HISTORY OF DAIRY RECORDKEEPING
DAIRY HERD IMPROVEMENT
1985
VOELKER, D.E.
VOLUME: NCDHIP HANDBOOK
In 1854, the Jersey cow, Flora 13, produced 511.1 pounds of churned
butter over a 350-day period. This is the earliest record of
production in the United States. Early records of butter and milk
information for varying periods of time were collected by
individual breeders including a record of 12,681.5 pounds of milk
produced by the Holstein-Friesian cow, Dowager. This production
occurred over a 365-day period ending March 15, 1871.
In the late 1800's, many dairy records were limited to a 7-day
testing period. Usually, the weight of the milk produced at a fair
or exposition was recorded. At this time, feed was weighed and
recorded, too. After development of the Babcock test in 1890, milk
was tested for butterfat, and for many years, the amount of butter
produced was computed on the basis that butter was comprised of
85.3 percent fat. By the early 1900's, it was proven that annual
production information was more reliable than information covering
shorter time periods, and information covering complete lactations,
up to 365 days, was stressed.
Cow Testing Associations
In September 1905, a Danish immigrant, Helmer Rabild, working as an
inspector for the Michigan Dairy and Food Commission, called a
meeting, and six to eight dairy farmers from Newaygo County,
Michigan, attended. As a result of Rabild's knowledge and
enthusiasm, the first cow testing association was formed. In 1906,
the association's members represented 31 herds and 239 cows. In
1908, while Rabild was working for the dairy division of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA), similar cow testing associations
were started in Maine and New York.
Cow testing associations were formed in Vermont, Iowa, California,
Wisconsin and Nebraska in 1909. By 1920, there were 40 states with
associations, and by 1929 all 48 states had cow testing
associations. Important features of the cow testing associations
included recording production data, the number of both milking and
dry cows in the herd as well as recording the herd's feed amounts
and feed costs.
Before 1914, the dairy division was the driving force behind the
spread of cow testing associations. In 1914--when the Smith-Lever
Act established Cooperative Extension work--county, state and
Federal Extension workers assumed leadership of the new
associations. The cooperative relationship between the Federal
Dairy Division and the State Extension Services along with
organized groups of dairy farmers gave the program local control as
well as stability and uniformity.
From the beginning, the value of production, feed and cost records
for the individual dairy owner was stressed. Also, it became
apparent that the whole industry would benefit if the members'
herds served as result demonstrations. While employing new and
improved feeding, breeding and management practices to improve
performance and efficiency in individual herds, the summarized data
became a valuable asset to educational programs for all dairy
producers.
Dairy Herd Improvement Associations
In 1924, Extension specialists established a committee under the
American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) that developed a uniform
set of rules and guidelines for operating cow testing associations.
Rules were adopted in 1925. In 1926, the testing committee decided,
as suggested by C.S. Rhode from Illinois, that the name "Cow
Testing Association" did not embody adequately the functions of the
organizations. The committee proposed that the Cow Testing
Association be renamed the Dairy Herd Improvement Association
(DHIA). The committee also suggested calling employees previously
referred to as cow testers-DHIA supervisors. This change was
adopted by ADSA in 1927.
For more than 40 years, the development of the DHIA program was
under the guidance of the testing committee, later termed the Dairy
Records Committee of ADSA. The annual committee report, along with
interpretations published by the Division of Dairy Herd Improvement
Investigations, Bureau of Dairy Industry, USDA, in monthly
newsletter form for the industry, did much to unify and perfect the
working relationships of the DHIA program in all states. Report
forms and procedures were developed, as were handbooks on rules,
organizational suggestions and educational aspects.
Even though cooperation between local organizations, state
Extension workers and the dairy division of USDA had established a
pattern of local and state control along with nationally uniform
data, it was not until 1952 that a formal Memorandum of
Understanding was executed, setting forth the purposes and
responsibilities of all parties. This memorandum was revised in
1969, and the revised memorandum became effective in all 50 states
and Puerto Rico on January 1, 1972. It was revised again in 1982.
