in the bath should

be between 130° and 140° F., preferably 135°.

2. Keep the water slightly above the top of the fat

column of all test bottles.

3. Keep the test bottles in the water bath for a period

of not less than 3 minutes.

4. Read the test immediately after you remove the

bottle from the water bath.

Reading Tests

1. Hold the bottle vertically and at eye level in front

of a source of indirect light to read the test. Use sharp

needle-pointed dividers or calipers to make the measurement.

2. Measure the fat column in its entirety from the

bottom of the lower meniscus to the top of the upper

meniscus. (The meniscus is the saucershaped surface

at the ends of the fat column. The bottom of the

meniscus is the bottom of the saucer, and the top of

the meniscus is the outer rim of the saucer.)

3. Measure the fat column on the ungraduated side

of ttie neck and read the test from the graduated scale.

4. Read the fat test to the nearest 0.1 percent.

5. Do not read tests in which the fat column is foamy,

burnt, or curdy.

Testing Skim Milk

The testing of skim milk for butterfat is useful in

determining the amount of butterfat left in the skim

milk after the milk has been run through the cream

separator. The skim-milk test bottle has two necks.

One neck is of small bore and graduated to read the

percentage of fat in hundredths, and the other, which

extends almost to the bottom of the bottle, is of larger

bore and conveys the acid and hot water used in the

test. In testing skim milk, use a 17.5-cc. sample of

milk, together with 20 cc. of sulfuric acid. Add the

acid in two parts of 10 cc. each, and mix the acid and

skim milk thoroughly after each addition. Continue

the first whirling of the bottles in the centrifuge for

7 minutes, which is 2 minutes longer than in testing

whole milk.

Defective Tests

The test is coaisidered defective and inaccurate if the

fat column is mdlky or indistinct or if flakes of casein

or charred material are in or below the fat column, and

you should repeat the test. The following items should

be helpful in correcting procedures that result in defective tests:

A dark-colored or burned-fat column containing dark

particles near the lower meniscus is usually caused by

improper mixing or by one of the following:

1. The acid was too strong.

2. Too much acid was used.

3. The acid was too warm when it was added to the

milk (over 75° F.).

4. The milk was too warm when the acid was added

(over 80° F.).

5. The acid was dropped directly into the milk.

(The test bottle should be tilted so the acid will flow

down the sides.)

6. The mixing was interrupted before the solution

was complete.

7. The acid and the milk stood too long before being

mixed.

8. Too fast action of acid because of failure to use

rotary motion in mixing milk and acid.

A light-colored fat colunm containing white curdy

material or sediment near the lower meniscus may result

from one or more of the following causes:

1. The acid was too weak.

2. Too little acid was used.

3. The acid was too cold when it was added to the

milk (under 50° F.).

4. The milk was too cold when the acid was added

(under 50° F.).

5. The mixing was not continued long enough to dissolve all the milk solids.

6. The speed of the centrifuge was insufficient.

Foam appearing on the top of the fat column in the

test bottles, obliterating the upper meniscus, usually

is caused by the use of hard water containing carbonates. You can usually remove the carbonates from

the water before it is used by adding a few drops of

sulfuric acid to the water and stirring vigorously to

insure that the chemical reaction is completed. Never

add water to acid.
Chapter VI. Calculating DHIA Records

You will do most of the work necessary in calculating

DHIA records on the barn-book sheet, DHIA-2 (or

DHIA-2A). Your State extension dairyman will advise you which of these two forms to use. The principal difference in the two forms is that form DHIA-2

provides space for recording the amount and cost of

feed and returns above feed cost on an individual-cow

basis, whereas form DHIA-2A provides space for this

information on a herd basis. Copies of these forms

properly filled out are shown in the appendix, figures

1 and 2.

Barn-Booli, DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A)

The barn book consists of work sheets, DHIA-2 (or

DHIA-2A), on which you record production data for

each cow, concentrates fed each cow, and roughage

fed the herd for the monthly testing period. Later

you transfer these data to the owner's herd-record

book.

Make a carbon copy of the barn-book sheet. Leave

the carbon copy with the herd owner at the close of

the testing day so that he may have a copy of all data

and calculations. In some States the ordinal copy is

sent to the office of the State extension dairyman and

in other States it is filed in the county agent's office.

Your State extension dairyman will tell you where to

send the bam-book sheets.

You usually begin your testing day by filling out the

headings of the barn-book sheet. The following paragraphs tell how to fin out the barn-book sheets properly.

Owner

Each month, write the name of the association, the

herd identification number, and the name and address

of the herd owner, or the name of the farm (if it has a

name) on the heading of the bam-book sheet. If more

than one sheet is needed to list all the cows in the herd,

be sure to fill out the heading at the top of each sheet.

Use the name that is used on page DHIA-1 in the

herd-record book. (See ch. X, p. 21.) Use the same

name, spelled exactly the same way, every month on

all reports. Do not write "Will Smith" one month and

"Bill Smith,'' "W. D. Smith," or "Smithdale Farm"

some other month. If the ownership of a herd changes,

give the names of both the old owner and the new owner.

Example: W. D. Smith & Son, successors to W. D.

Smith.

Testing Dale

This is the date you finish the test on a farm. If you

arrive at the farm in the afternoon of the 19th of the

month, the day you leave—the 20th of the month—is

the testing date. If it takes 2 days to test the herd and

you leave the farm on the 21st day of the month, the

21st is the testing date.

Enter the testing date (month, day, and year) in the

space ''Date tested" on the headmg of the barn-book

sheet, DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A), as shown in the appendix, figs. 1 and 2.

Centering Date

Most cows decline in production as their lactation

progresses. Therefore, they must be tested approximately in the middle of each month in order to get an

accurate estimate of their production for that month.

As all herds cannot be tested at the middle of each calendar month, a monthly testing period is established

for each herd. To do this, a centering date is assigned

to each herd the first month it is tested. Usually the

date on which you test the herd the first month becomes the established centering date for the herd. The

monthly testing period begins 15 days before the centering date and ends 12 to 15 days after the testing date,

depending on the number of days in the month. Thus

the centering date always falls about the middle of the

testing period. In assigning centering dates you must

consider your route and the location of the herd in relation to other herds in the circuit.

Once you have established a centering date for a

herd, it remains the same month after month even

though you do not test the herd on exactly this date

each month. You should vary your visits to each farm

so that succeeding testing dates will be as much as 3

days before or 3 days after the established centering

date. Unless you change your route, the herd will have

the same centering date year after year. If you assume

your duties in an association in operation, use the centering date already established for each herd. In a

new association without a full membership at the time

testing is started, leave several ''open" centering dates

in your schedule for new members who join the association later.

Give large herds that cannot be tested in 1 day only

1 centering date for the entire herd. If it takes 2 days

to test the herd, the second day is the centering date;

if it takes more than 2 days, the day near the middle of

the test is the centering date.

Enter the same established centering date for the

herd each month in the space provided on the heading

of the barn-book sheet, DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A).

New Herds Coming Into Association During

Testing Year

Frequently a new herd coming into an association

during the year is located so that, to avoid unnecessary

travel, you should test the herd at a time in the month

in which all the centering dates have been assigned.

However, since you have a range of 7 days (3 days be-
fore, on, and 3 days after the centering date) in which

to test a herd, 3^ou usually can assign a centering date

to a new herd even though it may result in two herds

in the same association having the same centering date.

When the next association year begins, you may reassign the centering date for the various herds if necessar3^ (Seech. XIII, p. 31.)

Monthly Testing Period

To calculate records correctly, you must understand

and remember that you are calculating feed and production records for a testing period, not for a calendar

month or months, and that the testing period for each

herd varies with each centering date.

After the centering date is established for a herd, you

can easily determine the testing period for each monthly

test by referring to the table on page 11. This table is

printed also on the inside cover of the barn book. (If

the association operates on the bimonthly testing plan,

use the table on p. 12 to determine the inclusive dates of,

and the number of days in, the bimonthly testing

period.)

Each month, after you have entered the established

centering date for the herd on the barn-book sheet,

refer to the table on the inside cover of the barn book,

(or, in the bimonthly testing plan, to the table on p. 12)

to obtain the inclusive dates for the corresponding

testing period. Enter the correct dates (month, day,

and year) in the space ^'Testing period from to

" on the heading of the barn-book sheet,

DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A).

You will refer to the inclusive dates of the testing

period many times while you are calculating records on

each farm. With these dates available on the barn-book

sheet for easy reference, it will not be difficult to

calculate the correct number of days for cows in milk

or cows coming into or leaving the milking herd during

the testing period.

Days in Testing Period

If the association operates on the monthly testing

plan, the number of days in the testing period is the

same as the number of days in the calendar month in

which the centering date falls. (If the association

operates on the bimonthly testing plan, the number of

days in the testing period is the number of da3^s in the

month in which the centering date falls plus the number

of days in the preceding month.) However, it is not

necessary for you to calculate the number of days in the

testing period as this information is given in the table

on the inside cover of the barn book (or, in the bimonthly plan, in the table on p. 12). You should always

refer to these tables rather than trust your memory as

to the number of days in the various testing periods.

Enter the number of days in the testing period in the

space provided on the heading of the barn-book sheet

DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A).

Sample Number

Number the sample-bottle caps permanently from

1 to 24, or from 1 to 48 (depending on the number of

sample bottles you carry in your testing outfit).

Enter in the column ^^Sample No.'' on the barn-book

sheet, DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A), numbers to correspond

with the numbers on the sample-bottle caps.

10

Cow's Name and Eartag or Registration

Number

On your first visit to the farm, check form DHIA-22

(or DHIA-22A) in the herd-record book to determine

if the name and eartag or registration number together

with the barn name and number of each cow m the

milking herd have been recorded. With the owner,

make any necessary corrections or additions, including

new cows entering the herd. Once you have recorded

all this information in the herd-record book, you usually

will be able to identify the cows and keep the records in

order on the barn-book sheet, DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A),

month after month with just the barn names and

numbers.

Each time you visit the farm, before milking starts in

the evening, list in the column **Cow's name and eartag

or registration No." on the barn-book sheet, DHIA-2

(or DHIA-2A), the barn names or numbers of all the

cows, milking and dry, that are in the herd. List the

cows in the same order each month. This makes it easy

to keep track of cows taken from or added to the herd.

Every cow in the herd that has ever freshened, regardless of her stage of lactation (dry cow, nurse cow,

or milking cow) and regardless of her ownerwhip, must

be listed on the barn-book sheet. No cow may be left

out. List nurse cows as dry cows, unless you obtain

daily milk weights and samples on the testing date.

(See ch. IX, p. 18.)

Cow-Days Dry and Total Cow-Days on Tesf

Enter in the column with the subheading **0n test"

the actual number of days that each cow is in the herd

during the testing period; enter in the column with the

subheading ''In milk" the number of days each cow is

actually in milk; and enter in the column with the subheading ''Dry" the number of days, if any, each cow is

dry.

For cows in the herd every day in the testing period,

the number of days on test is the same as the number of

days in the testing period. Most of the cows will also

be in milk every day in the testing period.

Record the number of days each cow is dry during the

testing period in the column "Dry" as shown for the

three cows 51-4817 Susie, 51-4838 Sol, and 51-4826

Marge in the appendix, figures 1 and 2.

Milk We¡9hts

In the first column under the general heading "Milk"

on the barn-book sheet, DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A), space

is provided for recording separately the weights of two

milkings for each cow. Record only milk weights you

obtain personally. If the owner keeps daily weights,

they are for the owner's use only.

Record each cow's daily milk weight in pounds and

tenths. Round the figures for monthly milk weight to

the nearest 10 pounds, and the month's butterfat weight

to the nearest pound.

Record the night's milk weight above the middle line

of the section and the morning's milk weight below as

shown m the appendix, figures 1 and 2. In the "Total"

column, record the sum of the milk weights in the precedmg column. In the next column record the "Monthy total." To obtain the "Monthly total," multiply the

Daily total" by the number of days the cow was in

milk during the testing period.
Centering Date Table—Monthly

Centering date

January,

August

(31 days)

February

(28 days)

February

(29 days)

March

(31 days)

following

February

(28 days)

March

(31 days)

following

February

(29 days*)

April, June,

September,

Noyember

(30 days)

May, July,

October*

December

(31 days)

Centering date

lst_

2d__

3d._

4th_

5th _

6th. _

7th. _

8th. _

9th. _

10th_

nth.

12th.

13th.

14th_

15th.

16th.

17th.

18th.

19th.

20th.

21st.

22d..

23d__

24th.

25th.

26th.

27th.

28th.

29th.

30th.

31st.

*17 to 16

*18 to 17

*19 to 18

*20 to 19

*21 to 20

*22 to 21

*23 to 22

*24 to 23

*25 to 24

*26 to 25

*27 to 26

*28 to 27

*29 to 28

*30 to 29

*31 to 30

1 to 31

2 to 1**

3 to 2**

4 to 3**

5 to 4**

6 to 5**

7 to 6**

8 to 7**

9 to 8**

10 to 9**

11 to 10**

12 to 11**

13 to 12**

14 to 13**

15 to 14**

16 to 15**

*17 to 13

*18 to 14

*19 to 15

*20 to 16

*21 to 17

*22 to 18

*23 to 19

*24 to 20

*25 to 21

*26 to 22

*27 to 23

*28 to 24

*29 to 25

*30 to 26

*31 to 27

1 to 28

2 to 1**

3 to 2**

4 ^o 3**

5 to 4**

6 to 5**

7 to 6**

8 to 7**

9 to 8**

10 to 9**

11 to 10**

12 to 11**

13 to 12**

14 to 13**

15 to 14**

16 to 15**

*17 to 14

*18 to 15

*19 to 16

*20 to 17

*21 to 18

*22 to 19

*23 to 20

*24 to 21

*25 to 22

*26 to 23

*27 to 24

*28 to 25

*29 to 26

*30 to 27

*31 to 28

1 to 29

2 to 1**

3 to 2**

4 to 3**

5 to 4**

6 to 5**

7 to 6**

8 to 7**

9 to 8**

10 to 9**

11 to 10**

12 to 11**

13 to 12**

14 to 13**

15 to 14" *

16 to 15**

*14 to 16

*15 to 17

*16 to 18

*17 to 19

*18 to 20

*19 to 21

*20 to 22

*21 to 23

*22 to 24

*23 to 25

*24 to 26

*25 to 27

*26 to 28

*27 to 29

*28 to 30

1 to 31

2 to 1**

3 to 2**

4 to 3**

5 to 4**

6 to 5**

7 to 6**

8 to 7**

9 to 8**

10 to 9**

11 to 10**

12 to 11**

13 to 12**

14 to 13**

15 to 14**

16 to 15**

*15 to 16

*16 to 17

*17 to 18

*18 to 19

*19 to 20

*20 to 21

*21 to 22

*22 to 23

*23 to 24

*24 to 25

*25 to 26

*26 to 27

*27 to 28

*28 to 29

*29 to 30

1 to 31

2 to 1**

3 to 2**

4 to 3**

5 to 4**

6 to 5**

7 to 6**

8 to 7**

9 to 8**

10 to 9**

11 to 10**

12 to 11**

13 to 12**

14 to 13**

15 to 14**

16 to 15**

*17 to 15

*18to 16

*19 to 17

*20 to 18

*21 to 19

*22 to 20

*23 to 21

*24 to 22

*25 to 23

*26 to 24

*27 to 25

*28 to 26

*29 to 27

*30 to 28

*31 to 29

1 to 30

2 to 1**

3 to 2**

4 to 3**

5 to 4**

6 to 5**

7 to 6**

8 to 7**

9 to 8**

10 to 9**

11 to 10**

12 to 11**

13 to 12**

14 to 13**

15 to 14**

16 to 15**

*16 tol6

*17 to 17

*18 to 18

*19 to 19

*20 to 20

*21 to 21

*22 to 22

*23 to 23

*24 to 24

*25 to 25

*26 to 26

*27 to 27

*28 to 28

*29 to 29

*30 to 30

1 to 31

2 to 1**

3 to 2**

4 to 3**

5 to 4**

6 to 5**

7 to 6**

8 to 7**

9 to 8**

10 to 9**

11 to 10**

12 to 11**

13 to 12**

14 to 13**

15 to 14**

16 to 15**

-1st

-.2d

--3d

-4th

_5th

--6th

--7th

..8th

-_9th

-10th

.nth

-12th

.13th

-14th

-15th

-16th

.17th

_18th

_19th

_20th

.21st

..22d

.-23d

-24th

-25th

.26th

-27th

.28th

-29th

-30th

-31st

Date of previous month. **Date of following month.

