More than 200 dairy farms now use the Dairy Trend Analyzer Program developed at University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine at New Bolton Center. That number is expected to grow substantially with PennVet's new collaborative partnership with Pennsylvania's Center for Dairy Excellence and Dairy Records Management Systems based in Raleigh, N.C.

Developed in conjunction with the Center for Dairy Excellence, DTAP provides an interactive web-based analysis and benchmarking program. It offers dairy producers and the consultants the ability to integrate current Dairy Herd Improvement Association data into an easy-to-use dairy business management program. It's a step-up in using valuable data for dairy management decision making, notes DRMS Director John Clay. 

IT'S A COW-CU-PUTER! PennVet's Galligan designed the analytical tool to help dairy farmers project herd performance and financial progress.

"This program is both a powerful teaching and decision making tool to help producers make objective conclusions to improve farm profitability," explains Dr. David Galligan, PennVet animal health economist who designed the analytical tool. DTAP allows evaluating herd performance over 36 months and to set goals, perform sensitivity analysis and visualize the financial impact of achieving those goals – all based on current milk prices and input costs. The program also provides peer comparisons, allowing users to choose a subset of peer farms to compare herd performance with.

Collaborative development 

The three entities will work together, with University of Penn focused on continued DTAP development. DRMS will provide the data during the research period. Meanwhile, the center will continue working with dairy producers and industry consultants to expand program use.

The Center for Dairy Excellence is especially interested in the opportunity to collaborate in a meaningful way to improve the profitability of the Pennsylvania dairy industry, adds Alan Zepp, risk management program manager for the Center for Dairy Excellence. "We're excited about the potential this program has to enhance the decision making process on Pennsylvania's dairy farms."

Currently, more than 200 farms are receiving monthly DTAP summaries from the center. Producers who are leveraging dairy profit or management teams are encouraged to utilize this benchmarking tool. To learn more and enroll in the program, contact the center at 717-346-0849 or visit the center for dairy excellence.