The early associations usually involved the number of herds that
one supervisor could handle. As time progressed and the scope of
the program grew, countywide and area associations could serve the
individual dairy producer better. Most associations were
reorganized under cooperative laws of the state and incorporated
under legal statutes to ensure adequate financial and business
records and limit the legal financial responsibility of assets of
individual members.
Statewide organizations were developed during the 1950's and 1960's
either as federations of county cooperatives or as direct
membership organizations. Included in this transition was the
acceptance of the state DHIA organizations to employ management
personnel to direct their operations. This move had a two-fold
effect. It made the state organizations directly responsible to
their membership, and it freed the time of the Extension dairy
specialists so they could expand their efforts in the educational
area. Proper documents such as membership agreements, bylaws, and
county and state memoranda of understanding were developed in most
states. Involvement of dairy producers in policy decisions, rules
enforcement and operating procedures enhanced the stature of the
state DHI organizations.
Growth and Development of the National Cooperative Dairy Herd
Improvement Program
At the 1963 meeting of the ADSA, a symposium sponsored by the Dairy
Records Committee was held on "The Future of the National
Cooperative Dairy Herd Improvement Program" (NCDHIP). An ad hoc
committee was formed to develop a new national structure. In August
1963, the committee developed a report that was accepted and
approved by the Extension Section, ADSA, at its business meeting in
1964.
In April 1965, the USDA announced the establishment of the National
Dairy Herd Improvement Coordinating Group, consisting of 13
members--2 from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), 2 from the
Federal Extension Service (ES), 1 from the Extension Committee on
Organization and Policy (ECOP), 1 from ADSA, 1 from the Purebred
Dairy Cattle Association (PDCA), 1 from the National Association of
Animal Breeders (NAAB), 1 from a national DHIA members'
organization, and 4 regional Extension dairy specialists.
In July 1965, three dairy farmers and three Extension dairy
specialists met in Chicago to develop articles of incorporation,
bylaws and membership agreements for a proposed national
organization. On October 5, 1965, the organizational meeting was
held at Waterloo, Iowa. National DHIA, Inc., started functioning
with eight states as charter members. By 1984, National DHIA, Inc.,
had 47 member states, with more than 66,000 herds representing over
4.8 million dairy cattle, enrolled in the program.
As National DHIA, Inc., grew, additional representation in the
Coordinating Group was authorized, with four dairy farmers plus the
NDHIA president representing the national organization. NDHIA hired
an executive secretary, Richard Sechrist, first on a part-time
basis, and by 1978 full-time. National conventions were rotated
around the four regions of the United States.
During 1978 and 1979, NDHIA proposed a change in the structure of
the coordinating group. The NCDHIP Policy Board was organized on
January 4, 1980, with representatives as follows: five NDHIA dairy
producers, one PDCA, one NAAB, one ARS, one Extension--USDA, two
state dairy Extension specialists and one Extension director
representing ECOP.
Computation of Records
In the early years, records were computed on production during a
calendar month. The test day data was multiplied by the number of
days in the month regardless of when the test day occurred. Cows'
records were accumulated for the testing year, and a record was
complete when the herd had been enrolled for a year. When lactation
production was desired, it was necessary to make special
computations to obtain lactation credits. Production credits began
on the fourth day after calving, presumably because colostrum milk
was not considered marketable.
Dairy producers, with registered cows enrolled in an Advanced
Registry (AR) testing program, were required to record daily milk
weights. The milk weights were totaled to obtain lactation credits,
with a monthly fit test applied to the appropriate month's milk
production.
In the mid-1930's, a centering date system was established to
provide more accurate records. Tests were conducted within 3 days
before or after an established centering date for each herd. The
test day was approximately midway in the centering period and
eliminated bias favoring herds testing early in the month compared
to those testing late in the month. The bias had resulted from the
long declining portion of the lactation curve following an early
peak of lactation production. Records were hand-calculated by the
DHIA supervisor and posted each test day in record books kept at
the farm.
