Individual members must realize the amount of their free time which must be given to the GT program. Commitment At least 2 weeks should elapse before a second meeting is held for those dairy goat owners who are seriously interested in a GT program. Indiuals who rush into the program tend to lose interest and drop out. This period should give everyone an opportunity to study the program and its procedures. At the second meeting, those who want to set up a GT unit should commit themselves and select a leader for the group.
Success depends on how much time the leader is willing to invest in the program.
While the rules call for a minimum of four herds for a GT unit, a group should not be formed unless there are at least five herds. If the unit starts with only four, and one drops out, the unit can continue only under exceptional circumstances. If other dairy goat owners wish to join the GT unit after it begins, they must contact the DHLA and group leader and work into the testing schedule. The group leader must attend scheduled DHI supervisor training sessions, help train new group members to test, and arrange to get samples to the central laboratory for component testing. Where required, group leaders are trained as DHI supervisors and are licensed, and they may conduct tests on DHIA member herds outside the group.