Computing the Butterfat

After you have found the percentage of butterfat in

the composite sample of milk for each cow, by means of

the Babcock test, record the result in the ''Butterfat"

column on the barn-book sheet, DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A)

under the subheading ''Percentage," as shown in the

appendix, figures 1 and 2. Multiply the total pounds

of milk produced during the monthly testing period by

the percentage of butterfat, to obtain the butterfat produced during the period, and record this figure (to the

nearest pound) under the subheading "Pounds" in the

"Butterfat" column.

If you do not make the calculation on a calculating

machine, use computing tables. You can obtain computing tables from the oflSce of your State extension

dairyman.

Price and Value of Product

Record the price received for the product on the farm

(market price less transportation charges) in the space

"Price" in the heading of the column "Value of product"

on the barn-book sheet, DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A), as

shown in the appendix, figures 1 and 2. Calculate the

value of product to the nearest 10 cents.

Several methods of determining price and value of

product are described in the following paragraphs.

You should follow the advice of your State extension

dairyman in regard to the method you use.

Whole Milk

If whole milk is sold according to the butterfat content of the milk with butterfat price differentials or at

different base and surplus prices, determine the price

as follows: Use the average price received for whole

milk to calculate the price received per pound of butterfat, then use the price per pound of butterfat to determine the value of the product of each cow. For

example, in the appendix, figures 1 and 2, this procedure

was used to calculate value of product. The average

price received for whole milk divided by the percentage

of fat in the milk ($4.63-^4.1) equals $1.13, which is

the price per pound of butterfat. To obtain the value

of product, multiply the pounds of fat produced by each

cow by the price per pound of butterfat.

Another method of calculating the value of product

of individual cows is to multiply the average price per

hundredweight received for milk by the number of

pounds of milk produced by each cow, disregardmg

test or butterfat.

In some associations, dairymen like to have the value

of product of each cow calculated according to inilk

price and butterfat content. Your State extension

dairyman will give you detailed instructions if you use

this method of computing value of product with butterfat content price differentials. Compute the value of

product of each individual cow accordingly.

11
Centering Date Table—Bimonthly

Centering

date

lst_

2d__

3d__

4th _

5th _

6th. _

7th. _

8th.-

9th __

10th_

nth.

12th_

13th_

14th_

15th_

16th_

17th.

18th.

19th.

20th _

21st_

22d__

23d. _

24th.

25th _

January

(62 days)

26th.

27th.

28th.

29th.

30th _

31st.

*1 to 31

*2 to 1**

*3 to 2**

*4 to 3**

*5 to 4**

*6 to 5**

*7 to 6**

*8 to 7**

*9 to 8**

*10 to 9**

11 to 10**

*12 to 11**

*13 to 12**

*14to 13**

*15 to 14**

*16 to 15**

*17 to 16**

*18 to 17**

*19 to 18**

*20 to 19**

*21 to 20**

*22 to 21**

*23 to 22**

*24 to 23**

*25 to 24**

*26 to 25**

*27 to 26**

*28 to 27**

*29 to 28**

*30 to 1 1

*31 to 2 1

February

(59 days)

*1 to 28

*2 to 1**

*3 to 2**

*4 to 3**

*5 to 4**

*6 to 5**

*7 to 6**

*8 to 7**

*9 to 8**

*10 to 9**

*11 to 10**

*12 to 11**

*13 to 12**

*14 to 13**

*15 to 14**

*16 to 15**

*17 to 16**

*18 to 17**

*19 to 18**

*20 to 19**

*21 to 20**

*22 to 21**

*23 to 22**

*24 to 23**

*25 to 24

*26 to 25**

*27 to 26**

*28 to 27**

March

(59 days)

*1 to 30

*2 to 1**

*3 to 2**

*4 to 3**

*5 to 4**

*6 to 5**

*7 to 6**

*8 to 7**

*9 to 8**

*10 to 9**

*11 to 10**

*12 to 11**

*13 to 12**

*14 to 13**

*15 to 14**

*16 to 15**

*17 to 16**

*18 to 17**

*19 to 18**

*20 to 19**

*21 to 20**

*22 to 21**

*23 to 22**

*24 to 23**

*25 to 24**

*26 to 25**

*27 to 26**

*28 to 27**

1 to 28**

2 to 29**

3 to 30**

April, June,

Sept., Nov.

(61 days)

*1 to 30

*2 to 1**

*3 to 2**

*4 to 3**

*5 to 4**

*6 to 5**

*7 to 6**

*8 to 7**

*9 to 8**

*10 to 9**

*11 to 10**

*12 to 11**

*13 to 12**

*14 to 13**

*15 to 14**

*16 to 15**

*17 to 16**

*18 to 17**

*19 to 18**

*20 to 19**

*21 to 20**

*22 to 21**

*23 to 22**

*24 to 23**

*25 to 24**

*26 to 25**

*27 to 26**

*28 to 27**

*29 to 28**

*30 to 29**

May, July,

Oct., Dec.

(61 days)

*1 to 31

*2 to 1**

*3 to 2**

*4 to 3**

*5 to 4**

*6 to 5**

*7 to 6**

*8 to 7**

*9 to 8**

*10 to 9**

*11 to 10**

*12 to 11**

*13 to 12**

*14 to 13**

*15 to 14**

*16 to 15**

*17 to 16**

*18 to 17**

*19 to 18**

*20 to 19**

*21 to 20**

*22 to 21**

*23 to 22**

*24 to 23**

*25 to 24**

*26 to 25**

*27 to 26**

*28 to 27**

*29 to 28**

*30 to 29**

1 to 30**

August

(62 days)

*1 to 31

*2 to 1**

*3 to 2**

*4 to 3**

*5 to 4**

*6 to 5**

*7 to 6**

*8 to 7**

*9 to 8**

*10 to 9**

*11 to 10**

*12 to 11**

*13 to 12**

*14 to 13**

*15 to 14**

*16 to 15**

*17 to 16**

*18 to 17**

*19 to 18**

*20 to 19**

*21 to 20**

*22 to 21**

*23 to 22**

*24 to 23**

*25 to 24**

*26 to 25**

*27 to 26**

*28 to 27**

*29 to 28**

*30 to 29**

*31 to 30**

Centering

date

_lst

_2d

_3d

.4th

.5th

_.6th

__7th

..8th

__9th

.10th

.nth

.12th

13th

_14th

_15th

.16th

.17th

.18th

_19th

.20th

.21st

..22d

._23d

.24th

.25th

-26th

.27th

.28th

-29th

.30th

.31st

*Date of previous month. **Date of following month. Date of second following month.

If milk is sold at both base and surplus prices, calculate the average price as follows: Suppose 20 percent

of the milk is sold at a surplus price of $3 per 100 pounds

and the remaining 80 percent is sold at a base price of

$4.50 per 100 pounds. The average price is ($3.00 X

0.20)+ ($4.50 X 0.80), or $4.20. Use this average price

in calculating butterfat differential price, as indicated

above.

If whole milk is sold by the gallon or quart, convert

the gallon or quart price to price per 100 pounds.

Then multiply the amount of milk produced by the

price per 100 pounds (a gallon of milk weighs approximately 8.6 pounds), to obtain the value of product.

When milk is bottled and sold to the retail trade, use

about 60 percent of the selling price in calculating the

price of the whole milk on a gallon or quart basis.

Disregard the remaining 40 percent of the retail price,

which is considered as cost of delivery.

Butterfat and Skim Milk

When milk is separated on the farm and the cream

and skim milk are sold separately, include the value of

the butterfat and the value of the skim milk in the

column '*Butterfat-Milk" under the general heading

^'Value of product." Record the sum of these two

values in the 'Total" column under the general heading

''Value of product."

Usually, however, when milk is separated, only the

cream is sold and the skim milk is fed on the farm. In

such cases, the value of the skim milk must be included

in the total value of the product or the cows will not

receive full credit for the product produced.

To keep the number of calculations at a minimum,

convert the price of skim milk to a butterfat basis and

add its value to the price per pound of butterfat;

then calculate the total value of product as outlined

under "Whole Milk." For example, Iowa has found it

practical to determine the value of skim milk according

to substitute feed value on the basis that 10 pounds of

skim milk is equal in value to 1 poimd of linseed meal,

as follows:

Using the factor below, multiply the factor that

corresponds to the "average percentage of butterfat"

for the entire herd by the cost of 1 pound of linseed meal.

The product of this multiplication represents the value

of skim milk on a butterfat basis in cents. Add this

figure to the price of butterfat to complete the total

value of product in one operation.

Average percentage of butterfat: Factw

3.00 and under __ 30O

3.01 to 3.50 2' 78

3.51 to 4.00__. 2* 40

4.01 to 4.50___ 2" 12

4.51 to 5.00 -""" " 1* 90

5.01 and over '" ^ j'gg

Example: Suppose the average butterfat test for the

herd is 4 percent and suppose the price of linseed meal

IS $5 per cwt., or 5 cents per pound. Multiply the

factor m the above tabl > for 4 percent (2 40) by the

price of 1 pound of linseed meal (5 cents) ; the value of

skim milk on a butterfat basis would be 2.40X5 or 12

cents. (If the result is in fractions, compute to the

nearest cent.)

12
If the price of butterfat is 80 cents, add 12 cents and

use the sum of 80+12, or 92 cents, to calculate the

total value of product as outlined under ''Whole

Milk/^ Make a notation on the barn-book sheet such

as ''Butterfat price increased 12 cents to include value

of skim milk^^ to show the procedure followed in calculating the total value of product.

Daily and Monthly Feed Amounts

Two different plans for calculating and recording

feed data are offered. Both plans provide for calculating concentrate feed records on an individual-cow basis.

One plan provides for calculating roughage records on

an individual-cow basis whereas the other plan provides

for calculating roughage records on a herd basis. Your

State extension dairyman will advise you which plan to

follow in your association.

Calculating and recording feed records is discussed

in chapter VIII.

Remarks

Enter in this column important notes and data that

you must have available if you are to calculate the

production records correctly and completely. The

notes include dates (such as breeding dates, calving and

dry dates), and other items (such as sickness, etc.)

that may affect the record. Eartag numbers of calves

may be recorded in this column, as shown in the appendix, figures 1 and 2.

Monthly Herd Totals

After you have made all computations and have

completely filled in each individual cow-record on the

barn-book sheet for the testing period, add the milk

and butterfat records for the individual cows to obtain

the totals for the herd. Record these totals at the

bottom of the page, as shown in the appendix, figures

1 and 2.

Add the number of days each cow was on test during

the testing period to obtain the "Total cow-days on

test," and record as shown.

Divide the "Total cow-days on test" by the number

of days in the testing period to obtain the number of

"Cow-months," and record as shown. Example: In

the appendix, figures 1 and 2, the number 403 is divided

by 31 to obtain the figure 13.0, the "Cow-months."

Add the number of days in the column "In milk" to

obtain the total for the herd, and record as shown.

Add the number of days each cow was dry during the

testing period to obtain the total number of "Cow-days

dry," and record as shown.

Monthly Herd Average

You must include all cows in the herd when you

calculate the herd averages. To obtain the monthly

herd averages, divide the herd totals by the number of

"cow-months." Example: In the appendix, figures 1

and 2, the monthly totals for the herd are divided by

13.0 (the number of cow-months) to obtain the monthly

herd averages. To obtain the average butterfat test

for the herd, divide the average fat per cow by the

average milk per cow. Example: In the appendix,

figures 1 and 2, 22.5-^554 =0.0406, or 4.06 percent

average butterfat test for the herd.

Checking Barn-Book Calculations

Check carefully for accuracy all calculations made on

the barn-book sheet each month You can make a

general check on the accuracy of your calculations as

follows: To check total value of product, multiply the

total pounds of milk or butterfat for the testing period

by the price of the product. The results may vary a

few cents from the sum of individual records because

of fractions. If the results do not check closely, there

are mistakes either in the column totals or in the records

of one or more individual cows.

372801 0—56

13
Chapter Vil. Calculating Records for Testing Period

You must credit each individual cow with the correct

number of days on test, in milk, and dry in each testing

period if her production and feed records are to be correct for the testing period, for the year, and for her

lactation period.

Remember that you are calculating records for a testing period and that you have already recorded on the

heading of the barn-book sheet the inclusive dates of

the testing period and the number of days in the

period. (See ch. VI, p. 9.)

You have entered in the column with the subheading

'^On test" the actual number of days that each cow is

in the herd during the testing period, in the column

with the subheading ''In milk" the number of days each

cow is actually in milk; and in the column with the

subheading ''Dry" the number of days, if any, each cow

is dry.

You will recall that for cows in the herd every day in

the testing period, the number of days on test is the

same as the number of days in the testing period.

However, there usually are some cows that are not

in milk every day. These are cows freshening or drying

off during the testing period, or milking cows that were

purchased and brought into the herd or that were sold

from the herd during the period. Under DHIA testing, heifers are not considered a part of the herd until

they calve.

Fresh Cows

The record of a fresh cow begins on the fourth day

after calving, counting the calving day as the first day,

but her milk is not tested earlier than the seventh day

after calving, counting the calving day as the first day.

For example, if a cow freshens on the 21st of the month,

her record begins on the 24th. but do not test her milk

before the 27th. You can take the first milk weights

and samples on the evening of the sixth day after calving, or, in this example, on the evening of the 26th.

