1999 Dairy Herd Improvement Herds in Arkansas

Successful dairy producers must have accurate and reliable records to make sound management decisions. The Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) program provides a comprehensive herd analysis and management report that includes information concerning production, reproduction, genetics, herd health, animal and feed inventory, and finances. The data can be used to improve efficiency of milk production by 1) identifying least profitable cows for culling, 2) feeding for more efficient production, 3) selecting animals with the greatest genetic potential for production as replacements, and 4) utilizing summaries of the data to make precise management decisions that improve net income. Typically, herds in the DHI program produce 3,500 to 4,500 lb more milk per year than herds not in the program. This difference in production has a significant effect on net income for the dairies, as greater income over feed costs is associated with greater milk production per cow. The herd summaries also allow a dairy producer to compare production, health, reproduction, and financial aspects of his/ her dairy to those of other dairies, so areas of management that need improvement can be detected. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to summarize the production and management data for DHI herds in Arkansas. Experimental Procedures