Why Missouri Dairy Farms Discontinue Dairy Herd Improvement Association Testing Programs

¹ Department of Animal Science, University of Missouri, Columbia 65211
² Missouri DHIA, Springfield 65803

Missouri dairy producers who discontinued DHIA testing between May 1990 and July 1991 were surveyed by mail for a total of 148 herds. Forty-five complete surveys were returned. Seventy-five percent of respondents reported an average herd size between 26 and 75 cows. Participation in DHIA ranged from <1 to >20 yr. Reasons for discontinuing DHIA included poor service, cost, dispersal sale, replacement with other records, or no benefit received. Producers reporting poor service identified supervisor service or records processing center. Fifty-four percent of producers that had been on test <3 yr discontinued DHIA following dispersal sale. Producers indicated that DHIA was replaced using on-farm computers, handwritten records, or bulk tank shipped weights. When asked how records were used for management decisions, 87.5% used records for culling decisions, 55.0% used records for mastitis and nutrition management, and 42.5% used records for reproduction management. Forty percent of herds were on test <3 yr, suggesting that an opportunity exists for educational programs with new herds on DHIA. Supervisor training and performance were also factors in maintaining herds on test.

Key Words: Dairy Herd Improvement Association • survey

Submitted on September 30, 1993
Accepted on December 3, 1993