If a cow has not been fresh 6 days before the testing

date, do not calculate her production for that testing

period until your next visit to the farm. For an example of how to calculate the record of a fresh cow, refer

to the barn-book sheet, DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A) in the

appendix, figures 1 and 2. The third cow listed,

51-4817 Susie, freshened October 9. (The calf was a

male and was eartagged 51-4967, as noted in the righthand column headed "Remarks.") To calculate Susie's

record, refer to the inclusive dates of the testing period,

on the heading of the barn-book sheet; note that the

testing period is from October 5 througli November 4.

Susie freshened on October 9, and her production

record begins on October 12.

Calculate only her actual production from October

12 through November 4, or 24 days; but calculate

her feed consumption for the entire testing period of

October 5 through November 4, or 31 days, as she was

in the herd and was fed for the entire testing period.

Record the number of days she was not in milk (7) in

the "Dry" column.

First-calf heifers are started on test on the fourth

day after calving counting the calving day as the first

14

day. If Susie were a first-calf heifer, you would calculate botli her production and her feed records for 24

days, as tliat would be the number of days she was a

part of the milking herd during the testing period.

(For testing purposes, heifers are not considered part

of the herd until they calve.) You would record the

figure 24 in the column "On test" and also in the column

"In milk."

Sometimes a dry cow comes into milk before she

freshens. This prefreshening production is included

in her lifetime record on form DHIA-22 (or DHIA22A), but it is not counted as part of her lactation

record, which begins at freshening as outlined above.

Record the weight of each fresh cow in the "Remarks''

column of form DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A) and on form

DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A). Use the tape measure in

your supervisor's testing outfit to estimate the cow's

weight.

Purchased Cows

Calculate production and feed records for purchased

cows in milk coming into the herd the same as records

for first-calf heifers. Both feed and production records

begin the first full day a cow is in the herd.

Calculate feed records for a purchased dry cow for

the number of days the cow is in the herd during the

current testing period. If the purchased dry cow

freshens during the same testing period in which she is

purchased, calculate her production record for the

number of days she is in milk during the testing period.

If a purchased cow in milk comes into the herd and

she has freshened not more than 30 days before the

beginning of her first testing period, estimate her production for the period preceding her first testing period.

Milk production for the first and second months of

a lactation period are approximately equal. (See ch.

IX, p. 18.) Therefore, use the data you obtain on her

first testing day to calculate her production for the

preceding testing period. Enter on form DHIA-22

(or DHIA-22A) the estimated record for the testing

period precechng the period in which you make her

first test, and make a note in the "Reniarks" column,

as "9 days' record estimated."

With your special tape measure, estimate the weight

of each purcliased cow as she enters the milking herd

and record it on DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A) and on DHIA22 (or DHIA-22A).

Dry Cows

The dry date is the first day the cow is not milked.

Do not count in the record the date or day the cow

goes dry. You and the owner should agree on a date

when a cow is turned dry, and you calculate her production record accordingly. Charge cows that are dry

during the entire testing period with the feed consumed

during the testing period. (See the record of cow

51-4826 Marge on the barn-book sheet, DHIA-2 (or

DHIA-2A) in the appendix, figs. 1 and 2.)

Charge cow^s that are dry on the testing date but

that were in milk for some of the testing period for feed
consumed for the full testing period, but give them

production credit for only the number of days they

were actually in milk froni the beginning of the testing

period up to and including the last day milked. As

you cannot obtain milk weights and samples during

the current testing period, you calculate the cow's

production credit on the basis of daily weights and

tests you obtained for her and recorded on form DHIA22 (or DHIA-22A) in the herd-record book the previous

month. This procedure is often referred to as calculating ^^forward^' credit from a previous test.

Cow 51-4838 Sol, listed on the barn-book sheet,

DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A) in the appendix, figures 1 and

2, illustrates the production record of a cow that was

dry on the testing date but that was in milk for part

of the testing period. The inclusive dates of the testing period are October 5 through November 4; the

testing date is October 20 ; and the cow was dry October

16. Give the cow production credit from October 5

through October 15, or 11 days, and calculate the 11

days' production credit on the basis of her daily

weights and tests for the previous month, which are

recorded on DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A).

Charge cows that are in milk on the testmg date but

that will be turned dry before the end of the testing

period for feed consumed for the full testing period

but give them production credit for only the number of

days in mük.

Cows Sold

If a cow in milk is sold during the testing period,

give her production credit and charge her for feed

consumed for the actual number of days she was in the

herd within the inclusive dates of the testing period.

Include in the record her production on the day she

leaves the herd.

If a cow is sold before the testing date, calculate her

production and feed records for the number of days

she was in the herd on the basis of the daily weights

and tests you obtained and recorded the previous

month on f¿rm DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22 A).

If a cow is still in the herd but the owner knows he

is going to sell her within the inclusive dates of the

testing period, he should tell you the date he expects

the cow to leave the herd, and you calculate her record

accordingly. ^ .L .•

If a cow is sold that is dry during the entire testing

period, charge her with feed consumed for the actual

number of days she was in the herd during the testing

Calculate feed and production records for cows that

die during a testing period in the same way as for cows

sold.

Aborting Cows

Aborting cows are not tested until the seventh day

after aborting. , j • ^u

if a cow aborts while dry, calculate her record m the

same way as for a fresh cow.

If a cow aborts while in milk after carrying a call

152 days, her current record ends and a new lactation

begins. Calculate her production for that part ot the

testing period previous to the abortion on the basis ot

her last test prior to the abortion. There should be a

lapse of 3 days, and you calculate her production for

the remainder of the testing period on the basis ot her

first test after this 3-day period. Make a note of these

facts in the ''Remarks" column on the barn-book sheet

DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A) ; on form DHIA-22 (or DHIA22A) in the lierd-record book; and on form DHIA-718.

If the cow that aborts while in milk cannot be tested

on the testing date, credit her on the barn-book sheet,

DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A), for production to the day she

aborts, based on her previous test, and consider her

dry for the remainder of the testing period in computing

monthly herd averages. On the next testing date,

give her ''back" crerlit for production that should be

included in the testing period in which she aborted.

If a cow aborts after the testing date but before the

end of the testing period, you have already calculated

her production for the period and have recorded it on

form DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A). When you record

her production for the next testing period, correct the

totals and make a suitable notation in the "Remarks"

column.

Cows Freshening Without Going Dry

If a cow freshens without going dry, calculate her

production record in the same way as for a cow that

aborts while in milk.

Crediting Records to Correct Testing Period

The production records of cows freshening or going

dry, purchased cows in milk, or cows in milk leaving

the herd during a testing period usually require special

calculations to give the cows the correct production

credit for the current or previous testing period.

Example: Suppose you make your regular visit to a

farm on September 19. On September 23, the owner

purchases and brings into the herd a cow in milk,

51-4828 Jane. When you visit the farm again (October

20) you obtain data ^for calculating records for the

testing period October 5 through November 4. (See

the appendix, figs. 1 and 2.) Take milk weights

and samples and calculate production and feed records

for Jane for the October testing period in the usual

manner Another calculation is necessary, however,

to include milk she produced in the previous testmg

period from September 24 (date her record m the herd

began) through October 4 (end of previous testing

period). The number of days from September 24

throurfi October 4, is 11. Calculate her production

record for 11 days on the basis of weights and tests you

obtain on the October testing date Then enter the

ll-day record, often referred to as ''back credit, on a

separate line in the barn book and circle the entire

record as a reminder not to add it in the current

testing period totals. „ ^ ^ .-

For a cow in the herd that freshens after the testing

date but before the end of the testing period, the procedure is similar. Tî^cni in Example: See the record of cow 51-4821 Rosni in

the aopendix figures 1 and 2. Rosni was dry on the

SepteSer tistin^g date. She fresh^^^^* September 2¿

and her record began September 28. T^is was after

t^A Spntember testin«- date, but before the end ot ine

g^e^temÄTting period. She had 7 days' production

in the previous testing period (^^«P^t^^ber 28 through

October 4) To complete her record and bring it up

to date use weights and tests you obtain on the October

iesting date to ^Iculate her production for the previous

'"¿"SrXsVday "back credit" record as a reminder

noVto add it in the totals for the current testing period.

15
Chapter VIII. Feed Reports

As indicated in the preceding chapter, you will

calculate and record feed data according to one of two

plans. The principal difference in the two plans is

that in one you calculate roughage records on an

individual-cow basis and in the other, on a herd basis.

If you calculate and record roughage records on an

individual-cow basis, use forms DHIA-2 and DHIA-22,

as shown in the appendix, figures 1 and 3.

If you calculate and record roughage records on a

herd basis, use forms DHIA-2A and DHIA-22A, as

shown in the appendix, figures 2 and 4.

Your State extension dairyman will advise you which

plan to follow in your association.

Back of Barn-Book Sheet, DHIA-2 (or

DHIA-2A)

The back of the barn-book sheet is in reality a work

sheet on which you record and calculate roughage

and feed costs for the testing period. (See the appendix

figs. 1 and 2.)

Fill out the form completely each month. Record

the name, amount, quality, and price of roughages

and concentrates used in calculating the cost of feed.

Names of Feed

Record definite names of succulent and dry roughage,

individual grains and feed supplements, as shown in

the appendix, figures 1 and 2. If a home mixture of

grains and supplements is fed, record it as **Home Mix''

and give the percentage of total or crude protein. If

a commercial mixture is fed, record it as ^^Com. Mix''

and give the percentage of total or crude protein.

Grains and Concentrates

Weigh or measure carefully the amount of grain and

concentrates fed each cow on the testing date, to determine accurately the amount each cow consumes daily.

Record the amount consumed daily (to the nearest

pound) in the space provided, as shown in the appendix,

figures 1 and 2.

Calculate Grain and Concentrate Records for

the Testing Period

To determine the total weight of concentrates consumed by each cow during the testing period, multiply

the daily weight of grain and concentrates fed the cow

by the number of days she was in the herd during the

testing period. Obtain this number from the column

^'On test." Calculate grain or concentrate records for

the number of days the cow is on test, not just those

days she is in milk. Example: In the appendix,

figures 1 and 2, the cow Susie's feed record is for the

entire testing period of 31 days. The same is true

16

for cow 51-4838 Sol and also for the dry cow 51-4826

Marge, even though Marge has no production record.

Record the total amount of grain or concentrates

consumed in the testing period by each cow (to the

nearest 10 pounds) in the space provided.

Roughage

The amount of succulent and dry roughage consumed

by individual cows is frequently difficult to determine.

If it is impractical to obtain actual weights of roughage

fed individual cows, first determine the total amount

consumed by the herd and then either divide this

uniformly among all the cows or prorate it according

to the weight of the individual cows.

By checking closely with the dairyman, you usually

can determine quite accurately the total amount of

roughage consumed by the herd. Hay often is baled.

Multiply the number of bales fed daily by the average

weight of the bales to obtain the total daily weight of

hay fed. In the same way, multiply the number of

baskets, carts, or carriers of silage fed daily by the

average weight of the baskets, etc., to obtain the total

daily weight of silage fed.

Then, prorate it among the herd according to the

weight of each cow or, as in the appendix, figures 1

and 2, divide the total roughage by the number of cows

in the herd and make a uniform charge for roughage

for each cow.

Indicate the quality of each kind of roughage according to the grades described below :

Grades of Roughage and Pasture

The various grades of roughage and pasture are as

follows :

Hay

Excellent: Early-cut legume, grass, or mixed hay

(legumes cut at Ji-bloom stage and grasses in the beforeheading stage), either barn dried or cured in the field

under ideal haymaking weather. Excellent hay is

green and leafy, with high palatability, and is free

from mold, mustiness, and foreign material.

Good: Legume, grass, or mixed hay cut reasonably

early (legumes cut not later than the K-bloom stage

and grasses in the early heading stage), either barn

dried or cured in the field without leaf loss in good

haymaking weather. Good hay is reasonably green

and leafy, high in palatability and free from mold,

mustiness, and foreign material.

F^ir: Legume, grass, or mixed hay cut late (full

bloom) with loss of leaves due to maturity; field cured

m good haymaking weather. Early cut hay Oí-bloom)

field cured in unfavorable haymaking weather. Fah*

hay lacks bright color, is coarse stemmed, is not very

palatable, and, if cured under unfavorable haymaking

weather, may be moldy and dusty.
is kept down to the crown by grazing animals. Weedy

and low-fertility hillside pastures generally rate poor.

Poor: Any hay cut after the full bloom stage, or early

cut hay (}^- to )^-bloom) harvested under adverse

conditions with severe weather or storage damage.

Poor hay is dark or bleached in color, lacks leaves, is Price and Cost of Feed

coarse stemmed, and is not palatable. Livestock will

pick over the hay for better portions and waste considerable amounts. The hay may be moldy and dusty.

Siloge

Excellent: Corn silage harvested at the well-dented

dough stage of maturity and heavily eared. Hay-crop

silage cut early (}i-bloom or early bloom stage), and

wilted before storage or stored unwilted with a preservative (molasses or grain). Excellent silage has no

mold or spoilage and is relished by livestock.

Good : Corn silage harvested at the well-dented dough

stage of maturity and moderately eared. Hay-crop

silage cut reasonably early (before the }^-bloom stage

or in the heading stage), and either wilted before storage

or stored unwilted with a preservative. Good silage

has little or no mold or spoilage and is eaten readily by

livestock.

Fair: Corn silage harvested in milk stage of maturity,

fair in ears; mature corn silage with mold and spoilage.

Hay-crop silage cut late ()i- to full-bloom stage) and

either wilted before storage or stored unwilted with no

preservative. Corn or hay-crop silage harvested at

proper stage of maturity but with considerable mold

and spoilage so that livestock do not relish it.

Poor: Corn silage made from immature corn (blister

stage) and sparsely eared. Silage made from sweet

corn, cannery refuse, or corn stalks with ears removed.

Hay-crop silage cut late (full-bloom stage or later), and

stored with no preservative, dry and fluffy. Corn or

hay-crop silage harvested at proper stage of maturity

but wdth abnormal mold and spoilage.

Pasture

Excellent: A pasture furnishing an abundance of lush,

actively growing, palatable forage. Such forage is

f;eneraily furnished only in the flush pasture season of

ate spring and early summer. Good varieties of

grasses and legumes, such as bromegrass or orchardgrass and ladino clover mixtures and birdsfoot trefoil,

that are well fertilized. These will furnish excellent

pasture for a longer period during the season. Temporary pastures of sudangrass and meadow aftermath

will generally rate excellent.

Good: A pasture not as abundant and lush as excellent pasture. Varieties and fertiUty of soil are hmiting

rate of growth. Pasture is furnishing considerable

grazing. A previously excellent pasture heavily grazed

or during latter half of the grazing season.

Fair: A pasture making slow growth so that cows are

able to keep it short, and pasture that will recover very

slowly if left idle. Weedy and low-fertility hillside

pastures rate as fair in the flush pasture growing season

and poor the remainder of the pasture season. A

growthy pasture during dry season that is tough and

dry in appearance.