Most of the states used record forms supplied by the USDA, often
supplemented by additional state report forms. A few states
developed their own forms, even though methods of computation were
similar.
Since July 1969, the test interval method (TIM) has become the
standard method of computing official DHI reports. This method uses
the interval from one test day until the following test day as the
test period. Random scheduling of the test day to comply with a 15
to 45-day interval between tests became part of the official rules.
The test period is divided into two equal parts. Production credits
for the first half of the test period are based on the previous
test day information, and credits for the last half of the test
period are based on the current test day information.
Computer Processing of Dairy Records
In 1951, Lyman Rich and Bliss H. Crandall, Utah, pioneered the use
of data processing equipment to calculate DHIA records. During the
mid-1950's, similar efforts using a wide variety of available
punchcard equipment resulted in separate programs being developed
in Illinois, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington and
Wisconsin. At the same time, Dr. J.F. Kendrick of USDA worked with
Extension dairy specialists in New York, Iowa, North Carolina and
Ohio to develop a more comprehensive system utilizing the IBM-650
electronic computer. The records involved production, feed amounts,
value of product, income over feed cost, feed energy tabulations
and concentrate recommendations. Cornell University began
processing records for New York and other northeastern states; Iowa
State University processed records from several midwestern states;
North Carolina State University processed records from southern
states, while Ohio State University processed records from Ohio and
Indiana. Oklahoma State University also used the same programs for
Oklahoma herds before electing to join the Iowa center.
In August 1959, a workshop was held at Ithaca, New York, for
computer personnel and Extension dairy specialists involved in
dairy records processing. The workshop was attended by workers from
USDA, New York, Ohio, Iowa, North Carolina, Michigan, Utah and
Pennsylvania. Since 1959, annual workshops involving all record
processing centers in the United States and Canada have been held
to solve problems faced by processing centers, to exchange ideas on
new techniques and services, and to unify formats for reports to
USDA. These reports include lactation records, sire summaries, herd
summaries and research data. A sample test herd submitted to each
processing center routinely each month aids in standardizing
procedures to ensure uniform computations of data. The annual
National DHIA Computing Center Workshop has done much to improve
the caliber and uniformity of record data.
By 1964, when suitable processing equipment became available,
Minnesota records formally processed in Iowa were transferred to
the University of Minnesota. In 1965, Maryland started operating
its processing center, but closed operations in 1969 with records
going to Utah. In 1968, some of California's records were processed
in Utah and some at Visalia, California. Later, Agri Tech Analytics
in Tulare, California, began processing the records that had been
processed at Visalia. In 1972, the Ohio center closed, and Ohio's
records were processed at the Utah center and Indiana's records
were processed at the North Carolina center. In 1978, Illinois
dairy producers elected to discontinue record processing activities
at the University of Illinois and to process their records at the
Mid-States DHI Center at Ames, Iowa. By March 1981, records from
Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska were being handled at the Utah
and California centers. Washington discontinued dairy record
processing activities at this time.
Currently there are nine processing centers in the United States.
California, Iowa, New York, North Carolina and Utah process records
from several states while Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and
Wisconsin handle only records from their respective states.
Record Adjustments
The first need to adjust records was to develop a record of uniform
length. The 305-day period was established as standard record
length in 1935. Factors were developed to adjust records of young
cows to a mature age and to adjust 3X and 4X milking records to a
twice-daily basis. Thus, the industry standard became the
"305-2X-ME" lactation for use in genetic evaluation of cows and
bulls.
As additional research was accomplished, adjustment factors were
refined to include allowance for the month of calving and for the
area of the country in which the record was made. Other factors
were developed to extend records terminated by sale or death of the
cow. Also, the use of lactation records in progress (RIP records)
was included so that sire and cow evaluations could be more
current.
