Each category has several components to measure. For example, for heifers the farm tracks nine factors including percent death loss and weight and body score at different ages. In fresh cows, the farm monitors seven areas. Among them are percent of animals with milk fever, DAs, ketosis and clinical mastitis. The performance area tracks number of heifers and cows, average days in milk, pounds per cow per day, percent fat and protein, somatic cell count and average days in milk high and low.
Monthly status is recorded on the form, then averaged for the year.
Each area has a target goal. For example, Marshmans calving age goal is 23 months and calving weight is 1,300 pounds. In the reproduction area, the farm strives to meet a 13.5-month calving interval and less than 100 days open. Some of these goals may not be industry standards, but they fit our facilities and people, John says. And by attaching goals, the brothers and their employees can see improvement or lack thereof.