WIS139 DAIRY HERD TESTING 02/23/1990 03:38 PM D1 232 Lines Agriculture Science/Production Management Dairy Herd Testing (10-15 days) This unit deals with dairy herd testing. Topics include career opportunities and keeping, reading, and using production records. Objectives To acquaint students with employment information and career opportunities in the dairy herd testing industry To develop student appreciation of the value of regular herd testing To enhance student ability to maintain accurate and useful dairy production records To provide students with guidelines for choosing appropriate methods for keeping production records To develop student understanding of information used in herd records To acquaint students with ways to use production records to make effective herd management decisions Competencies At the conclusion of this unit, students will be able to explain current employment information such as job descriptions, job availability, personal and educational requirements, working conditions, opportunity for advancement and other factors relative to potential employment in the dairy herd testing industry and relate it to their personal needs and aspirations; understand the importance of testing the dairy herd; keep dairy production records; describe how records are computed for uniform and equitable production comparisons; explain why different milk tests vary; increase their knowledge of the use of dairy production records; analyze yearly herd records; and describe how records aid in management. Subject Matter (Basic skills integration areas are shown in brackets following title.) Careers - Current and future employment needs - Job description - Training requirements - Working conditions - Opportunity for advancement - Other factors Importance of dairy herd testing [Social Studies, Careers] - Economic improvement - Genetic improvement Testing procedures [Science] - Types of tests - Protein tests - Milkfat tests - Milk sample collection - Barn sheet completion - Other recordkeeping concerns Computing records [Mathematics] Dairy herd test variations [Science] Production record information - Cow identification - Sample day production - Cow information - Lactation totals to date - Calving age/expected 305-day lactation totals - Herd rank - Reproductive status Dairy herd improvement record uses [Mathematics] - Herd analysis - Individual performance analysis - Disease control - Official registry records - Culling - Goal setting and evaluation - Breeding information - Feeding - Milk quality - Marketing products Motivational Activities Take a field trip to a dairy laboratory. Invite a Dairy Herd Improvement supervisor to speak to class. Participate in the Wisconsin Junior Dairymen's Association's (WJDA's) program of activities. View the videotape of the Dairy Herd Improvement Association testing program as well as other audiovisual materials. Invite local top producer to speak on use of production records. Learning Activities Participate in a Supervised Agricultural Experience program in dairying. Demonstrate correct procedure for sampling milk, testing milk for fat content, or taking simple tests for mastitis. Calculate sample records for individual cows and the herd on a monthly and yearly basis. Create bulletin board displays on different types of tests. Interview a dairy herd tester. Test milk sold commercially for butterfat content. Compare and contrast butterfat contents of various milk products sold to consumers. Instructional Materials Textbooks and References Dairy Cattle Science by M.E. Ensminger. 2nd ed. Danville, IL: Interstate, 1980. Dairy Farm Management by Thomas Quinn. Albany, NY: Delmar, 1980. Available from National Farm Book Company, 1982. Dairy Production by Clarence E. Bundy and Ronald V. Diggins. 5th ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1984. Wisconsin Junior Dairymen's Association Manual. Madison, WI: Department of Public Instruction, printed annually. Bulletins and Pamphlets The following are available from the Cooperative Extension Service. Extra Services Available from DHI. A3050. How DHI Cow Records Are Calculated. A2989. How to Interpret and Use DHI Records - A Cow's Milk Fat Test. A2642. Sampling Milk and Reporting Information for DHIA Tests. A2152. Using DHI Records for Culling. A2765. Weighing and Sampling Milk for DHIA in Pipeline Milking Systems. A2453. What Is a DHI Record A2416. What to Expect When You Join DHIA. A2735. Your DHI Rolling Herd Average (RHA). A3244. Your DHI 305-Day ME Location Average (LA). A3258. The following are available from the Wisconsin Dairy Herd Improvement Cooperative. Herd Summary Curriculum Unit Herd Summary Report Her Summary User's Handbook WDHI Curriculum Unit Periodicals Dairy Herd Management Hoard's Dairyman Computer Software The following is available from Hobar Publications. Dairy Production and Related Review. Apple, IBM, TRS, Macintosh. The following are available from Mid States Agri-Technology Associates, Ltd. Daiy Ration Master. Apple. Micro-Tutor: Dairy Production. Apple, IBM. On-line Computer Networks The following are available from Ag Ed Network, AgriData Resources, Inc. Computers for Dairy Improvement. HS216. Dairy Cooperative Membership. HS112. Films, Videotapes, and Slides The following is available from Babson Brothers Dairy Research Service. Making your Cows Worth More. (16mm film, color, 30 minutes.) 1977. The following are available from the Bureau of Audio Visual Instruction. Improving Milk Quality: Managing Your Environment. 11911 (VHS videotape, color, 18 minutes). University of Wisconsin, Department of Agricultural Journalism, 1987. Improving Milk Quality: Using Monitoring Systems. 11912 (VHS videotape, color, 18 minutes). University of Wisconsin, Department of Agricultural Journalism, 1987. Equipment and Facilities Butterfat test kit Timer SHANE reagent (if available) Milk testing glassware BDI test