3 Ways DHIA Testing Can Improve Your Dairy Goat Herd
Goat milk is a popular ingredient in many beauty products. Goat milk can also be used for children with food allergies. Goat milk production is big business in the United States. Farmers want to ensure that their herd is managed correctly in order to meet production goals.
One of the tools that can be used to significantly improve the quality of a dairy goat herd is Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) testing.
Learn more about the benefits you will enjoy when you choose to implement DHIA testing into your herd management routine.
1. Track Individual Contributions
DHIA testing allows you to compile statistics that make it easier to track each doe within your herd's contribution to your milk production goals.
Comprehensive DHIA testing will provide data on monthly milking averages, projected milking averages, and daily yields. This information can be used to compare does with one another to allow you to make informed decisions when culling your herd.
Your DHIA testing provides hard data that accurately illustrates whether or not an individual doe is performing up to your desired herd standards.
2. Maximize Your Milk Yield
All dairy goat farmers must identify a break-even point in milk production. This break-even point represents the minimum gallons of milk that must be produced in order to cover basic costs and operating expenses.
Dividing your break-even number by the number of does you want to maintain in your herd will give you an individual break-even point for each doe.
DHIA testing allows you to identify which does meet your minimum target number of gallons per day. You can use DHIA test results to help you maximize your milk yield and profitability by selecting only the highest producing does to keep in your herd.
3. Track the Performance of Herd Bucks
Does are only half of the equation when it comes to building a successful dairy goat herd. You need herd bucks that are capable of contributing good genetics to their offspring.
DHIA testing can reveal whether or not your herd bucks are passing on desired traits to their babies. Being able to compare bucks with one another by evaluating the DHIA test results of your herd helps you identify which bucks are contributing most to the improvement of your herd.
DHIA testing can also be a valuable tool when it comes to getting top dollar for any bucks that you decide to sell in the future. For more information about certified DHIA testing, contact a professional.
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