Poor: A pasture making very slow growth and forage

that is dry and short. An over-grazed pasture; growth

If your State extension dairyman recommends a

definite method for establishing feed prices for use in

computing the cost of feed, follow that method. In

some associations, a committee fixes the price to be

used in computing the cost of the various feeds. If

your association does not have such a committee, or if

uniform feed prices for the association are not otherwise estabHshed, you and the herd owner should agree

on the price of feeds to use in computing feed costs.

You may use the table shown in the appendix, p. 51,

to estimate the charge for pasture.

The price of all home-grown feeds, including silage,

hay, and grain, is based on the current market value

on the farm in the silo, mow, or bin. The price of

ground home-grown feeds includes the cost of grinding. The price of purchased feed is calculated on the

basis of cost of feed in the bin.

Calculate the price of feed and also the total cost of

feed to the nearest 10 cents.

Record in the proper columns and spaces on the back

of the barn-book sheet, DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A), the

cost of pasture, roughage, and concentrates for the

testing period, together with the total cost of all feeds.

Suggested Amounts of Grain to Feed

Month-to-month information on the recommended

amount of grain each cow should receive according to

her production is very valuable to the dairyman. You

should not neglect to provide this information. Use

the daily weights and the percentage of fat for each

cow hsted on the barn-book sheet to determine from

the tables on form DHIA-5 the amount of grain each

cow should receive. Note in the margin or in one of

the blank columns of the barn-book sheet the amount

of grain each cow listed should receive daily. Explain

the figures to the dairyman. He should vary the recommended weights of grain to fit special cases, such as

cows in poor condition that need additional feed, etc.

Estimating the Weight of a Cow

A dairyman must know how much his cows weigh if

he is to feed each cow according to her maintenance

and production requirements.

Use the special measuring tape which is a part of

your supervisor's testing outfit to estimate the weight

of a cow by her heart-girth measurement.

To take the heart-girth measurement, place the tape

directly back of the cow's front legs. The cow should

be standing squarely on all four legs. Draw the tape

snug. Then read the estimated weight direct from

Estimate the weight of the cow ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^/^

she is fresh, and record her weight on DHlA-2 (or

DHIA-2A) and on DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A). Estimate the weight of purchased cows the first month

they are tested.

17
Chapter IX. Special Situations

The following paragraphs explain how to calculate

production records that cannot be calculated in the

usual wa3\

Lost Milk

If for any reason all or any part of a cow's milk is

lost or poured into the storage can before you obtain

its weight and sample, estimate a temporary production record for the cow by using the table on page 19.

Enter the temporary production record on the barnbook sheet, DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A), for use in obtaining monthly herd totals and averages but do not

transfer it to form DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A) in the

herd-record book.

On your next monthly visit to the farm, calculate

the permanent record for the cow whose milk was lost,

in the usual manner for the then current period.

After vou enter the data for that testing period on

form DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A) in the herd-record

book, calculate her production for the period in which

the milk was lost by averaging her milk and butterfat

production data for the testing period preceding and

for the testing period following the period in which the

milk was lost. When you enter the estimated record

on form DHIA-22 (¿r DHIA-22A), write in the

^'Remarks" column, ''Milk lost, record estimated."

Example: Suppose a cow produced 20 pounds of milk

testing 4.0 percent of butterfat on the testing date in

Juh\ No milk weights or samples were obtained in

August. On the September testing date, the cow

produces 16 pounds of milk testing 4.2 percent of butterfat. Add and average the cow's milk weights for July

and September to obtain her milk production credit

for the August testing date (20+16)-î-2, or 18. Then

multiply this figure by the number of days in the August

testing period (31) to obtain her total milk production

for the testing period (18X31), or 558 pounds. Calculate her fat production as follows: (20X0.04)-f(16X

0.042)-Î-2, which gives a daily butterfat production

credit of 0.74 pound for the August testing period.

Total butterfat production credit for the August testing period of 31 days is 0.74X31, or 23 pounds.

Lost Samples

If the milk sample for a cow is lost or is not obtained

for any reason, calculate a temporary record for the

cow for the current testing period for use in calculating

monthly herd totals and averages. Calculate a permanent record on the testing date the next month as outlined under ''Lost milk." Make a note in the ''Remarks" column of form DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A),

such as "Sample lost, record estimated."

Sick or Injured Cow

If a cow is sick or injured and you cannot obtain

normal milk weights and samples on the testing date,

18

calculate a temporary record for the cow for that testing period and calculate a permanent record on the

testing date the next month, as outlined under "Lost

milk." Make a note in the "Remarks" column of

form DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A), such as "Cow sick,

record estimated."

Abnormal Tests

Handle abnormal high or low records, caused by

sickness, severe injury, off feed, etc., similarly to lost

samples. In cases of severe sickness or injury, consider as abnormal a 40-percent change in total fat from

the preceding tests, except for the first month of the

lactation.

The Last Month of Association Year

If for any reason you cannot obtain milk weights and

samples for a cow the last month of the association year

and the herd is not expected to be on test the next testing year, calculate her production record for the last

month by using the data in the table on page 19.

If the herd continues on test the next year, follow

the procedure outlined under "Lost milk."

Cows Nursing Calves

Any cow that is nursing calves on the testing date is

considered for the time being as a dry cow. Calculate

her feed record as usual and record it in the herdrecord book. Do not take a sample of her milk. Use

the milk weight and test you obtain on the first testing

date after calves are removed or the last testing date

before calves were put on the cow in computing production for the testing periods in which calves were

nursed.

A cow that nurses calves throughout the year is

listed each month as a dry cow and is included in the

monthl}'^ and 3^early herd averages. Give her production credit in the yearly herd average for one-half the

average of all her yearly production records made in

previous testing vears. Enter this estimated record

on forms DHIA-12, DHIA-21, and DHIA-22 (or

DHIA-22A). The number of da^^s in milk will be the

number of days calves were nui*sing the cow during

the testing year.

Use the table on page 19 to calculate complete

production records for nurse cows with one or more

monthly records.

Directions for using table for estimating production

of cows nursing calves—

1. Determine the number of the last testing period

of the lactation before milking is discontinued or the

first testing period of the lactation after milking is

resumed. (The first testing period is the period in

which the cow has 15 or more days in milk.)
Estimating Daily Production of Nurse Cows

Estimated 305-day production

Estimated daily production for each testing period

1st 2d 3d 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th

5,000..

5,200..

5,400..

5,700..

5,900..

6,200..

6,400-.

6,600. _

6,900. _

7,100. _

7,400 __

7,600..

7,800..

8,100..

8,300. _

8,500 __

8,800..

9,000. _

9,200..

9,500..

9,700..

9,900 _.

10,200.

10,400.

10,700.

10,900.

11,100.

11,400.

11,600.

11,800.

12,100.

12,300.

12,500.

12,800 _

13,000.

13,300_

13,500.

13,700.

14,000.

14,200.

Lbs.

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

Lbs.

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

Lbs.

20

21

22

23

24

25

26*

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42*

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

Lbs.

19*

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26*

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34*

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41*

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49*

49

50

51

52

53

1st 2d 3d 4th

Lbs.

17

18

19

20*

20

21

22

23

24*

24

25

26

27

28

29*

29

30

31

32

33*

33

34

35

36

37

38*

38

39

40

41

42*

42

43

44

45

46*

46

47

48

49

5th

Lbs.

16

17*

17

19

19*

19

20

21

22*

22

23

24

25*

25

26

27

28*

28

29

30

31*

31

32

33

34*

34

35

36

37*

37

38

39

40*

40

41

42

43*

43

44

45

6th

Lbs.

14

15

16*

16

17

18

19*

19

20*

20

21

22*

22

23

24*

24

25

26

27*

27

28

29*

29

30

31*

31

32

33*

33

34

35*

35

36

37*

37

38

39*

39

40

41

Lbs.

13

14*

14

15*

15

16

17*

17

18*

18

19

20*

20

21*

21

22

23*

23

24*

24

25

26*

26

27

28*

28

29*

29

30

31*

31

32*

32

33

34*

34

35

36*

36

37

7th 8th

Lbs.

12*

12

13*

13

14*

14

15*

15

16*

16

17

18*

18

19*

19

20*

20

21*

21

22*

22

23*

23

24

25*

25

26*

26

27*

27

28*

28

29

30*

30

31*

31

32*

32

33

Lbs.

10

11*

11

12*

12

13

13

14*

14

15*

15

16*

16

17*

17

17

18*

18

19*

19

20*

20

21*

21

22*

22

23*

23

24*

24

25*

25

26*

26

27*

27

28*

28

29*

29

9th 10th

1 The numbers marked with an asterisk (*) were raised to the nearest whole number and these numbers should be used if a cow's

daily production was similarly increased. For example, suppose in the sixth testing period a cow produced 24.5 to 24.9 pounds, the

figure 25* would be used. If the production was between 24.0 and 24.4 pounds the figure 24 should be used.

2. Locate this number at the top of the table and

follow down to the number which is nearest to the

daily production of the cow.

3. The estimated daily production for each preceding or following testing period is shown on the same

line. For example, a cow producing 25 pounds of

milk in the third testing period would be credited with

23 pounds for the fourth testing period.

4. Use the last or first available butterfat test for

computing butterfat.

5. Always indicate the number of days^ production

computed or estimated by using the table, by a suitable entry in the "Remarks'' column on both the

Lifetime Record of Individual Cow, DHIA-22 (or

DHIA-22A) in the herd-record book and on the

DHIA Production Report, DHIA-718. A typical

entry might be: ''Nursed calves 45 days (Nov. 2-

Dec. 17); production estimated.''

Changing the Centering Date

When new members join an association it often is

necessary to change your testing route, and this may

require changing the centering date for some herds.

Such a change should be made only at the beginning of

a new testing year. If at all practical, you should plan

your route so as to avoid the necessity of changing the

centering date.

When it is necessary to change the centering date

for a herd, you must make some special calculations,

as the change causes either an ''overlap" or a "gap"

in the inclusive dates of the testing year.

To avoid the overlap or gap requires a simple adjust

ment in the production data for each cow in milk at the

end of the testing year, on the line "Production since

last fresh."

Example: Note the record of the cow Rosni, in the

appendix, figures 3 and 4. The centering date for the

herd is the 20th of the month. The testing year for

the herd is from April 5, 1952 to April 4, 1953, inclusive.

Suppose it is necessary to change the centering date in

the new testing year to the 10th of the month. The

inclusive dates of the new testing year would be from

March 26, 1953 to March 25, 1954. The two testmg

years would overlap for the 10-day period March 26

(beginning of the new testing year) to April 4 (end of

19
the old testing year). Unless you adjust the records,

Rosni would receive production credit twice for this

period.

To make the adjustment for the overlap, subtract

10-days' production credit for the 12th monthly testing

period of the old year from the ''Production since last

fresh'^ before you record the data in the new yearly

space. Multiply the number of days by the daily

milk production (of the 12th month), times the percentage of butterfat, to obtain the amount to be subtracted, as follows:

Days

(number) Milk Butterfat

189

10

Pounds

4,860

220

Pounds

165

7

179 4,640 158

Record the data (179 days, 4,640 pounds of milk and

158 pounds of butterfat) on the line ''Production since

last fresh.'' This completes the adjustment for the

overlap caused by changing the centering date.

Suppose the centering date is moved forward from

the 20th of the month to the 28th. There would then

be a gap between the two testing years. The old testing

year would end as of April 4 and the new one would

start on April 13, causing an 8-day gap in the production

records of individual cows. To adjust for the gap,

multiply the number of days (8) by the daily milk

production (of the 12th month), times the percentage

of butterfat, to obtain the record to be added to the

"Production since last fresh," as follows:

Days

(number) Milk Butterfat

189

8

Pounds

4,860

170

Pounds

165

6

197 5,030 171

Record the data (197 days, 5,030 pounds of milk, and

171 pounds of butterfat) on the line "Production since

last fresh." This completes the adjustment for the gap

caused by changing the centering date.

In adjusting for either an overlap or a gap, make a

notation in the "Remarks" column in the "Production

since last fresh" line when the centering date is changed,

as, for example, "Adjusted 10 days' overlap" or "Adjusted 8 days' gap."

Retesting—Owner's Request

If for any reason a herd owner is not satisfied with

the test on his herd, he may call for a retest if he is

wilhng to pay for the cost of the retest. You may stay

on the farm another day to run the retest. If the owner

prefers another supervisor, he should notify his county

agricultural agent or his State extension dairyman, and

a retest at the owner's expense may be arranged as

soon as another supervisor is available. All cows

tested on the first test must be included in the retest.

Ordinarily the results of the first test and the retest are

averaged, although either test may be discarded by the

office of the State extension dairyman.

Your State extension dairyman will advise you regarding the procedure to follow in making retests.

Relesting—Automatic Retest and Surprise

Test

Automatic retests and surprise tests may be ordered

by the local Board of Directors of the DHIA, by the

State official in charge of the Dairy Herd Improvement

Association program, or by both. Automatic retest

requirements and procedures established for Herd Improvement Registry (HIR) tests by the Purebred Dairy

Cattle Association are followed. All costs of retests or

surprise tests are paid by the owner of the cow or herd

retested, at a cost that is not more than the prevailing

rate schedule in use in the association.

Requirements

Automatic retests are required when, after the second

test, a cow produces more fat for the 24-hour test period

than shown in the following table. The age of all cows

is the age at last calving.

Age

Senior yearling (Jersey)

Junior 2-year-olcl

Senior 2-year-old

Junior 3-year-old

Senior 3-year-old

Junior 4-year-old

Senior 4-year-old

5-years old and older..

2-times

daily

milking

Pounds

2. 6

2.7

2.8

2.9

3.0

3. 1

3.2

3,3

3- and 4-

times daily

milking

Pounds

2.7

2.8

2.9

3.1

3.3

3.4

3.5

?.6

20
Chapter X. The Herd-Record Book

Transfer Barn-Book Data to HerdRecord Book

After you have made and checked all the calculations

on the barn-book sheet DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A), transfer the individual records and the herd records for the

testing period to the herd-record book.

DetaUed instructions for transferring the data are

given under the discussion of the various forms of the

herd-record book.

Herd-Record Book

The DHIA herd-record book consists of loose-leaf

forms and a special binder cover. It is designed to

reduce the record work of the supervisor to the minimum and still provide the dairyman with full information about his cows and herd. The supervisor obtains

the forms and binders for the members of his association

through the office of the State extension dairyman.

The herd-record book includes the following forms :

DHIA-1 Title page (Index—General Information)

DHIA-3 Rules Governing Testing in DHIA's

DHIA-5 Grain Feeding

DHIA-10 General Tables (Index—Herd Records)

DHIA-12 Monthly Herd Summary

DHIA-14 Ten-Year Herd Summary

DHIA-16 Register of Animals in Herd

DHIA-20 Register of Association Supervisors

(Index—Cow-Records)

DHIA-21 Index and Yearly Records of Individual Cows

DHIA-22 Lifetime Record of Individual Cow

DHIA-30 Herd Improvement through Breeding

(Index—Breeding)

DHIA-31 Herd Sire Record

DHIA-32 Proved-Sire Record

DHIA-33 Herd Analysis Chart

DHIA-40 Herd Analysis (Back Cover)

Form DHIA-f, Title Page (IndexGeneral Information)

Write the name and address of the herd owner on the

title page, also the name of the farm, if it has a name,

and the name of the county, and the name of the association. The office of your State extension dair3rman

will assign each herd an identification number which

will identify the herd and the association or county in

which the herd is tested. Record the herd identification number in the space at the lejt of the herd owner's

name.