One of the recommendations of the Coordinating Group was that
records of cows be initiated on the day of calving rather than on
the fourth day of lactation. This introduced some additional bias
into records, so a subcommittee developed procedures to establish
factors for adjusting the computations based on the first, second
and last test days of a lactation. Research by Dr. George Shook,
University of Wisconsin, resulted in establishing lactation
adjustment factors, which have been adopted by each processing
center. In addition, with the advent of programs involving sampling
and testing of a single milking in alternate AM-PM types of
records, special factors were developed to account for varying time
intervals between the previous milking and test milking on sample
day. Additional factors have been developed for computing records
using weights and samples taken at two milkings on 3X herds.
Breed Association Plans of Testing
National dairy cattle breed registry associations developed various
plans for recordkeeping during the last two decades of the 19th
century. In 1880, Solomon Hoxie developed the idea of an AR program
for the Holstein breed, which combined physical type data with
production requirements. Early production records were comprised of
consecutive 7-day tests. Later, official records longer than 7 days
were encouraged, but it was not until 1928 that the 305 and 365-day
records outnumbered 7-day records. By 1932, butter records and the
7-day test records were discontinued. Advanced Registry records,
termed Record of Performance for Brown Swiss and Record of Merit
for Jersey cattle, continued until being phased out for each breed
between 1955 and 1965.
In 1926, the Ayrshire Breeders' Association developed a breed herd
test, called Herd Improvement Registry (HIR). This test plan was
adopted by other breed associations over the next few years. The
HIR plan required all registered cows to be enrolled, and each
breed association published its own rules for the program. Most of
the herds enrolled on HIR were also enrolled on DHIA, with the DHI
supervisor copying the basic data on test day onto separate forms
to be sent via the state Extension dairy specialist's office to the
national breed association. The records were recalculated by the
breed association and published for official breed use. Since DHIA
used the centering date calculating system and breed associations
used the calendar month, variations in the records plagued some
users. Verification tests were initiated, according to each breed's
rules, and were used in the computations at the breed offices,
causing further differences in records.
In 1940, PDCA was formed. By 1947, Floyd Johnston, then of the
American Jersey Cattle Club, merged the various breed association
rules in to one document. The first Uniform Rules for Official
Testing, involving rules for both AR and HIR testing, was adopted
by PDCA and ADSA.
During the 1950's, after computing DHIA records at data processing
centers became more firmly established, breed associations searched
for ways to make more use of DHIA records. Since HIR records were
being compiled with the same milk weights and tests, DHIA records
were soon accepted in official breed work.
Activity by the dairy record and breed relations committee of ADSA,
coupled with efforts of the testing committee of PDCA, resulted in
the adoption of the Dairy Herd Improvement Registry (DHIR) program
by each of the breed associations by January 1960. This program
required that herd owners process their records electronically at
an approved processing center. Dairy Records Processing Centers
(DRPC's) were required to send lactation records monthly on punched
cards, and later on magnetic tape, to the breed associations. Dairy
producers paid special fees to the breed association, at a lesser
rate than they had paid previously, for HIR testing. Within a few
years, nearly all of the herds formerly enrolled on HIR converted
to DHIR testing, and the breed associations were then able to phase
out their HIR programs.
Official DHIA
The term "CTA records" used in the early years changed to "DHIA
records" during the mid-1920's. Standard DHIA" became the term
used in the 1950's and 1960's. "Official DHIA" became the
designation of these records through action in 1969 by the
Coordinating Group. The official DHIA plan required a monthly visit
to the farm at evening and morning milkings by an unbiased person
to weigh and sample the milk from each cow.
With labor shortages in the early 1940's, some states encouraged
bimonthly testing to lower dairy producer's costs and to give DHI
supervisors the time to handle more herds. Although bimonthly
records were acceptable for herd management, and for sire and cow
evaluation, they have not gained official DHI recognition. Michigan
makes available an unofficial trimonthly plan.
Unofficial Plans of Testing
The owner-sampler testing plan was being used as early as 1927.
Dairy producers generally did not accept this plan until labor
shortages associated with World War II meant that they could not
obtain regular DHI supervision. Since the plan was more economical
than requiring the DHI supervisor a record the milk weights and
take the samples, this plan expanded rapidly during the 1940's and
1950's. In 1956, owner-sampler participation data were first
tabulated by USDA, and a publicity campaign encouraged use of the
plan. Special forms and project outlines were developed for use in
each state.
