FLOW OF RECORDS WITHIN NCDHIP

DAIRY HERD IMPROVEMENT
1985

FIEZ, E.A.
VOLUME: NCDHIP HANDBOOK

The flow of record information within the National Cooperative
Dairy Herd Improvement Program (NCDHIP) begins on Dairy Herd
Improvement (DHI) test day (Figure 1; small version, large version. 
The DHI supervisor is the key link in collecting and recording herd data.
Accuracy of data is a joint responsibility of the herd owner and
supervisor. Herd owners should carefully review all herd data before the
DHI supervisor leaves the dairy. 

Flow of DHI test day information

Test day information is entered on prelisted herd and cow
barnsheets. Individual milk weights, events that affect each cow,
and herd data are collected during the herd visit. The herd and cow
barnsheets plus milk samples are delivered or mailed to a milk
testing laboratory. These laboratories test the individual samples
and record the results on the barnsheets, or the results are
recorded electronically. Completed barnsheets are delivered to the
dairy record processing center (DRPC). Some milk testing
laboratories may return a copy of the milk test results to the
individual herd owner.

The completed barnsheets are mailed or the data is electronically
transmitted to DRPC's. Collecting and recording DHI information is
complete at this point in the flow of record information.

DRPC, upon receiving the herd and cow data, will merge the new
information with previously stored data. Records are updated to the
most recent sample date. The results of this test, plus new herd
information and cow totals and averages, are returned to the herd
owner. Herd barnsheets for the next test are developed and returned
to the DHI supervisor or the herd owner. The up-to-date records on
the herd also may be accessed from or transmitted to onfarm
computers at this time.

The time interval from DHI test day to the day records are
processed and returned is extremely important to the herd owner.
This turnaround time depends on several factors:

  1. time interval from DHI test day to the day samples reach the
laboratory,

  2. length of time required to analyze samples,

  3. length of time to transmit or mail the record data to DRPC and
the corresponding time for the finished reports to be delivered to
the herd owner, and

  4. length of time required to process the data by the processing
center.

Individual DHI records are received, processed and returned to the
herd owner in the shortest possible time.

DRPC's are the hub of information distribution (Figure 2; small version, 
large version).  In addition to providing each DHI member with a
complete set of herd and cow records, data are distributed to many
dairy-related organizations. These would include individual cow lactation
information, which is submitted to USDA and breed associations for use in
sire and cow evaluations. DHI record information also flows between USDA,
breed associations and DRPC's. 

Information distribution

Herd, county and state summaries reach university dairy specialists
responsible for the DHI program in each state. This information is
used in educational programs on a county, state and national basis.
Special reports are available from processing centers to assist
state DHI associations, local DHI associations, and state and local
DHI managers. Optional management reports for each herd processed
at the center also are available to the herd owner.

The DHI summary information available to agricultural research and
to Cooperative Extension Service educational programs further
enhances the flow of record information. This key data often
provides the base for management practices and educational programs
leading to greater herd profits. News releases, newsletters and
educational programs using DHI data reach all dairy producers.

DHI members, plus non-DHI members, benefit from the data generated
by the DHI program. This includes important cow and sire
information for use in breeding programs. Sire performance lists
generated by USDA are available to all dairy producers. The DHI
program identifies genetically superior individuals in each breed.

The value of the information from individual DHI test days is
tremendous. The complete set of herd records received by the DHI
member is only a small fraction of the information that filters
back over time to benefit the individual dairy producers.
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תתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתThe National Dairy Database (1992)תתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתת
תתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתת\NDB\DAIRY\TEXT\DA102600.TXTתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתת


%f TITLE;FLOW OF RECORDS WITHIN NCDHIP
%f COLLECTION;DAIRY HERD IMPROVEMENT
%f ORIGIN;Idaho
%f DATE_INCLUDED;June 1992