Use the herd identification number in all reports on

the herd. When both the name of the herd owner and

the name of the farm appear on the title page, it is

important to indicate which name is to be used in reporting data from the herd. Check in the space provided

the name to be used. This will indicate to all subsequent supervisors which name to use when reporting

data from the herd. Use the identification number and

only the name so indicated in reporting all data from the

herd. Print or write the name plainly, and spell it

exactly the same way in all reports.

In addition to serving as a title page for the herdrecord book, with a place on the front for the name

and address of the owner, information on the back of

page DHIA-1 tells the herd owner what he can expect

the book to contain about his herd and how he may

use the information to improve his herd. There is also

a list of all the forms in the book, a brief statement of

the rules governing DHIA testing, a statement of the

cooperation necessary between the herd owner and the

supervisor to obtain records of maximum value, and a

list of reports which the supervisor is required to make.

Form DHIA-3/ Rules Governing

Testing

This form lists the rules under which testing in Dairy

Herd Improvement Associations is conducted.

Form DHIA-5, Grain Feeding

This form contains information on grain feeding

for convenient reference by the herd owner and the

supervisor.

Form DHIA-IO/ General Tables

(Index—Herd Records)

This form, in addition to serving as an index page

to the herd records, contains tables that frequently

will be useful to the herd owner.

Form DHIA-12, Monthly Herd

Summary

This form is designed to provide the herd owner with

month-to-month information about his herd and with

herd totals and averages at the end of the testmg year.

It is illustrated in the appendix, figure 5.

Fill in the headings on this form on your ñrst visit

to the farm in the association year. Record the centering date and inclusive dates of the testing year for tñe

herd, and the herd owner's name.

Each month, transfer total and average data from

the barn-book sheet, DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A) to the

Monthly Herd Summary, DHIA-12. Fill m the Date

that test was made,'' and inclusive dates of lesting

21
period. Then transfer cow-days on test, in milk, and

dry, and production data from the ^TotaP' and ^'Average'^ hnes of the barn-book sheet, DHIA-2 (or DHIA2A) to the proper columns of form DHIA-12. Record

the '^herd average^' data in red ink. In the appendix,

figure 5, the data for the monthly testing period

October 5 to November 4 are from the barn-book sheet,

DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A), shown in figures 1 and 2.

Write in the spaces provided under ''Feed consumed

during testing period'^ the kind of roughage and concentrates fed, and give the percentage of total or crude

protein in the concentrates.

In order to keep the record of the herd's total production up to date, space is provided on form DHIA-12

for adding the monthly herd totals at 3-month intervals. To obtain the total for 6 months, add the total

for the first 3 months to the monthly totals for the

fourth, fifth, and sixth months. Just be sure you do

not add the monthly totals for the first 3 months and

also the 3-month total. Similarly, add the total for 6

months to the monthly totals for the seventh, eighth,

and ninth months to obtain the total for 9 months. If

you use the ''Monthly Adjustment" lines on form

DHIA-12, you will add the total for 9 months to the

monthly totals for the last 3 months of the testing year

to obtain the total for the year. Your State extension

dairyman will advise you whether or not to use these

lines.

If you use the "Monthly Adjustment" lines on form

DHIA-12, you will record on the line immediately following the month being credited, all "back credits" and

"forward credits" of cows that are not included in the

monthly totals on the barn-book sheet, DHIA-2 (or

DHIA-2 A). For example, you will recall the backcredit of 7 days' production for Rosni and 11 days'

production for Jane—the circled records on the barnbook sheet, DHIA-2 (and DHIA-2A), in the appendix,

figures 1 and 2. These production data for the September testing period are not included in the totals on

the barn-book sheet showing production for the October

testing period. If you use the "Monthly Adjustment"

lines, you would transfer these adjustment data for

September to the line immediately following the September data, as shown in the appendix, figure 5. You

would include the data in the 6 months' total and in

the total for the year. (NOTE.— Figure 5 illustrates

the use of form DHIA-21 with form DHIA-12, and

therefore the adjustment data are not included in

the totals.) You must remember that herd totals for

production cannot be obtained at the end of the year

by adding data on DHIA-12 unless all monthly adjustments are included.

If you do not use the "Monthly Adjustment" lines, at

the end of the testing year you will transfer herd totals

for production and value of product from form DHIA21 to the "Total for year" line of form DHIA-12.

To obtain the value of product over feed cost, subtract the total cost of feed and pasture from the total

value of product. This completes the calculations for

the "Total for year" fine of form DHIA-12. Report

these totals on form DHIA-780.

To complete the "Average on a cow-year basis,"

divide the total cow-days on test by 365 (366 in leap

year) to obtain the number of cow-years. Then divide

the totals for the year by the number of cow-years, and

record in the spaces provided. Transfer these herdaverage data to the Ten-Year Herd Summary, DHIA14. Then insert a new Monthly Herd Summary,

DHIA-12, in the herd-record book and fill out the head22

ings for use in the new testing year. File the old summary in the back of the book or in another book along

with inactive individual-cow records.

Form DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A) Lifetime Record of Individual Cow

These forms are designed for keeping the lifetime

records of a cow. (See the appendix, figs. 3 and 4.)

Space is provided for recording her daily and monthly

production and her feed records for a period of 4 years

on DHIA-22, and 6 years on DHIA-22A. If a cow is

in the milking herd more than 4 years (or 6 3^ears), make

out a second form for her in the herd-record book.

Give it the same page number as the first, but with the

letter ''a" following the number. For example, if the

first page of a cow's lifetime record is 17, the second

page would be 17a.

When testing begins in a herd, fill out a form DHIA22 (or DHIA-22A) for each cow. Endeavor to assign

page numbers according to the age of the cows in the

herd, with the oldest cow assigned the number 1. Never

change or reassign a page number that has been assigned

to a cow. Fill out a form DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A)

for each purchased cow or first-calf heifer that enters

the herd while the herd is on test. Give the new cow

the next consecutive page number following the page

number of the last cow that entered the herd. At the

end of the testing year, place the records of cows that

have left the herd in the proper order (according to page

number) at the back of the section '^Cow Records'' or,

if the herd is large, in another binder.

Write so plainly that later supervisors who make out

718 cards and are unfamiliar with your writing will be

able to copy the numbers correctly. After you have

filled out the heading of DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A) and

have had the farmer check it for accuracy by comparing

the registration certificates, color markings, and eartag

numbers, date the form and sign it in the space provided

to authenticate entering the form in the herd-record

book and to validate the records. Also record on the

Register of Animals, DHIA-16, the page number assigned to the cow on her Lifetime Record, DHIA-22 (or

DHIA-22A).

You must retain possession of all blank copies of

form DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A) untü you have filled

out all the headings, authenticated and validated the

record, and recorded the page number of the form in the

Register of Animals, DHIA-16. Do not under any

cu-cumstance place blank copies of form DHIA-22

(or DHIA-22A) in the herd-record book.

(It is suggested that you obtain a herd-record book

binder for your own use, in which to keep your supply

of blank forms of DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A); also the

Index, DHIA-21.)

In the heading of form DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A),

space is provided for information about the first lactation of the first-calf heifers or the lactation in progress

at the time the record is set up for cows in milk. For

first-calf heifers, fill in ''Date bred before testing year"

and ''Sire used." For cows in milk, fill in also "Date

fresh before testing year."

Dairymen frequently purchase fresh cows or cows in

the early months of lactation. A record of the "Date

fresh" is necessary in calculating and reporting their

305-day lactation records. If a purchased cow has

calved not more than 30 days prior to the beginning of

her first testing period in the herd, estimate her pro-
duction prior to entering the herd as outlined under

Purchased Cow, page 14, so that you can obtain a

complete 305-dav lactation record for her first year in

the herd. Note on her form DHIA-22 (or DHIÀ-22A)

the number of days the record is estimated, as '41

days' production estimated/' Make the same notation on form DHIA-718 when you report her record.

If a cow in milk is purchased from another DHIA

herd on test, you can enter her ''Production since

fresh'' in the space provided, at the top of the "Lifetime Record of Individual Cow" when you make out

a DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A) for the new owner's herdrecord book. Adjust her production since fresh to the

date of purchase, according to the centering date of

the new owner's herd.

On the heading of the first column of DHIA-22, in

the spaces "Testing period from to ,"

write in dates to show the beginning and end of the

testing year.

Production Since Last Fresh

On the line "Production since last fresh," insert

production data for cows that are in milk at the beginning of the testing year, to show production data for

the portion of the lactation that was made before the

current yearl}^ record began. Wh.en the cow has been

on test in the herd, obtain the data for the line "Production since last fresh" by subtracting from the cow's

"Total for year" (last line on each yearly record) the

"Total to date" figures after the cow went dry. Example: You would calculate "Production since last fresh"

for Rosni's second lactation rer*ord, as shown in the

appendix, figiu-es 3 and 4, as follows:

Days in

milk

(number)

Production

Milk Fat

Total production for year

Production to date dry, July

28 -

304

115

Pounds

7, 240

2,380

Pounds

243

78

Production since last

fresh 189 4,860 165

Record "Production since last fresh" data under the

headings "Days in milk," and "Butterfat (pounds)."

Enter these data in red ink. With these data at the

top of the record, you can easily calculate the cow's

complete lactation record later. Do not include these

data in the "Total to date" of the new testing year.

Transfer Data on Barn-Book Sheet to

Individual Cow Record

Transfer the data calculated and recorded on the

barn-book sheet, DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A), each month

for each cow, directly to her Lifetime Record, form

DHIA-22 (or DHIA--22A), in the herd-record book.

Record the inclusive dates of the testing period, as

reported in the heading of the barn-book sheet, in the

first column. The column "Remarks" is for any otb^r

data regarding the cow or her record. Record the

estimated weight of the cow at the beginning of the

testing year in the "Remarks" column.

At the end of the second month of the testing year

and each month thereafter, wnte totals in red ink on

the line "Total to date." Do not include "Production

since last fresh" in these totals. Do not total the

pounds of milk in the column "Daily."

At the end of the testing year, add the data for the

final testing period to the preceding "Total to date"

figures to obtain the "Total for year."

Transfer production data on this line to form

DHIA-21 for use in compiling the total and average

production for the herd as outlined on page 24.

Cows Entering the Herd During the Testing

Year

When a cow enters the herd during the testing year,

record production and feed data on her form DHIA-22

(or DHIA-22A) on a line similar to that used for other

cows in the herd that month. Thus, her record will

be completed at the bottom of the page at the end of

the testing year the same as for other cows in the herd.

Calculate the production data for a lactation in

progress at the end of the year and record it on the line

"Production since last fresh" at the top of the space for

the next year's record. If the centering date of the

herd is changed, adjust the data to be transferred to

"Production since last fresh" as outlined in "Changing

the Centering Date," page 19. Record the ensuing

year's production records in the same manner as the

first year's production record. Enter a new Lifetime

Record sheet, DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A), in the herdrecord book only when a cow begins her fifth (or

seventh) testing year, or when a new cow enters the

herd.

Lactation Production Summary

At the bottom of the form, space is provided for a

lactation production summary. Record data in this

space promptly as they become available. Each

month, check through all the records to determine if

any cow has gone dry or has completed a 305-day

lactation period. Calculate the records for these cows,

enter them in the proper space in the "Lactation

Production Summary," and report the records on form

DHIA-718 to vour^ State extension dairyman. (See

ch. XII.)

Back of Form DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A)

On the back of the lifetime record form, in addition

to the space for the yearly record of the cow, there is

space for "Remarks" about the cow which are of special

interest and value to the dairyman.

If you use forms DHIA-2A and DHIA-22A, fill out

the box on the back of DHIA-22A at the end of the

testing year. Transfer the cow's yearly record of milk,

butterfat, and value of product from the "Total for

year" line on the front of the lorm, as shown for the cow

Rosni, in the appendix, figure 4. /> . ,u

To determine the cost of concentrates, tind the

average price for concentrates for the herd on form

DHIA-12, bv dividing the total cost of concentrates by

total pounds oí concentrates. (See the appendix, fig.

5: $1,07].30-^46,790=$229, or $2.29 per cwt.)

Multiply the number of pounds of concentrates the

cow received during the year by the average cost ol

23
concentrates to obtain the cost of concentrates for the

cow for the year. (See the appendix, fig. 4: 2,960X

$2.29 =$6,780, or $67.80.)

Use the herd average cost of roughage. (See the

appendix, fig. 5: $13.22 pasture plus $48.53 roughage

equals $61.75, which you round to the nearest 10

cents, or $61.80.)

Add the cost of concentrates and cost of roughage to

obtain the total cost of feed ($129.60), and subtract

from the value of product ($299.80) to obtain the value

of product over feed cost ($170.20). (See the appendix,

fig. 4.)

When a cow is on test part of the year only, calculate

the c^st of concentrates as illustrated above, but use a

fractional part of the herd average cost of roughage.

(See the appendix, fig. 6, for the testing year 1951-52:

Average cost of roughage is $12.30 pasture plus $51.20

roughage, or $63.50 total.) Rosni was on test 223/365

of that year, as shown in the appendix, figure 4 ; the cost

of her roughage would be $38.80. Complete the

computation of costs as outlined above.

Form DHIA-21, Index and Yearly

Records of Individual Cows

This form serves as an index of all cows on test

during the year and, in addition, serves as a herd

summary sheet at the end of the testing year. (See

the appendix, fig. 8.)

List on the form the cows on test at the beginning of

each testing year. List the cows according to the page

number of their record from the lowest to the highest.

(See discussion of DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A), p. 22.)

At the end of the testing year, transfer the production

data of individual cows from forms DHIA-22 (or

DHIA-22A) to form DHIA-21; then add these data

to obtain herd totals for the year.

24
Chapter XI. Identification Records

Identification of DHIA Animals

Improvement of the Nation's dairy cattle through

breeding is one of the important objectives of the dairyherd-improvement-association program. A progressive

breeding program is possible, however, only when the

sire and the dam of each animal in the association herds

are known and recorded.

The dairy-herd-improvement-association breeding

program is not confined to herds or associations within

a State. Family lines of dairy cattle frequently extend

to herds widely scattered in diiferent associations or in

different States. With the identification record of each

association animal established and recorded in the

dairyman's herd-record book so that it can be reported

accurately when production records are reported (on

form DHIA-718), the production records can be used

to locate those individual animals (both male and

female) and families of animals that possess and transmit inheritance for high-producing capacity. Such

animals may then be used as breeding stock to spread

the improved hereditary influence they possess throughout the general dairy-cow population.