In 1953, Extension dairy specialist J.G. Cash, of Illinois,
developed a unique and inexpensive milk record called
"weigh-a-day-a-month" (WADAM). Dairy producers recorded milk
weights on the 15th day of the month and tabulated milk production
on special forms. Frequently, computations were done in the county
agent's office. In 1956, WADAM was accepted by USDA and forms
facilitating its use were developed and distributed nationally.
Later, the WADAM plan was expanded in some states to include milk
records (MR) or milk only records (MOR). Some of these plans,
through the use of milk plant tests or breed average tests, provide
fat records also.
In some states, unofficial plans have been developed to accommodate
dairy producers who want the services of the DHI supervisor for
weighing and sampling but either do not have adequate cow
identification or cannot follow all of the official DHI rules.
These unofficial plans are called commercial, tester-sampler or
supervised records plans.
An alternate AM-PM plan of testing was developed in Pennsylvania in
the early 1970's. Use of the plan expanded to many other states.
The advantages of each supervisor handling more herds, lower cost
to dairy producers enrolled and less interference with normal
milking procedures sparked the interest in AM-PM records. When
monitoring devices were developed to record the time of and
intervals between milkings, along with factors to adjust alternate
AM-PM weights to a 24-hour equivalent, the Coordinating Group
approved AM-PM plans as official for DHI record uses.
Equipment Used
Vast changes have occurred in equipment and testing procedures. For
nearly a half century the supervisor's pail, spring scales, sample
bottles and barnsheets were used to record the milk production from
each milking cow in the herd on test day. A hand-cranked (later,
electrically powered and heated) centrifuge, sulfuric acid and test
bottles were used to obtain the percent butterfat by the Babcock
Method for each milk sample obtained. From these basic data (milk
weights and percent butterfat), individual cow and herd records
were hand-calculated and posted in the dairy producer's herd book
by the supervisor. The entire job was accomplished on the farm with
the supervisor obtaining board and lodging at each member's farm.
When owner-sampler testing became an adjunct to standard DHIA and
single-supervisor associations changed to county or area
organizations, central laboratories were established to provide
more uniform conditions for running fat tests. Electrically powered
and heated centrifuges; thermostatically controlled water baths;
and specialized equipment for pipetting milk, measuring acid and
reading fat tests came into use. Computations using calculating
machines replaced the table-look-up procedures of earlier times. In
1959, the TeSa Test for butterfat, using a detergent rather than
sulfuric acid as one of the active agents, was approved for use in
recordkeeping by ADSA and the Association of Official Agricultural
Chemists.
As pipeline milking and bulk tanks became prevalent on farms,
inline methods of obtaining milk weights and samples were needed.
In 1957, the ADSA Dairy Records Committee evaluated the
Milk-O-Meter for obtaining weights and samples, and the Extension
section approved its use in the DHIA program. Later, after
formation of the Coordinating Group, a standing committee was
charged with the responsibility of establishing standards for
evaluating weighing, sampling and testing devices. After some
research and study, this committee established tolerances for
accuracy, and methods of testing, cleaning and sanitizing that
various devices would have to meet to be approved. The committee
also developed guidelines for improving equipment, and as a result
there are now numerous devices for weighing and sampling milk in
pipeline operations.
In the 1960's, automated electronic procedures for testing came
into use, utilizing infrared or turbidimetric measurements for
milkfat testing. Protein testing by dye-binding methods was
replaced by the infrared spectrometer principle. Digital readouts
as well as optional printouts were followed by telephone
transmission of laboratory results, which has increased testing
efficiency and improved turnaround time. The number of laboratories
handling testing has been reduced greatly, requiring special
attention to shipment and care of samples to make use of the modern
automated equipment.
Data processing equipment at DRPC's advanced as computer hardware
became available, replacing the earlier card punches, verifiers,
sorters and tabulators with tape and disk-oriented, high-speed
electronic systems. A vast array of specialized reports and forms
has been developed to fit the needs of dairy record programs.
