A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - XYZ
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Affiliate -- Organization that directly provides DHIA services to dairy producers in a local or regional area. Affiliates work in coordination with and as part of other, often larger, organizations to provide services to dairy producers. For instance, a local/regional DHIA organization may be an affiliate of National DHIA, who promotes the DHIA system and serves the broader interests of its member affiliates, and may also be a "service affiliate" of a DRPC, such as Dairy Records Management Systems, who processes dairy records for multiple DHIA organizations.AMR - See "Automated Milk Recording System".
Automated Milk Recording System -- System of electronic milk meters that capture milkweights (and often other information) in a parlor environment. These systems can act as stand-alone units or interface with herd management software, such as PCDART. Daily milkweight data from routinely calibrated systems may result in higher DCR values than other DHIA test-plans.
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Bulk-Tank -- Self-cooling holding tank for milk. Typically, milk from one or more milkings is transferred to the bulk-tank where it is held and cooled until picked up by a truck and shipped for processing.Butterfat -- Also known as "milk-fat" or simply "fat" is a component of all milk. Dairy animals' records typically indicate the amount of butterfat produced during a test (test-day), throughout her lactation, or in her lifetime - usually in a percentage or in pounds (lbs.). Butterfat levels in milk are typically higher than protein levels, but an "inversion" of butterfat and protein (where protein content is higher than that of butterfat) can be an early indicator of health problems for individual animals or a group of animals.
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DairyComp 305 -- Herd management software developed by Valley Agricultural Software. DairyComp 305 interfaces with technician versions of PCDART and can be used by dairy producers as an alternative to PCDART.DCR -- Data Collection Rating. A method of calculating the relative value of DHIA records, used by breed associations, AI organizations, and other genetic evaluation programs. Many factors affect DCR values, including technician or owner-sample testing, test frequency, and the number of milkings tested, among others. The use of the DCR system has replaced terms such as "official" and "unofficial", which are no longer relevant.
DHIA -- Dairy Herd Improvement Association. Developed in the early 1900's as a cooperative effort between dairy producers and their local Extension System to facilitate testing of dairy animals' milk, both in weight (amount) and components (fat and protein content) in a convenient, standardized manner.
DRMS -- Dairy Records Management Systems. Dairy records processing center (DRPC), with offices in Raleigh, NC and Ames, IA. Currently the largest processing center for DHIA records in the United States and the developer of PCDART herd management software.
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Electronic Meters -- See "Automated Milk Recording System".ELISA -- Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay. A method of testing milk samples for antibodies or antigens indicating the presence of various pathogens, such as Johne's or Leukosis.
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Fat -- See "Butterfat".Free-Stall Barn -- Housing environment for dairy animals where animals are allowed to roam loosely in pens and not confined to a single stall. Animals in a free-stall barn are typically milked in a parlor. See also "Milking Parlor".
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Mail-In Owner-Sample -- A method of DHIA testing where a dairy producer takes their
own weights and samples on test-day. In Mail-In Owner-Sampling, equipment and supplies are mailed to and from the producer, instead of being delivered or picked-up by a DHIA technician. This form of testing typically less
expensive than traditional, technician-assisted testing, but the animal
and herd records have a lower value, or DCR.Meter -- Device used to weigh (an indication of the amount of milk produced) milk on test-day, replacing the older pail and scale system. Many meters can also be used to collect milk samples.
Milk-Fat -- See "Butterfat".
Milking Machine Interface -- Interface in PCDART that captures milkweights (often on a daily basis) from an electronic meter system or automated milk recording (AMR) system. See also "Automated Milk Recording System".
Milking Parlor -- Central location where animals, typically in a free-stall barn, are milked. As opposed to tie-stall or stanchion set-ups where the milker moves to each cow individually, in a parlor the cows travel to the milkers, usually in groups of 2 or more.
Milkweight -- See "Weight".
MMI -- See "Milking Machine Interface".
MUN -- Milk Urea Nitrogen, a measure of the nitrogen content of milk. MUN values are related to Blood Urea Nitrogen levels, which can be an indicator of inefficiency or inequitability in the feeding of protein. For a broader explanation and overview of MUN, visit http://www.extension.org/pages/Interpreting_Milk_Urea_Nitrogen_(MUN)_Values.
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Owner-Sample -- A method of DHIA testing where a dairy producer takes their own weights and samples on test-day. Owner-sampling is typically less expensive than traditional, technician-assisted testing, but the animal and herd records have a lower value, or DCR.Top
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Pail -- Metal container used to collect and carry milk from an individual animal to a bulk-tank for storage in tie-stall or stanchion barns not equipped with a pipeline. Hanging scales are used to measure the weight of milk in a pail. See also "Scale".PCDART -- P(ersonal) C(omputer) Direct Access to Records by Telephone. Software designed by Dairy Records Management Systems for dairy producers to track individual cow and herd records. Used by dairy producers, DHIA technicians, and dairy consultants.
Pipeline -- Pipe used for carrying milk to a central holding tank (bulk-tank), typically in a tie-stall or stanchion barn, however similar milk lines are also used to carry milk from a milking parlor to the bulk tank.
PocketDairy -- Herd management software developed by Dairy Records Management Systems for use on handheld computers (PocketPC) or handheld organizers (Palm). PocketDairy interfaces with on-farm and technician versions PCDART, provides much of the same functionality as the full PCDART program, as well as some additional features.
Processing -- Checking test-day data for errors, creating averages, summaries, and records for individual animals and the entire herd, and compiling reports of animal and herd records for the dairy producer by a Dairy Records Processing Center (DRPC), such as DRMS in Raleigh, NC and Ames, IA.
Protein -- A component of all milk. Dairy animals' records typically indicate the amount of protein produced during a test (test-day), throughout her lactation, or in her lifetime - usually in a percentage or in pounds (lbs.). Protein levels in milk are typically lower than butterfat levels, but an "inversion" of butterfat and protein (where protein content is higher than that of butterfat) can be an early indicator of health problems for individual animals or a group of animals.
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QCS -- See "Quality Certification Services". Quality Certification -- Annual check, performed by Quality Certification Services, that insures the integrity, accuracy, and validity of DHIA data. For individual DHIA affiliates, certification checks are performed on Field Services, Meter Lab, and the DHIA Laboratory. Processing centers are also checked for quality-assurance purposes. Affiliates and processing centers can be assigned "Certified", "Provisional", "Conditional", or "De-Certified" status, based on the outcome of the check. See also "QCS".
Quality Certification Services -- A subsidy of National DHIA which currently provides quality standards checking for DHIA organizations in the US. See also "Quality Certification".
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Record (1) -- Summary of lactation, production, and health information for an individual animal or an entire dairy herd. A record can be for an individual lactation or a series of lactations representing the life of an animal.Record (2) -- Total amount of milk, butterfat, and protein for a lactation or the lifetime of individual animals or an entire dairy herd.
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SCC -- Somatic Cell Count. The number of somatic cells contained in one unit of milk. SCC can be measured using an actual or raw count (usually represented by 1,000 cells) or using a linear (logarithmic) score from 0.0 to 9.9.Scale -- A hanging scale, used to measure the weight of milk in a pail. Pails and scales are typically used in those tie-stall or stanchion barns that do not use pipelines to carry milk to a central bulk-tank. All animals are milked into their own pail, which is then carried to the bulk-tank for storage.
Service Affiliate -- See "Affiliate".
Somatic Cell Count -- See "SCC".
Supervisor -- See "Technician".
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Technician -- Employee of a DHIA organization that performs the on-farm "testing" of dairy animals, including weighing and sampling of milk from individual animals. Historically DHIA technicians have also been referred to as "milk testers" and "supervisors".Test-Day -- The day in which a DHIA Technician or a dairy producer "tests" their milk. Typically a 24-hour period in which all animals in a herd have their milk weighed and sampled and animal "status" data (including calving dates, dry-off dates, and breeding dates, among others) is collected for "processing".
Test -- Collection of milk weights and milk samples and the compilation of animal "status" data, either by a DHIA technician or by a dairy producer.
Tie-Stall Barn -- Housing environment for dairy animals where each animal has its own stall. Animals are typically milked into a pail or a pipeline.
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Weigh / Weighing Milk -- Reading (from a specially-designed meter or a scale) the weight of milk produced for a given animal, usually on test-day. See also "Weight".Weight -- Indicator of the amount or volume of milk produced or the weight of an animal. Milk production is typically measured in pounds (lbs) or 100-pound increments called hundred-weights (cwt). Animal weights can also be expressed in hundred-weights (cwt).
Weigh-Jar -- Glass jar used to collect milk in a milking parlor. The jar has graduations which indicate the weight (measure of amount of milk) an individual animal has produced. Weigh-jars can often be used for both weighing and sampling milk on test-day.
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