Herd Recording | Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science Optional for UPSC PDF Download

Importance of Dairy Records

• Management Decisions: Dairy records are crucial for day-to-day decisions, including breeding, drying cows, allocating concentrates, and culling cows.
• Herd Evaluation: They play a vital role in evaluating the overall status of the dairy herd.
• Strengths and Weaknesses: Periodic analysis of records helps identify strengths and weaknesses in the dairy farm operation.
• Profitability Assessment: Records enable farmers to assess the profitability or challenges faced by the farm.

Herd Recording vs. Herd Registry

• Herd Recording: Involves maintaining records for effective management and evaluation of the herd's performance.
• Herd Registry: Animals registered with breed associations based on specific standards, enhancing their value.

Origin of Herd Recording

• Began as a voluntary program for testing cows' milk and butter fat regularly.
• Commonly used in advanced countries like the USA but not widely adopted in India.

Cow Testing Association

• Developed in the USA, where a group of farmers hired a milk tester to measure milk yield and obtain fat samples.
• Monthly calculations of milk and fat yields were made to assess the performance of each cow.

Dairy Herd Records

Supervision and Regulations

• Authorities Involved: State extension specialists oversee the collection of dairy records.
• Uniform Rules: Regulations set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the American Dairy Science Association ensure consistency.
• Data Utilization: USDA utilizes the collected data to assess genetic traits and compiles lists of outstanding cows.

DHI Testing Process

• DHI Tester Visit: Dairy farms are visited monthly by a Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) tester.
• Data Collection: Tester records milk weight, samples for fat analysis, calving dates, breeding information, and other relevant data.
• Central Computing: Information is sent to a central facility for record calculation and analysis.
• Prompt Reporting: Farmers receive reports within a week detailing their cows' performance, concentrate and forage consumption, and income over feed value.
• Periodic Summaries: Yearly summaries compare the herd's average with breed averages, aiding in management decisions.

Acceptance by Breed Associations

• Association Approval: Breed associations typically accept DHI records for official recording.
• Owner-Recorded Programs: Some farms opt for owner-recorded programs, where the farmer records the data, a method commonly accepted but not officially.
• Benefits of Herd Recording:
• Farm Improvement: Essential for a farmer to assess the current status of dairy animals, track gains, and identify areas for improvement.
• Genetic Progress: Enables farmers to make informed breeding decisions for future generations.