Online terminals and microcomputers with telephone modem
transmission have opened new avenues for immediate accessibility or
interchange between the dairy producer and the computer.
Uses of DHIA Records
The uses of records have been many and varied. Using records for
culling low producers, feeding according to production, evaluating
management changes and herd costs have been the values emphasized
for enrolling new herds. The systematic recording and use of
calving, dry, purchase, sale, heat and breeding dates aids in
reproductive decisions. Confidence in records has built up over the
years so that today records are used in the merchandising and sale
of animals and their offspring.
Individual animal identification became paramount in developing
uses of records for genetic evaluation. Starting in 1935, a
nationwide eartagging system was established to identify grade cows
in DHIA herds, whereas registration data was accepted for cattle
registered with national breed organizations.
As early as 1925, the proving of sires involved the use of DHIA
records. Before 1932, sires were proved through the use of the
highest yearly lactation records of both the daughters and their
dams. From 1932 to 1936, the highest 365-day lactation records of
the daughters were used. The national sire-proving program got
underway in 1936 with the daughter-dam comparison method. This
method compared the production of the daughters of each sire to
that of their dams, with all records adjusted to a 305-2X-ME basis.
A uniform system of eartag identification was developed to properly
identify grade cattle. Later, this system was adopted by the
artificial insemination (AI) industry and also has been used in
disease control programs.
In 1962, the Daughter-Herdmate Comparison Method was adopted by
USDA. This method compared each cow's record with the records of
other cows milking in the same herd at the same time. This
comparison eliminated the differences between dams and daughters
that were caused by time lags and changes in the environment. Sire
proofs were published in the DHIA Sire Summary List showing
Predicted Averages (PA) of each sire. In May 1965, breed averages
for milk and fat were deducted, so the Predicted Differences (PD)
were listed. In 1974, the first Modified-Contemporary Comparison
Sire Summaries were published.
In April 1964, the first USDA---DHIA Cow Index List was published.
Meanwhile, cow evaluation procedures were developed at many of the
DRPC's, providing genetic evaluation data far superior a earlier
methods. The most comprehensive system of herd and cow ranking
involves all records of the cow herself, her dam, her daughters,
her maternal sisters and her paternal sisters, with all records
adjusted for genetic ability of herdmates. The theory and applied
sire and cow evaluation techniques in use to day were pioneered by
Dr. J.L. Lush of Iowa State University, and Dr. C.R. Henderson of
Cornell University.
The standardization of NAAB sire codes and identification
cross-referencing with registration information, coupled with the
latest sire summary information, have helped each DRPC provide more
complete and accurate evaluations. These genetic tools utilized for
cow and sire evaluations have had an enormous effect in improving
the dairy cattle population of the United States.
Identification programs for each of the dairy cattle breed registry
associations have been developed in recent years to record the
identity and parentage of grade cattle. Because of the need for a
systematic, uniform, nationwide system, the Verified Identification
Program (VIP) was established in 1976 by National DHIA.
Many DRPC's offer optional reports for herd management. A list of
over 50 special features and listings that individual DRPC's make
available, some at extra cost and some as a part of routine
programs, has been compiled from surveys of DRPC's. Many good ideas
have been developed in to practical uses for dairy producers
because of the exchange of information at the annual DHIA Computing
Center Workshop. In addition, at each DRPC, committees and
workshops are devoted to the improved use of records by dairy
producers.
Other Record Services
Dairy goat owners have found dairy recordkeeping programs useful
and have used many of the DHIA testing plans. A special subgroup of
the NCDHIP Coordinating Group was developed to determine the
special needs of dairy goat owners. A group testing plan was
developed in California and use of the plan has spread to many
other states. This plan permitted owners of dairy goats to join a
group, comprised of four or more dairy goat owners, and serve as
the official DHI supervisor for herds other than their own. In this
way, local owners of small herds could contain costs.
