so frustrating! can you explain to me about DHIR?

[sdshoars]

everything i have read on the ADGA's website doesnt explain what everything is, it justs says do this and this and this! its very frustrating! my does dad has a *B and his parents a *B and *M. this is from dhir performance tests right? how do i get one of these done on my does? ugh, any info or help you have would be much appreciated. thanks.

 

[wendy]

i don't understand by your post what test you are talking about. the fiasco farm website is quite helpful.

wendy

 

[sdshoars]

thats not covered by fiasco farm, that is ADGA testing stuff, they dont cover that, but thanks! i use that sight all the time.

 

[ksacres]

For a doe to get her * designation, she either has to be on test (the 305 day lactation where you send in your samples every month or so) or participate in a one day test. The number beside the * indicates how many generations have gotten the star designation. For example, if your doe's dam was not a star milker, but she gets her star, she would be a *M. If a daughter of your milker gets her star after your doe has hers, she would be a 2*M. Make sense??

A *B designation is earned based on the merit of the parents and their DHIR records, not based on the buck itself. The *B designation is often earned before the buck is even born.

Any other q's?? I do milk test for one of my friends. I also have Nubians and La Manchas, but have never gone on test for my own herd (it's a LOT of work-and, my friend won't even get a break from milking this year).

 

[sdshoars]

oh thank you! that helped! so who has to do the one day test, or the 305 day test? can it be another adga member, or does it have to be a special person who does that? and it isnt a good idea to put a FF on test is it? i would think they should be alittle older? but i dont know? thank you so much!

 

[ksacres]

For a "one day" test, mainly those happen at shows that are ADGA sanctioned, you can't do that yourself. You can pick and choose the animals you want tested. If you only have one you want to do you can.

If you want to go "on test" your entire herd has to be on test, you can't pick and choose, so yes, a first freshener would need to go on test. Any person (yes any, doesn't even have to be a goat person) that goes through the tester training info can do your test. You CANNOT reciprocal test with another ADGA member-meaning they do your test and you do theirs-it's not allowed in case it may lead to the "I scratch your back, you scratch mine" thing.

There are different guidelines for different age groups as to what they have to make to get their star. If you are on test, the goat only has to qualify in one area from pounds, butterfat or protein. During the one day test they can only make it from quantity (pounds) or butterfat, protein doesn't count.

 

[sdshoars]

so how would i go about finding someone who is trained to do the test? there are no adga sectioned shows near me, so i would have to do the long one i guess. do they come to your house, or do you keep records and send them to them? and how do you get trained to do this? thanks for answering all my questions, i am definately full of them!

 

[ksacres]

Try to find a state or local goat breeders club. Or maybe even contact your extension office. If that fails:

You can choose a neighbor, if you have one willing, then there's a test they have to take. If they pass it, they can be your testor. They have to come to your house at least every 45 days to do test, which involves coming for morning milking, recording weights, taking samples, and for evening milking, recording weights and taking samples again. Then your testor is responsible for sending the samples. Most people do it once a month because it's just easier and the data is more accurate.

You can do your own testing, they have a program that's called "owner/sampler" but your animals won't be eligible for the AR (advanced registry) if you do your own tests, and since that's why you want to do the test, it wouldn't make sense for you to go through that and not get the ar designation.