Identification and Production Records

You must positively identify every dairy animal in

a DHIA herd and record the identification on the

Register of Animals, DHIA-16, in,the owner's herdrecord book within 60 days after the animal enters the

herd by birth or purchase. Registration numbers, and

DHIA, TB, Bangs, or vaccination eartag numbers are

acceptable identification. Tatoo numbers are acceptable on purebred animals as temporary identification

until the animal enters the niilking herd.

Establishing Identity

A uniform plan of eartagging all unidentified animals

in dairy-herd-improvement-association herds has been

developed so that the identity of all animals may be

recorded permanently on the Register of Animals,

pHIA-16 in the dairyman's herd-record book. Identity is not established until a record of the identification

is made on DHIA-16.

In most States cows in artificial-breeding associations

are eartagged with special '^X'^ series DHIA eartags.

These tags, of course, provide satisfactory identification.

DHIA Eartags

A special DHIA eartag is used. The tag has a sealing device which makes removal of the tag very diflScult,

if it is inserted properly. One side of the tag beai*s

the name of the State and the letters *'D. H. I. A.''

On the other side of the tag is a number.

The State extension dair3anan obtains all DHIA

eartags used in his State direct from the eartag manufacturer. The manufacturer supphes each State with

eartags, usmg a numbering plan in each State which is

a part of the National numbering plan. This National

numbering plan avoids duplication of numbers in any

State or between States.

The State extension dairyman distributes the eartags

to supervisors, and keeps a complete record of the

serial numbers of all tags distributed to each supervisor.

The cost of this eartag is small. In most associations, the herd owner pays for the tags used in his herd.

Animals to be Eartagged

You must give all unidentified animals a DHIA

eartag. All milking animals that carried a temporary

identification as heifers must be registered or retagged

with an acceptable identification.

Once all the animals in a herd are eartagged or

registered and their identification numbers are recorded, only the young stock and purchased replacements will need to be eartagged and recorded to keep

the entire herd identified.

All calves should be eartagged as soon as possible

after they are born. Each time you visit a farm you

should eartag all young stock and all replacements not

registered or eartagged that were born or that otherwise entered the herd since your last visit.

The Supervisor Affixes the Eartags

You are responsible for all eartags allotted to you.

Keep your supply in a locked box. Keep the box free

from moisture and acid, to prevent rusting or corrosion

of the tags. Carry only a small number of tags. This

will further insure that the tag is in first-class condition

when you insert it. You are responsible for eartagging

all association animals, and you must account for

every tag in the identification record.

Affixing an eartag is a simple process, but it should

be done methodically and with great care. You should

take the necessary time to aflSS: the tag properly and

securely. Special pliers are used to affix the tag. The

pliers cause the prong of the tag to pierce the ear and

expand within the sealing button, in one operation.

Seat the eartag properly in the jaws of the phers so

that it is held securely. The button side of the tag,

bearing the name of the State and the letters DHIA,

must lie flat and snug in the grooves of the jaw of the

pliers. In this position the pronged side of the tag,

bearing the identification number, will not lie flat

against the other jaw of the pliers. If seated in this

manner, the tag is held securely and will not move

sideways in the pliers.

You must tie the animal securely so that it cannot

move its head. It is not enough simply to have the

animal in a stanchion. If the animal is able to move

its head even slightly, the prong may be bent or the

tag shifted in the phers so that it will not seal properly.

25
Place the tag in the top of the right ear about onethird the distance from the head with the numbered

side of the tag on the outside of the right ear. In this

position the tao; is secure and may be read easily.

Avoid placing the tag in the curvature near the base

of the ear, as this may result in irritation and possible

loss of the tag. In a mature animal, place the tag so

that the curved end of the tag will be flush with the

edge of the ear. On young stock, place the tag so as

to allow approximately one-fourth inch for growth of

the ear. After the tag has pierced the ear, you must

apply strong pressure to the handles of the pliers to

insure that the tag is chnched and sealed securely. If

you take these precautions, few tags wdll be lost.

Lost Tags

If you affix eartags properly, very few will be lost.

But if an animal does lose an eartag, you should affix

a new one on your next visit to the farm. When you

retag an animal, you must correct its identification

record in the herd-record book to keep it up todate.

Draw a line through the old eartag number on the

Register of Animals, DHIA-16, in the herd-recordbook and on the Individual Cow-Record, DHIA-22

(or DHIA-22A), and write the new eartag number

above the old number. Do not obliterate the old

number, as it may be necessary to refer to the number

again.

Recording Identification Records

The most important part of identifying animals with

eartags is the record of that identification. Merely

eartagging an animal does not identify the animal. To

complete the identification, you must make a record of

the eartag number together with the identification

number of the sire and dam of the animal.

Record on the Register of Animals, DHIA-16, in

the herd-record book the identification record of every

animal in the herd that is registered or is eartagged (including the identification numbers of the sire and dam).

Form DHIA-f6, Register of Animals

in the Herd

This form provides space for information that is

fundamental to the entire record-keeping program.

The importance of a permanent identification record of

every animal in the herd cannot be overemphasized.

No identification of an animal exists until a record is

made of that identification on DHIA-16 (see appendix

%. 7).

Follow the instructions at the top of the forni very

carefully. Check this form each time you visit the

farm and keep it complete, accurate, and up to date.

Routine for Filling Out Form DHIA-16

1. List all animals in the herd.

(a) List older animals first.

(b) Sources of information: Registration papers,

herd books, catalogs, herd record.

2. List each calf as born.

(a) Eartag each calf.

(b) List all calves that are eartagged.

(c) See stable Breeding Chart and form DHIA-22

(or DHIA-22A) for sire and dam.

3. Record information on disposal when animals

leave farm.

(a) Date sold.

(b) Purchaser.

(c) Reason for removal.

4. Make out form DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A) for

each cow in herd.

(a) Start when cow goes on test.

(6) Number pages consecutively.

(c) Record on DHIA-16 date animal enters herd.

26
Chapter XII. Lactation Record!

305-Day Lactation Records

The lactation production records obtained by supervisors in dairy-herd-improvement associations are accumulated and tabulated by the Dairy Husbandry

Research Branch. They are used in a nationwide

program for evaluating dairy-cattle family lines in

members' herds as to the inheritance the animals

possess for milk-and butterfat-producing capacity. It is

for this purpose you report on form DHIA-718 the production of all cows as they go dry or end the first 305

days of the lactation period.

Signaling 305-Day Lactation Records

To be sure that you report all 305-day lactation

records promptly, make a notation on each cow's form

DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A) in the herd-record book at

the beginning of her lactation record indicating the date

(on the line for the monthly record in which the 305-day

record will end) when each cow will end the first 305-

days of her lactation period. (See the appendix, figs.

3 and 4.) This note wiD remind you when to report

each 305-day lactation record. The table on the back

of form DHIA-20 will be of help in determining the

date the 305-day production record ends for different

freshening dates.

Calculating 305-Day Lactation Records

A 305-day lactation record consists of the first 305

days of recorded production after a cow freshens. (The

first 3 days' colostrum milk is not recorded.) If a cow's

lactation record exceeds 305 days, report her production

for only the first 305 days on form DHIA-718. If a cow

does not milk for 305 days, calculate her lactation record

for the exact number of days of her lactation. When

you report such short-period records on form DHIA718, write the word ''Complete" in the ''Remarks"

column.

If a cow dies or is sold before she completes a 305-day

lactation record, report her production up to the time

she died or was sold, along with the actual number of

days she was milked, regardless of the length of the

record. If the cow is sold into another tested herd, the

supervisor testing that herd will report her production

record for the remainder of her lactation period.

If a cow aborts while she is dry, calculate her 305-day

record the same as if she had freshened normally. If a

cow in milk aborts after carrying a calf 152 days, her

current record ends and a new lactation record begins.

The following example shows how to calculate 305-

day records. (See the record of cow 51-4821 Rosni in

the appendix, figs. 3 and 4.) Rosni had been in milk

for 223 days, and had produced 7,790 pounds of milk

and 265 pounds of butterfat, at the beginning of the

current testing year. Her production since last fresh

is recorded on the first line of her record. Her 305-day

record ends June 25, as shown in the "Remarks"

column. June 25 is in the June testing period To

calculate her record to the end of the May testing

period add her production since last fresh and her production in the current testing year (through the Mav

testing period) as follows:

Days

(number)

Production

Milk Butterfat

Production since last fresh

Production in current testing

year

223

61

Pounds

7,790

1,340

Pounds

265

44

(Last total-to-date before end

of 305 days)

Total 284 9, 130 ^no

Then subtract 284 from 305 to find the number of

days' production of the June testing period (21) to

include in the 305-day record. Calculate her production for the 21 days as follows: Multiply the amount of

milk she produces on the June testing date (23 pounds)

by the number of days (21) to find the total amount of

milk she produced in the 21 days—23X21, or 480

pounds. Her milk tested 3.1 percent fat, and the

amount of butterfat in the 480 pounds of milk is

480X3.1, or 15 pounds.

Then add her 21-day production to her production

for the first 284 days, which completes the calculation

of her 305-dav lactation record as foUows:

Days

(number)

Production

Milk Butterfat

Production since last fresh

and through May testing

period of current year

Production in June testing

period (to make 305 days) _ _

284

21

Pounds

9, 130

480

Pounds

309

15

Total 305 9,610 324

Many States have developed work sheets for calculating lactation records. These are very helpful as the

procedure is outlined step by step. A suggested work

sheet is shown in the appendix, fig. 9.

When a cow completes a 305-day lactation record,

enter it in the Lactation Production Summary section

at the bottom of form DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A), as

shown in the appendix, figs. 3 and 4.

27
Reporting 305-Day Lactation Records

Report the 305-day lactation record on form DHIA718, Production Report, as shown in the appendix, fig.

10. Use black ink to fill out this report, as it is photographed in the Washington office to provide a permanent record of the original data.

Report the actual record, not the mature-equivalent

record. The report (DHIA-718) includes the cow's

eartag or registration number; her breed and date of

birth ; the eartag or registration number of both her sire

and her dam; the date she calved for the lactation reported; the number of days in milk (305 days or less);

the number of days during the 305 days or less that she

was milked 3 or 4 times a day; her production record

for the first 305 days of her lactation period; the herd

identification number, and the name (use same name

on all reports) and address of the owner of the cow.

Report the exact birth date on registered cows. Report the exact birth date on grade cows whenever it is

possible. If the exact birth date is not known, estimate

it to the nearest season and year. For information on

how to estimate the age of a cow from her teeth, see the

appendix, p. 52.

When an eartagged cow has been retagged, report

both the old eartag number and the new eartag number. Draw a line through the old eartag number but

do not obliterate it. This is to insure that all records

reported for a cow under the old number will be brought

together with the records reported for her under the

new number, when they are permanently recorded and

filed for use in proved-sire and herd-analysis tabulations.

In the column headed '^Remarks'' write any special

comments concerning the record. If a record is affected by abortion, report the approximate date of the

abortion.

When you have finished filling out form DHIA-718,

write the date in the Lactation Production Summary

section at the bottom of form DHIA-22 (or DHIA22A) and place your initials in the space provided to

show who reported the record. Then send the DHIA718 report to your State extension dairjnnan for approval of the State Agricultural College.

Back Records May Be Reported on DHIA-718

You may wish to report back records for some cows

in the tested herds in order that all available records

may be recorded permanently. You may report a

back record for any cow whose birth date is known,

provided you can establish to your complete satisfaction the identity of the cow. Otherwise, do not report

a back record.

Reports (DHIA-718) Must Be Complete,

Accurate, and Neat

You should read this section frequently. The

seriousness of reporting incomplete or inaccurate data

cannot be overemphasized. Not only are incomplete

and inaccurate reports worthless, but they may actually

be harmful as the incorrect data are likely to result in a

sire being inaccurately evaluated.

Observe the following precautions to avoid making

errors in reporting data:

Write Figures Ploinly

(a) Write digits 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 0 plamly by

forming the circular parts so there is plenty of open

28

space in the enclosed or partly enclosed space of the

digits. Also, see that the circular portions of 6, 8, and

9 are completely enclosed, but that the circular portions

of 2, 3, and 5 are left open. When the circular portion

of a 5 is closed or nearly closed, it often resembles a 6.

(6) Leave the 4's open so they will not look hke 9's,

and close the 9's so they will not look Hke 4's.

(c) Make the digit ''one'' as a straight line (1) without any ''tick'' at the top of the line. Many times the

"tick" of a 1 is large enough to look like the bar at the

top of a seven (7). Similarly, make seven (7) distinct

so it will not look like one (1).

(d) Write figures so plainly that anyone not familiar

with your writing can read the numbers correctly.

Write Names Plainly

(a) Write or print names and addresses of herd

owners so plainly that anyone not familiar with your

writing can read and spell them correctly.

(6) Make all letters distinct—take care to make the

first letter of names especially plain. Write capital

letters like S and L, M and W, or A, C, and O so that

no one will confuse one letter with another.

(c) Write small letters plainly. Letters Uke g, y,

and z, and h and k, also m, n, r, u, and v, are easily

confused unless they are written carefully. Unless the

i's are dotted and e's are looped, these two letters are

also easily confused. Loop the I's and cross the t's

so that one letter will not be confused with the other.

(d) If your handwriting is not plain, print the names

and addresses of herd owners.

(e) Include the herd identification number on all reports, and write the herd-owner's name exactly as it

appears on the title page (DHIA-1) of the herd-record

book.

Calculate Records Correctly

A study of errors made by supervisors in reporting

305-day lactation records revealed the following types

of errors supervisors should avoid:

(a) Incorrect number of days in monthly testing

period.—This error usually occm^s in the first monthly

testing period after a cow freshens. Many supervisors

give the fresh cow credit for the total nimiber of days

in the first monthly testing period. Usually this is incorrect. Give the fresh cow production credit for only

the actual number of days she is in milk during the

first monthly testing period. Similarly, when a cow

goes dry give her production credit for only the number

of days she is in milk during the last monthly testing

period of her lactation. You can avoid this error by

following carefully the procedure outlined imder "Fresh

Cows," p. 14.

(b) Errors in addition.—Most of these errors are due

to carelessness. Set the data down so the columns of

digits cannot be confused. Many errors occur because

the supervisor drops or adds a digit, or switches from

one column to another in adding. Always check your

addition. Each time you add "Totals to date," check

your addition.

(c) Errors in calculation.—Errors also occur in calculating the data for "Production since last fresh." These

errors ultimately are included in the 305-day lactation

record reported on DHIA-718.
Report Correct Birth Dates and Freshening Dates

Errors in reporting birth dates and freshening dates

occur frequency.

Check the herd-record book carefully to be sure you

have not reported one date for another, i. e., a breeding

date for a freshening date, or vice versa. After you

have recorded the dates on the report form, DHIA-718,

check to be sure that you have not confused the various

dates and that you have copied them correctly.

Report Correct Identification Numbers

In reporting identification numbers, take great care

to be sure that you do not omit or transpose digits in

copying numbers. Also, be sure that you are reporting

the correct number, not the nmnber of the dam or sire

of the cow whose record you are reporting. In reporting DHIA eartag numbers, report the entire number

including the prefix, as 74-B7814. Do not omit the

"74" or the letter '^B."

In reporting disease-control tag numbers, report the

name of the State as well as the entire number, including

prefixes and suflSxes, as "Tex. A59284Z." Do not omit

the State "Tex." or the letters "A" or "Z."

Check each DHIA-718 report after you have it

ready to mail, to be sure that the information on the

report is exactly as it is recorded in the herd-record

book.

To Summarize

(a) Write plainly, so figures and writing may be

read correctly.

(b) Calculate records carefully and check your work.

(c) Check birth dates and freshening dates in the

herd-record book, and recheck dates on reports.

(d) Copy identification numbers (registration or eartag) carefully to avoid reporting the wrong numbers or

incomplete or incorrect numbers, and recheck reports

with herd-record book.

Breed Designation

Use the initials of the various breeds to designate the

breeds on all records and reports, as follows:

A (for Ayrshire), BS (for Brown Swiss), H (for

Holstein), G (for Guernsey), J (for Jersey), and MS

(for Milking Shorthorn).

Individual Animals

Designate animals (animals with registration papers)

as RA, RBS, RH, etc.

Designate grade animals (without registration papers)

as GR. A, GR. BS, GR. H, etc.

If the sire of a grade is registered, designate the

grade as the same breed as the sire. If sire and dam

are both registered but of different breeds, designate

the offspring as ^'Mixed."

372801 0^56- 29
Chapter XIII. Monthly and Yearly Reports

Monthly Reports

As the monthly reports vary somewhat in the different

States, you will receive detailed instructions from your

State extension dairyman as to the specific monthly

reports required.

Some States use the Monthly Association Summary,

(DHIA-4), to obtain a monthly summary of all herds

in each association. The headings on this form are

similar to those on the Monthly Herd Summary,

(DHIA-12), in the herd-record book. If your State

uses DHIA--4, copy the monthly data from DHIA-12

on the day you test the herd so that data for all herds

will be recorded on DHIA-4 at the end of the month

and the report will be ready to mail to your State

extension dairyman.

Most States require the supervisor to make carbon

copies of the barn-book sheet, DHIA-2 (or DHIA-2A),

for each herd each month. This is an excellent

procedure as it provides the State or County office

with a detailed report of the work done in each association and provides data and information which may be

used in State and County letters to the association

members.

Some States also require narrative reports of interesting dairy practices for news articles which will be of

general interest. Narrative reports should contain

names and addresses, facts and figures on progress,

improvement, or activities. Omit personal opinions;

let the facts tell the story.

Yearly Reports

At the end of the testing year make out a yearly herd

summary report, DHIA-780, for each herd, giving the

yearly total production data for the herd, total value

of product, total feed consumed, and total cost of feeds

consumed by the herd for the testing year. Obtain the

total production data and value of product from form

DHIA-21, and total feed consumed and feed costs from

form DHIA-12. Report the quality of roughages and

pastures, as described in Chapter VIII. If the quality

of roughage or pasture varies during the year, give the

average quality.

Fill out form DHIA-780 completely, as shown in the

appendix, fig. 11.

In associations where the testing year for all the herds

tested is the same as the testing year for the association, you will fill out a DHIA-780 report for each herd

as you make your rounds during the last testing period

of the testing year. For herds in which cows will freshen

within 10 to 13 days after the last testing date, you will

have to wait until your next monthly visit to complete

the yearly records if all back credits are included in the

yearly totals.

In most associations, however, some herds have testing years that do not coincide with the testing year of

the association. This is largely because of new herds

entering the association during the testing year. In

some associations, the testing year for the various herds

become overlapped to such an extent that the testing

year for the association must be established arbitrarily

by the officers of the association.

Regardless of the testing year of the association you

should fill out the yearly report (DHIA-780) for each

herd as the herd completed its testing year and promptly

mail the report to your State extension dairyman.

Breed of Herd (for Monthly and Yearly

Herd Reports)

Registered Herd.—A registered herd is one in which

75 percent or more of the cows are registered and of the^

same breed, and is designated as RA, RH, etc.

Registered and Grade Herd.—If less than 75 percent

but more than 25 percent of the cows in the herd are

registered and of the same breed, the breed is designated as R & Gr. A, etc.

Registered Mixed Herd.—A herd in which registered

cows of two or more breeds make up at least 75 percent

of the herd should be designated as a ''R. Mix."

Grade Herd.—A herd in which 75 percent or more of

the cows are grade is designated as a grade herd, Gr. A,

Gr. H, etc.

Grade Mixed Herd.—A grade herd in which two or

more breeds make up at least 75 percent of the herd is

designated as a ''Gr. Mix.''

Registered and Grade Mixed Herd.—If less than 75 percent but more than 25 percent of the cows in the herd

are registered and of different breeds, the herd should

be designated a ''R. and Gr. Mix.''

30
Chapter XIV. Summary Analysis of DHIA Records

Form DHIA -14, Ten -Year Herd

Summary

This form is designed to give the owner a year-toyear record of the production of his herd.

At the end of the testing year, transfer the yearly

herd averages (not totals) from the Monthly Herd

Summary, DHIA-12, to the Ten-Year Herd Summary,

DHIA-14, as shown in the appendix, figure 6. In the

lower righthand cerner, space is provided for recording

the progress made from year to year in increasing the

number of high-producing cows and decreasing the

number of low-producing cows in the herd. This

record will be particularly helpful in showing the dairyman what progress he is making in improving his herd.

Fill out this section according to the instructions on

the form.

On the back of DHIA-14, space is provided for

recording the number of cows leaving the herd during

the testing year and the reasons they left the herd.

You may record this information each month, or it

may be more practical to record it at the end of the

testing year when you transfer the Lifetime Record

forms DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A) for cows that have

left the herd from the active section of the herd-record

book to the back of the book or to another book.

Form DHIA-30/ Herd Improvement

Through Breeding (Index—Breeding)

The information on the front of this form is designed

to give the herd owner a general understanding of the

breeding program and to indicate how production

records can be used to improve or maintain (in the case

of high-producing herds) the hereditary producing

capacity of the herd. On the back of the form is a

discussion and an illustration of the analysis of a provedsire record.

The Dairy Husbandry Research Branch and the

State extension dairymen are making more and more

use of DHIA records to help dairymen evaluate the

breeding worth of cow-families, of herd sires, and of

prospective herd sires.

You must understand the use of DHIA records in a

breeding program. You must be able to discuss

effectively the various phases of a DHIA breeding

program with the dairyman. Obtain from your State

extension dairyman up-to-date information on the use

of DHIA records to improve the hereditary producing

capacity of dairy herds.

Form DHIA-3f, Herd-Sire Record

Record information about the herd sire on this form.

Record new information either on the herd sire or on

an animal appearing in the pedigree of the herd sire as

it becomes available, so the dairyman will have the

most complete record possible about his herd sire.

In general, the greater the number of daughter-anddam comparisons and the greater the number of lactation records included in the comparison, the more

reliable is the proved-sire record. The feeding and

management of the herd at the time the records were

made should be studied to judge what effect environment may have had on the records of the daughters as

compared with the records of their dams.

Form DHIA-33, Herd Analysis

This form provides space for diagraming the

various cow-families represented in the herd. When

production data have accumulated on several generations of animals in the herd, the breeding worth of the

various families and of the individuals in the families

can be indicated. (See DHIA-40.)

Form DHIA-40, Herd Analysis (Back

Cover)

The discussion and diagram on this form illustrate

the method of studying the cow-families of a herd and

of indicating those cow-families from which to select

brood cows.

Obtain from your State extension dairyman or your

county agent full information regarding a herd analysis,

so you will be sufficiently well informed to discuss it

effectively with the dairyman.

Association, State, and National

Summaries

The herd data reported on DHIA-780 are compiled

on an association (or county). State, and National basis

to show the level of production of association herds and

the relationship of production to value of product,

amount of feed consumed, cost of feed, and income

over feed cost. The compilations are returned to the

State extension dairyman for use in the dairy-herdimprovement program.

Form DHIA-32, Proved-Sire Record

As most dairymen must keep production records on

their herds several years before a proved-sire record

can be compiled, this form (front and back) is designed

to give the dairyman some understanding of the tabulations he may receive on his herd. These will be an

aid in evaluating the breeding worth of his herd sire.

Copies of proved-sire records which the dairyman

receives should be inserted in this section of the herdrecord book.

31
A *'proved-sire record" is the summary comparison

of the production records of at least 10 unselected

daughters of a sire and of the production records of

their dams. A proved-sire record including from 5 to

9 daughter-and-dam comparisons is designated as a

'Treliminary Proof." A proved-sire record including

daughters resulting from artificial breeding only and

consisting of 25 or more comparisons is designated as

an ''AB Proved-Sire Record." An AB proved-sire

record including from 10 to 24 comparisons is designated

as a ''Preliminary AB Proof."

The records of the daughters and their dams are

compared to indicate the milk and butterfat producing

capacity transmitted by the sire. Production records

used in proved-sire records are for the first 305 days of

the lactation period. The records are converted to a

mature-equivalent, twice-a-day milking basis. If any

dam or daughter has a production record for more than

one lactation the average for all her lactations is used.

Proving DHIA Sires

As soon as 305-day lactation records for at least 5

daughters of a sire and for the dams of the daughters

are available, a preliminary proved-sire record is

compiled for the sire by the United States Dairy

Husbandry Research Branch, Washington, D. C.

When sufl&cient additional dam-and-daughter comparisons are reported to improve the reliabilit}^ of the

proved-sire record, the record is retabulated. When a

sire is re-proved (record retabulated) aD records reported to date are included in the retabulated provedsire record.

Four copies of each proved-sire record are sent to

each State—one for the association supervisor, one for

the herd owner, one for the local county agent, and

one for the files in the State office.

Proved-Sire Lists

Lists of all sires proved in the country are published

in a DHIA Letter, issued every month by the United

States Dairy Husbandry Research Branch. These

letters are sent to State extension dairymen, county

agents, and association supervisors.

Making DHIA Information Public

Local publicity is valuable to association work in

the community. You should cooperate with the county

agent and the local newspapers in preparing news

articles. Stories that illustrate a recommended practice

should be used in preference to mere statistical accounts.

Remember that the real purpose of the testing work is to

improve each individual herd. Stories of outstanding

sires proved in the association are of interest to aU

dairymen in the community. Herds in which unusual

improvement has been made through association work

are also good material for news stories.

Stories featuring merely the high-record cows and

the high-record herds frequently fail to benefit the

work of the association, as such publicity may encourage '^race horse'' practices among members.

If monthly herd averages are published, it should be

borne in mind that, although monthly herd averages

may be worked out satisfactorily for each herd with a

fair degree of accuracy, the data are not absolutely

comparable between herds as the herds have different

centering dates and their records are for different

periods.

In publishing herd averages it is sometimes advisable

to list institutional herds separately. Often individual

dairymen dislike to have their herds compared with

herds owned by institutions. Also owners of large

herds dislike to have their herds compared with smaller

herds, since it is often more difiicult to make a good

average with a large herd than a small one.

In listing monthly and yearly herd averages, it may

be advisable to classify the herds as small herds (less

than 15 cows), medium herds (15 to 30 cows), and large

herds (more than 30 cows), or some similar classification

suitable for the herds being tested.

32
Chapter XV. DHIA Rules

(Revised and Approved by the American Dairy Science Association in June 1955)

1. Standard Testing Equipment

Testing equipment shall conform to the standard set by the

American Dairy Science Association.

2. Identification, Feed, and Production Data

Owners must make available all registration certificates and

other information for proper identification of animals on test

and their offspring. They must cooperate and assist the supervisor in obtaining feed weight, roughage quality, freshening and

dry dates, purchase and sale dates, and any other information

needed foi* calculating complete DHIA records.

3. Identification of Animals

Every dairy animal in DHIA herds must be positively identified and recorded on registry page DHIA-16 of the owner's herdrecord book within 60 days after entering the herd by birth or

purchase. Acceptable identification shall be registration numbers, DHIA, Bangs, or vaccination eartag numbers. Tattoo

numbers are acceptable on purebred animals as temporary

identification until the animal enters the milking herd.

4. Lactation Record Reports

DHIA Lactation Record report, DHIA-718, shall be completed

and filed for every cow on test for each lactation regardless of

whether or not the record is completed. Each lactation record

shall be recorded on the respective individual cow record page

DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A), in the lactation production summary.

5. Monthly and Yearly Reports

The supervisor shall make monthly and yearly reports as

required bv the State agricultural college. Yearly feed and

productionVecords for each herd shall be reported at the close of

the testing year for each herd on form DHIA-780.

milked, supervisors use own data, lock sample cases, and method

of sampling. In addition suflñcient time shall be allotted to

each herd to complete the herd-record book, check it for accuracy,

and make all required monthly, yearly, and lactation reports.

The average number of cows tested per day during the month

shall not exceed 35 unless special approval is given by the Board

of Directors.

9. Doubling Herds

It is recommended that as a general rule only 1 herd be

tested in 1 day.

10. Supervision of Milking

The location of the cows being milked should be such that the

supervisor can effectively observe the milking at all times.

11. Identification of Cows Being Milked

The supervisor shall verify the identity of each cow when

entered on test by comparing color markings, eartags, and

registration certificates, and by recording the information on the

individual cow record, form DHIA-22 (or DHIA-22A). Thereafter, at each milking the supervisor must assure himself of the

correct identity of each cow as she is milked.

12. Supervisor Uses Own Data

The supervisor, or a person authorized and approved by the

State extension dairyman and the responsible organization,

shall compute the production records for a testing period from

the data obtained on the testing date by the supervisor.

13. Centering the Testing Day

Production records shall be calculated by centering the testing

day according to the method outlined in the DHIA Supervisor s

Manual. 6. Cows To Be Tested

Records shall be kept on all dairy cows that are i^Jli^ hejd on . . Supervisor^S Route

the day the supervisor visits the farm. Every cow that ha^ ever 1-»- ^up^rTi»

freshened must be included regardless of stage of Ifctation or

ownership. Herds (for listing or publicity purposes) shall consist of five or more cows located on one or more farm units under

one management. In case there is more than one farm unit a

composite average for all units of the herd shall be computed and

published as the herd average Herds not mcluding all cows

shall not be considered standard or regular DHIA herds and all

monthly and yearly publicity shall be withheld.

In order that the herd owner may not know the exact day the

suoervisor will visit a farm the supervisor shall from time to

Urne vary his visits to each farm as much as 3 days ahead of

or 3 days a ter the regular testing day. (Regardless of such

vadaUon ho^^ver, alf calculations should be made on the

basis of the regular centering day established for the herd.)

7. Monthly and Bimonthly Testing

Associations may operate on the monthly or bimonthly basis,

or on both.

8. Number of Cows Tested Daily

The suDervisor shall take sufficient time at each milking to

comnlv properlr vvith the following rules: Identificat.on of all

anSs hi the DHIA herd including eartagging cows to be

tes d supen'sion of milking, identification of cows be.ng

15. Lock Sample Cases

the immediate observation of the supervisor.

