A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT OF INTERDISCIPLINARY DAIRY-HERD EXTENSION ADVISING FUNDED BY INDUSTRY AND USERS .3. IMPACT ON MANAGEMENT-PRACTICES

The objectives of this 24-herd, demonstration project of integrated pr oblem solving and extension advising were 1) to evaluate dairy product ion management practices, 2) to formulate recommendations for guiding producers to correct management deficiencies, and 3) to measure the ra te of practice adoption. Management evaluations focused on herd nutrit ion and forage crops, mastitis control and milking equipment, reproduc tion, and herd health. Sixty-eight management practices or milking equ ipment components were evaluated on each farm. A total of 216 recommen tations were made in nutrition and forage crops as follows: calf and h eifer management, 89; forage crops, 73; dry cows, 26; lactating cows, 19; and general, 9. The least adopted suggestions for nutrition and cr ops were for forage crop management. A total of 283 recommendations we re made in mastitis management or milking equipment as follows: milkin g practices, 90; milking equipment, 90; general mastitis control, 61; environment, 32; calf management, 9; and stray voltage, 1. Producers m ost resisted updating and maintaining milking equipment within the mil king management area. Detection of estrus was the focus of reproductiv e management advising. A total of 80 practices were recommended as fol los: one person responsible, 24; and regular veterinary visits, 10. De signation of a specific site was the least adopted of these recommenda tions. Overall, 419 of 581, or 72%, of all recommendations were adopte d.