Abstract
A great deal of progress has been made in the development of dairy herd management software in the last few years. At the same time, the speed, capacity, and portability of computer hardware have increased, while costs have decreased, thus encouraging use by veterinarians, dairy herd managers, and other industry support groups. A review of the literature indicates that an increasing number of producers, veterinarians, and other dairy industry service personnel are using computers and dairy herd management software in the delivery of their services (1-3,5,9-11,26-30,38,39). Wider adoption will occur if information generated through the use of these systems is directed towards the improvement of the profitability of dairy production. The quality of a decision is only as good as the information used to make it. In the past, the limited availability of reliable herd data has restricted our understanding of factors that influence herd performance. In essence, we must define what is normal before we can determine what is abnormal. More importantly, we must define what management practices are profitable and to what extent they increase revenue (31,32). Improved record keeping will benefit the dairy industry by allowing producers and dairy consultants to make profitable decisions based on more accurate and complete information. The ability to merge biological, management, and economic data may prove valuable in the evaluation of intervention at the herd and individual animal level.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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