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1?0.117 Extension Division • Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University c,z.

September 1978

Cover this space with a snapshot of your cow. Pose her as nearly as possible to the professional pictures in breed magazines. She should be standing on a slight incline and the picture taken at approx­imately a 30-degree angle from the rear.

HOW TO FILL IN THIS RECORD IF YOUR. COW IS ENROLLED IN A DHIA, OS, OR DHIR TESTING PROGRAM:

Start filling in Table 1 as soon as your father receives his monthly barn sheet by copying down the month, day, and year that your cow freshened. Under Number 1, Month of Lactation, write in the test­day milk weight. Do this every month, until she completes her 305-day record. If your cow milks longer than this, also record the amount at the end of her lactation.

Fill in Table 2 as soon as possible after your cow freshens. Calculate the ETA (estimated transmitting ability) for your calf by taking the sum of one-half the PDM (predicted difference milk) of the sire and one half the USDA cow index value of the dam.

Tables 3 and 4 should be kept up to date so maximum use can be made of them.

G Record Book 117

4-H DAIRY COW

RECORD For 3rd & 4th Year Dairy Members

prepared by Dennis A. Hartman, Professor

and M. L. McGilliard, Asst. Professor

Dairy Science Department

Your Name (please print)

County

Address

Name of 4-H Club

Breed of Cattle -----------

HOW TO FILL IN THIS RECORD IF YOUR COW IS NOT ENROLLED IN A DHIA, OS, OR DHIR TESTING PROGRAM:

Start filling in Table 1 when your cow freshens. Weigh the milk that your cow gives at the morning and evening· milking one day each month. This should be approximately the same day each month. Record this weight each month.

Calculate the amount of milk produced during the first 305 days by multiplying the monthly milk weights by the number of days the cow milked in each month. Do not include colostrum. If your cow milks longer than this, record the amount at the completion of her lactation. Calculate the butterfat produced by multiplying her milk production by the butterfat percent test of the herd.

Fill in Table 2 as soon as possible after your cow freshens.

Tables 3 and 4 should be kept up to date if maximum use is to be made of them.

5

LIFETIME RECORD OF INDIVIDUAL COW

REGISTRATION REGISTRATION NAME~---------------------- NUMBER __________ _

BARN NAME~--------------------------

BIRTH TYPE BREED--------DATE ____ l9_CLASSIFICATION ____ _

SIRE--------------------------~

DAM----------------------------

TABLE I. LACTATION PRODUCTION SUMMARY RECORD OF MONTHLY TEST DAY MILK WEIGHTS 305-DAY

COMPLETE CALVI NG ACTUAL Loct. DATE MONTH OF LACTATION PRODUCTION LACTATION

No. MO. DAY YR. I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 MILK B.F. MILK B.F.

I

2

3

4

5

TABLE 2. CALVI NG RECORD CALVING SEX PDM DISPOSAL

LO Ct "\t\TF CALF'S NAME AND EARTAG NO. OF SIRE OF CALF OF OF No. MO. DAY YR. CALF SIRE CALF

I

2

3

4

5

TABLE 3. BREED I NG RECORD La ct. DATE SIRE DATE SIRE DATE SIRE DATE SIRE DATE DAYS DAYS

Nn. BRED USED BRED USED BRED USED BRED USED DUE OPEN DRY

I

2

3

4

5

DAYS USDA IN cow

MILK INDEX

ETA OF

CALF

Table 4. HEALTH AND VETERINARY RECORDS DATE DISEASE, AILMENT, OR TEST TREATMENT 6 REMARKS

( '1 "' .....

Table 5. NORMAL LACTATION GRAPH

110 22910

110

...,,,_, - ---,,, 20770 -.... -- - PREDICTED 305 ,,"' ' ' DAY PRODUCTION. '

100 100

' 18790 ~

' 90 90

' ---- ........

,._, ,,- 16590

-., -' ,,,,,,

' ' ' ' ', I'-14610 -." '

80

70

80

70

' ,.__

', "' - --- - .. "- ' ... ,,r-

12440 ._,

' ' ~" ' ' ' ' ' '· ' ', ~~ ' ' 10490 ', ' -,

' ' ....... ' ' ', ' ~----.. _ ........... '~ ,,, -... -

'· ' 8330 ~ ..... ~ .......... ' "~ ... ..... ' ' ......... ' ' 6180 ...... ' " ........ ' ' """ ..... '"" ' ........

~ ........ '"'- ' ' .._ ........... . ', ....... ...... ' .... .............

60

50

40

30

20

10

60

50

40

30

20

10 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Plot the production of your cow each month. The level of production where your cow peaks will indicate her potential. Variations from the normal may indicate where improved feeding or management is needed. Plot the first lactation with a red pencil, .blue for second, green for third and orange for fourth.

In the space below, discuss the points about the cow that made this record. How and what did you feed her? Did you challenge or lead feed her? Did she conceive on first service? Was she persistent in production? Did she have trouble at calving time? Did she suffer any problems after calving? Did she produce above the herd average? Did she show a reasonably good profit? Should she be culled?

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. W. R. Van Dresser, Dean, Extension Division, Cooperative Extension Service, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061.

The Virginia Cooperative Extension Service by law and purpose is dedicated to serve all people on an equal and nondiscriminatory basis.

An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer