Vermont DHIA

Vermont DHIA supports PCDART and PocketDairy herd and cow management software developed by DRMS.

We provide both phone and on-site installation help for producers and consultants beginning on PCDART and/or PocketDairy.  For more information, please visit our Computer Support page.

Please visit our Hardware Recommendations page for more information on requirements for computers and handhelds when running PCDART and/or PocketDairy.

PCDART

For Dairy Producers and Heifer Growers

PCDART, developed by DRMS, can provide detailed, real-time information on your herd between test-days and easier access to the wide array of reports and graphs available for your herd data. The program provides access to detailed individual cow data, herd summary data (graphically and in report form), and customizable user reports and graphs. Interfaces are available for many electronic meter systems to transfer daily milkweights and for some feed systems. PCDART can manage your TimedAI shots along with numerous user-defined chores and protocols using the Protocols system to help you track large numbers of animals. The program offers many features and is well suited to herds of any size - large or small. All of our field technicians use PCDART to enter and upload your test-day data, but we can also interface with other on-farm management software. Demo versions are available if you would like to see what the program has to offer.

A version of the program is also available for heifer-growers that is free of test-day restrictions. This version allows easy transfer of animals to and from herds using PCDART or can be used by members or non-members in a standalone manner to track heifer records from non-PCDART farms.

For Consultants

Numerous consultants around the country use PCDART to help provide better service to their clients. A consultant version of the program is available, allowing access to records from multiple herds (at the producer's discretion). Updated herd management data for each farm is available for free directly from the producer's PCDART computer or through a download from DRMS for a reasonable fee.

PocketDairy

PocketDairy provides a means to input and look-up detailed individual cow information, to-do lists, and reports for your herd while you are away from your primary computer. Using a handheld computer, PocketDairy provides access to your animals whenever and wherever you need it - even in the barn! The program comes in two versions for two different platforms, giving you the flexibility to choose the system that fits your budget and provides the features you need.

For herds using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) on their animals, PocketDairy can connect via Bluetooth to RFID wands, providing visual and audible feedback of identified animals and allowing you to select animals on which you can perform various actions.

WebReports

WebReports provide a means for both PCDART users and non-PCDART users to access their test-day summary reports and graphs from DRMS online. Online access means you can see your herd summary and test-day results sooner, without the need to wait for them in the mail. Since WebReports are electronic, you can also print them out yourself and make as many copies and share them as much as you like. WebReports are available through DRMS at http://www.drms.org.

DairyMetrics

DRMS provides a free benchmarking tool to both producers and consultants called DairyMetrics. This online tool allows you to benchmark a herd against others in your state, across the country, or among peers of various sizes and types. DairyMetrics is available through DRMS at http://www.drms.org.