In many states, the California Mastitis Test (CMT) has been
available to DHI members. Today, automated equipment to measure the
somatic cell counts (SCC) in milk has been installed in state and
regional laboratories. Special evaluation reports of SCC results
are available at DRPC's. This evaluation gives herd managers a way
to objectively evaluate abnormal milk conditions.
Some centers offer special programs to provide information on herd
replacements and herd health evaluations. Forage testing has been
offered by some state DHIA laboratories, the results of which are
used in dairy feeding computations. Financial accounting procedures
for county and state associations and for individual dairy
producers have also been developed.
Scope of Program and Production Improvements
Table 1 shows that there was significant growth in production
testing programs from 1920 to 1930. Although the Depression years
of the 1930's slowed enrollment and the labor shortages of World
War II further hampered growth, enrollment increased again in the
late 1940's. Since the 1950's, the average herd size has increased.
This has created a greater need for dairy producers to utilize
information generated from DHI programs to efficiently manage their
dairy herds. Unofficial testing programs had a significant increase
during this period, also. They provided dairy producers with the
necessary information needed to make management decisions.
Over the years, striking improvement in production per cow has been
realized in herds on test. The greatest improvement has occurred
since 1960 (see Table 2). Although the average production for all
cows has increased, the production increase for cows enrolled in
the DHIA program has been significantly greater.
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PLEASE NOTE: THE FOLLOWING TABLE IS WIDER THAN THE SCREEN. USE THE
RIGHT ARROW KEY TO VIEW THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TABLE. TO
PRINT THE ENTIRE TABLE YOU MUST FIRST EXPORT THE TABLE
AND USE A WORD PROCESSOR OUTSIDE THE RETRIEVAL SYSTEM.
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TABLE 1. Enrollment on Production Testing Programs.
Official plans All plans
Percentage Percentage
of all of all
Year Association Herds Cows dairy cows Herds Cows dairy cows
1906 1 31 239 <1
1910 40 2,000 25,000 <1
1920 465 11,948 203,472 1.0
1930 1,143 27,888 507,549 2.4
1940 1,300 27,948 676,141 2.9 (Data not available until 1956)
1950 1,973 40,100 1,088,872 4.9
1960 1,509 41,293 1,746,752 9.8 66,567 2,362,651 13.6
1970 1,267 34,308 2,122,011 17.2 57,589 2,961,354 25.3
1980 1,045 37,576 2,966,558 26.8 60,519 4,191,869 37.9
1985 1,070 39,100 3,262,174 29.9 63,833 4,630,143 42.4
TABLE 2. Improvement of Production Per Cow.
Average production Average production
of cows on test of all cows
Year Milk (lb) Fat(lb) Milk (lb) Fat(lb)
1906 5300 213 3609 146
1910 5730 227 3759 150
1920 6175 247 4008 161
1930 7642 303 4517 176
1940 8133 331 4622 183
1950 9172 370 5314 210
1960 10561 409 7029 264
1970 12750 483 9747 357
1980 14786 547 11889 434
1985 15588 577 12989 474
Three major factors contribute to this increased production. They
are: improved feeding programs, better herd management and improved
identification, and the use of genetically superior sires---a
result of AI. DHI generates the data necessary for identifying
genetically superior cows and bulls. AI organizations and
distributors make semen available to all dairy producers.
Changes will continue to occur in the dairy industry. Genetic
engineering, embryo transfer, embryo splitting and sex
determination will aid in the genetic improvement of dairy cattle.
Improved herd management, nutritional programs and the use of
bovine growth hormone will also have a positive effect on increased
milk production per cow. DHI has grown tremendously since its
humble beginning in 1906, and DHI programs will continue to serve
the dairy producer and the dairy industry.
U
תתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתThe National Dairy Database (1992)תתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתת
תתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתת\NDB\DAIRY\TEXT\DA103100.TXTתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתת
%f TITLE;HISTORY OF DAIRY RECORDKEEPING
%f COLLECTION;DAIRY HERD IMPROVEMENT
%f ORIGIN;Iowa
%f DATE_INCLUDED;June 1992