16. Method of Sampling

All weighing, sampling, and recording of each njij^ing of each

Ä^^Utm^ÄÄ-^h^orÄl^Ä

sampling.

33
17. Lost Samples

If for any reason the sample is spilled or lost and another

sample cannot be obtained, the records shall be held open until

the following month when the average of the production for the

preceding and for the following testing periods should be taken

as the production for the current testing period.

18. Butterfat Test

The Babcock test is to be used in all dairy herd improvement

associations. In applying the Babcock test the official rules

adopted by the American Dairy Science Association shall be

followed.

19. Abnormal Tests

Abnormal high or low records due to causes such as sickness,

severe injury, off feed, etc., shall be handled similarly to lost

samples. In cases of severe sickness or injury, it is suggested that, except for the first month of the lactation, a 40-

percent change in total fat from the preceding tests shall be

considered abnormal.

SO. Retests—Owners Request

If for any reason a herd owner is not satisfied with the test

on his herd, he may call for a retest if he is willing to pay for

the cost of the retest.

Automatic Retests and Surprise Tests

Automatic retests and surprise tests may be ordered by the

local association board and/or the State official in charge of the

Dairy Herd Improvement Association program. Automatic

retest and surprise test requirements and procedures established for Herd Improvement Registry (HIR) tests by the

Purebred Dairy Cattle Association shall be followed. All costs

of the retest or surprise test must be paid by the owner of the

cow or herd tested. The cost is to be not more than the prevailing rate schedule in use in the Association.

21. Fresh Cows—Dry Cows

A cow should not be tested until the 7th day after she calves,

counting the day of calving as the first day. The first milk

weight and sample can be taken on the evening of the 6th day.

The record, however, is started on the 4th day after calving,

counting the calving day as the first day. Cows freshening

after the supervisor's regular visit and before the end of the

testing period should be given credit for their production during

that period, as calculated on the basis of the results of the next

test. Dry cows—the dry date is the first day the cow is not

milked.

22. Cows Wtih Mastitis

Cows with garget (mastitis) in one or more quarters shall

receive credit for the production from the good quarters only.

23. Aborting Cows or Cows Freshening

Without Going Dry

In case a cow aborts while dry, her record shall be figured the

same as for a fresh cow. If she aborts while in milk and has

carried a calf less than 152 days, hçr current record shall continue

without interruption.

24. Cows Nursing Calves

Cows nursing calves on the testing day are considered for the

time being as dry cows. Feed records are taken as usual and

recorded in the herd-record book. No milk samples are taken.

Milk weights and tests obtained on the first testing day after

calves have been removed or the last testing day before calves

are put on cows are used in computing production for the testing

periods in which calves were nursed.

Cows nursing calves throughout the year are recorded each

month as dry cows and are included in the monthly and yearly

herd averages. They are given production credit in the yearly

herd average for one-half the average of all their production

records made in previous testing years. The recorded days in

milk is the number of days the cow nursed calves during the

testing year.

25. Obtaining Production, Feed, and

Identification Data

Herd owners must make available all registration certificates

and other information needed for proper identification of animals

on test and their oflfspring. They must cooperate with the

supervisor in obtaining feed weights, roughage quality, freshening and dry dates, purchase and sale dates, and any other

information needed for calculating complete DHIA records.

26. Yearly Herd Averages

The yearly herd average is calculated on a cow-year basis.

As outlined in the footnotes on the Monthly Herd Summary,

DHIA-12, the total number of cow-days on test for the year is

divided by 365 (366 in leap year) to obtain the number of cowyears. The totals for the year are divided by the number of

cow-years to obtain the herd averages for the year.

Fresh cows that cannot be tested on the supervisor's last

visit of the year or cows freshening after the supervisor's last

visit but before the end of the year will not receive credit for

production for the last testing period unless the owner continues

to test the following year. In this case the records are completed

the first test of the following year.

27. Yearly Association Average

The association average is found by dividing the total pounds

of milk and total pounds of butterfat by the total cow-years.

28. Computing Fractions

The weights of milk at each milking and the day's total of

milk are recorded to the nearest one-tenth of a pound, the

month's milk to the nearest ten pounds. The price per hundredweight of milk and feed may be taken to the nearest ten cents,

likewise the value of product and cost of feed may be to the nearest ten cents. If the fraction is less than half, drop it. If half

or more, change to the next highest number.

29. Fraudulent Practices

Any practice that is intended to create or does create an

abnormal percentage of butterfat or an abnormal yield of milk

is a violation of DHIA rules.

30. Relation of Supervisors and Owners

As an employee of the local dairy-herd-improvement association, the supervisor's duty is to see that the tests are honestly

made, accurately recorded, and completely reported. No gratuitous payment to the supervisor is permitted from the member,

or others with a financial interest in the herd. The supervisor

shall not test his own herd or the herd of the immediate members

of his family. The supervisor is not at liberty to decide which

rules are essential and which are not, but is required to observe

them in all details. Owners or persons in their employ are held

equally responsible with the supervisor for the enforcement of

these rules.

34
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TEN YEAR PROGRESS IN IMPROVING YOUR HERD

The table below, when properly filled out each year, will enable you to see the year-by-year progress you are making in

improving your herd. As you continue testing, the proportion of cows in the high-production brackets should increase and

the proportion of cows in the low brackets should decrease or disappear.

The rectangle of the production group in which the association average falls is boxed in each year so you can see at a glance

how many cows you have above, at, or below the average cow of the association.

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375 to 399 pounds

350 to 374 pounds325 to 349 pounds

300 to 324 pounds275 to 299 Dounds

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48
SUPERVISOR'S WORK SHEIET FOR CALCUIATIMG LAGTATION RECORDS

feim Name F?Û5/\fJ

. Year N57 Month ^ Iby 3^

2. Date born- - Tear ^^ Month _/_ I^ 2^^

3. AgB Years 2 Months ^ Ibys^^

Item

!• Date fresh

ERODUGTIQN SINCE FRESH

^. Total production for testing year

5» TotaJL-to-date before freshening

6. Item h minus item 5 --

?• Adjustment for change in centering

date (+or-)

8# Production since fresh

(ItenB 6 ± 7)

CQRELETE LACTATION RECORD

1. Production since fresh

Z. Total-to-date before freshening

3« Complete lactation

(ItenB 1+2)

FIRST 305 DATS OF LACTATION

1. Production since fresh

2. last totsd-to-date before end of 305

days — - —

3« Adjustment from next testing period to

make 305 days

k. First 305 days of Jactation-

(Items 1+2+3)

Days in

milk

(number)

30^

//0-

/9^

^m

MUk

(pounds)

12^0

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U-Çèû

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¥-^éo

(pounds)

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339

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4-^0

(¥SO%âf)

15

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FiciURE !).—Work sheet for calculating lactation records.

49
cow IDENT IFIC ATION

NUMBER

-sy--¡/S2/ U.

_ DATE OF BIRTH _

M^NTH T DAY | YEAR"

SI RE OF COW

NUMSE R "

A^^Wf

DAM »OF COV

30- P.^.

^/^^y^S" ,Xi'

DHIA PRODUCTION REPORT

FIRST' 305 DAYS OF LACTATiON PERIOD

USE BLACK INK ONLY — DO NOT FOLD

//So

00

57 58

1 1

ST

22

1 1

DATE

REC'O

0 0!0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

52 tl'ei 65 66 67 C8 69 70 71

1 111! n 1111

cow IDENTIFICATION

2 2122 22 2 22 2

00

72 73

1 1

BR

22

0000000 ±^

74 75 76 77 78 79 80 "

1111111 S

SIRE NUMBER ^

2222222 ¿

FIGURE 10.—DHIA production report, DHIA-718.

o

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CO 5;

Q. -

tr Û

LI- a> c < —«

/2^37

_, ERD CODE *

BREED OF HERO

/ZéO AV. WT OF HERD

TOTAL COW-DAYS

ON TEST

MILK

(POUNDS)

BUTTERFAT

(POUNDS)

VALUE OF PRODUCT

SUCCULENT

ROUGHAGE FED

DRY ROUGHAGE

FED

OWNER'S NAME

.ç^^ ^^::^i^,^4..o4^.r3

ADDRESS OF OWNER J^;/L^JA, ^^yu.

ASSOCIATION OR COUNTY >)C^.^^^^^^'^2^^

/-

\^^

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.á»^A£'0

[OMIT LXT >>^ 2f ë .-.T'OKL. 'l...i<ásT'¿C.o'¿jg>

Xip¿f¿¿^Z^^

CONCENTRATE,

FED

TOTAL COW-DAYS

ON PASTURE

COW-DAYS IN MILK

COW-DAYS MILKED 3X

'^ 1, P R 0 T

COST OF PASTURE

COST OF ROUGHAGE

COST OF CONCENTRATES

TOTAL FEED COST

CERTIFIED BY DHIA S U P ERyUifi^R :

EPORTED THROUGH AND APPROVED BY STATE AGRI.COLLEGE

! ; i^'iZ \i/

CWT ONLY (OMIT /AST^y^lG*r

"1 \ nrc

LLARS ONLY lfl<<^ CBWTSTA

i i I I ¡T

OLLARS ONLY (oyrX'£}3- z{

JH\.t V löKTlT Û'7ÙÉN1■■/

0 t L A R s ^i^ ( 4*rl T "7C/N T sT^

Ä^. 3'J¿/'S3

FIGURE 11.—Yearly herd summary, DHIA-780.

50
HOW MUCH SHOULD WE CHARGE FOR PASTURE?

The amount of feed consumed by cows on pasture depends on the size of the cows and the quaUty of the

pasture. The biggest difference between the cost of pasture and the cost of hay is the cost of harvesting the hav

Cost account studies show that a logical charge for pasture is one-half the price of its hay-equivalent or hay-replacement value. The following table shows the estimated charge for pasture when good hay is worth various

amounts per ton:

7a.6/^ for Estimating the Charge for Pasture

Quality of pasture Price per ton of good hay

Excellent Good Fair Poor $20 $25 $30 $35 $40

Average weight of cows in herd (pounds) Monthly charge for pasture

1, 400 $6. 50

6.00

5. 50

5.00

4. 50

4. 10

3.80

3.30

3.00

2.80

2. 50

2.30

2.00

$8. 10

7. 50

6. 90

6.30

5.60

5. 10

4. 70

4.20

3.80

3.40

3. 10

2.90

2.60

$9.80

9.00

8.40

7.50

6. 80

6. 10

5. 60

5.00

4.50

4. 10

3.70

3.40

3. 10

$11. 40

10. 50

9.60

9.00

7.90

7.20

6.70

5.80

4.40

4.80

4.40

4.00

3.60

$13.00

1, 300 12 00

1, 200 1,400

1,300

1,200

1, 100

1,000

900

11 00

1, 100 10 00

1, 000 1,400

1,300

1,200

1, 100

1,000

900

9 00

900 8 20

7. 50

1,400

1,300

1,200

1, 100

1,000

900

6.70

6.00

5.50

5.00

4. 50

4.00

To use the table: Example

1. Make a careful estimate of the quality of the pasture (p. 17, DHIA Manual) Good

2. Estimate the average body weight of the herd 1, 200

3. Determine the price of good hay $30

4. Locate the average body weight of the herd in the appropriate pasture column, and on the same line under price

of hay will be found the monthly charge for pasture $6. 80

The table should be used as a guide. When cows do not have access to pasture day and night or when liberal

amounts of hay and silage are being fed, reduce Aie pasture charge proportionately.

Soilage

Soilage (harvested green feed) is worth one-fourth the price of good hay. In estimating the capacity of wagons

or feed carts, figure 20 pounds per cubic foot.

51
HOW TO TELL THE AGE OF DAIRY CATTLE^

As the animal approaches 2 years of age, the central

pair of temporary incisor teeth or pincers is replaced

by the permanent pincers. At 2 years, these teeth

attain full development. The pernianent first intermediates, one on each side of the pincers, nvc cut at

about 2}^ years, and they usually are fully (kneloped at

3 years.

Internal face of incisors at 4 years.

Internal face of incisors at 2 years.

Internal face of incisors at 3 years.

Internal face of incisors at 5 years.

At 5 or 6 years, there is a leveling of the permanent

pincers, the pincers usually being leveled at 6 years,

both pairs of intermediates being partially leveled, and

the corner incisors showing wear.

At 7 or 8 years, there is a noticeable wearing of the

pincers; at 8 or 9 years, of the middle pairs; and at 10

years, of the corner teeth.

After the animal passes its 6th year, the arch gradually loses its rounded contour. It becomes nearly

straight by thie 12th year. In the meantime, the teeth

have gradually become triangular in shape and distinctly separated, and show progressive wearing to

stubs. This condition becomes more marked with

increasing age.

At 3)2 years, the second intermediates or laterals are

cut. They are on a level with the first intermediates

and begin to wear at 4 years. At about 4)^ years, the

corner teeth are replaced. At 5 years, the animal

usually has the full complement of incisors with the

corners fully developed.

» From Farmer's Bulletin 1721. Internal face of incisors at 12 years.

52 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1956—O-379.801
Ten Points for DHIA Supervisors

1. On your first visit to a farm, make it a point to get

acquainted. Favorable first impressions go a long way

toward obtaining the cooperation that will help to make

your services most useful. Do not talk too much. Be

a good listener. Be helpful, but do not put youreelf

forward.

2. Help; don't hinder. Fit yourself into the mode of

living on each farm you visit. Your visit should cause

the least possible disturbance to the family's normal

living habits.

3. Spend the evening with the farmer and his family

if it is convenient for them to have you do so. If the

association operates a central testing laboratory and

you do not stay overnight with the farmer, spend as

much time as possible with the farmer while you are

visiting the farm. You can learn much from him and

he may learn something from you.

4. Be pleasant and agreeable, but do not carry

gossip.

5. Mix praise with helpful criticism in such a way

that the farmer will gladly follow your advice. The

best way is to lead up to an idea in such a manner that

the farmer himself will be the first to mention the need

for and method of improvement.

6. Keep yourself well informed on the new phases of

your work. Constantly new facts are being found and

new methods are being developed for conducting a

dairy-herd-improvement program. You should have

the latest information at all times.

7. Complete the records and bring them up to date

at each visit. Records that are not complete or are not

up to date are not of maximum value to the owner.

If your record work is in arrears, the dairjTnan may

justifiably think you are not capable of handling your

job. Leave the herd-record book on the farm. If the

tests and record work are done in a central laboratory,

return the records and the herd-record book to the

farmer at the earliest possible moment.

8. Promote cooperation among yoiu- farmers, but do

not make yourself conspicuous. Be "the power behind

the throne," but do not try to sit on the throne.

9. Publish favorable results and give each owner and

each herd as much publicity as the facts will warrant.

10. Dairy-herd-improvement-association work is an

agricultural extension project. It is a part of the local

county agent's extension program. The county agent

can help you and you can be of assistance to him. If

at all possible, visit his ofl&ce and talk over your work

with him at least once a month.