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Do you have goats?

How to get started with Amelicor's Dairy Records Processing Center (DRPC)

Ironically, the way to get started with your DRPC... is not through the DRPC. You get started through a Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA). Whether you are interested in improving your goat herd, increasing the quality of milk, or simply want to make sure you get your awards - the following guide will help you along your journey.

Where are you at in your journey?

Depending on where you are at, you will have different needs. Which path describes where you are currently at?

I've been referred by my DHIA

I'm already involved with my DHIA and they referred me to Amelicor as a DRPC

Next Steps

I'm starting out...

I don't know about the DHIA, need to find one, or need to understand the steps to get into testing.

Learn More

I want to keep electronic records

I'm already doing testing, but I now want to keep electronic records

Learn about DHI-Plus

Is this you?

I am involved with a DHIA and they referred me to Amelicor as their preferred DRPC.

If you are already involved with a DHIA, you should have a herd number - which is what we'll need to get started.

  • If you don't have a herd number - reach back out to your DHIA to get a herd number assigned to your herd.
  • The next step is to fill out a few papers to get your goat herd testing records processed and decide how you are going to receive the data.
  • We can call you and walk you through this information... but to get started, fill out the Setup Dairy Records Processing form here - and we'll send you an email that includes the papers you need to fill out.
  • After you do that, we'll give you a call to work through any questions you have.

Setup Dairy Records Processing

Is this you?

I don't know about the DHIA or I need to find one...

At this point, you've probably been involved with goats long enough to recognize the need to work with registered goats... and probably even want to help them perform better. But it can be confusing - so where do you begin?

There are really 4 steps that you need to take:

1.  Choose your DHIA
2.  Find a Lab
3.  Setup your DRPC
4.  Get involved with a Goat Association

Step 1: Choose Your DHIA

The Dairy Herd Improvement Associations (DHIA) were created to help and support you. There is a lot of data that needs to be shared among different groups and they are your frontline support.

One thing to note is that these associations support dairy animals broadly... so as goat owners, you may feel like the last priority to the much bigger industry of cow's milk.

With that in mind, the first thing you should realize is that when you choose a DHIA to help you, you can choose any one you wish. There are specific associations that are set up to support goat herds... and sometimes the one nearest to you (in your state) won't support goats!

Here are a few resources to help you get started with choosing your DHIA:

Step 2: Find a Lab

Most likely your DHIA will help you with this step... but in order to test your goat's milk, you are going to need to follow some official processes.

Depending on your goals, you may need to find an official milk tester to test your goat's milk... or you may be able to get involved with a group... or even do it yourself.

It really comes down to your involvement in the different programs such as Advanced Registry (AR) and/or the Star (ST) program.

Whatever you do, it's always best to start with your DHIA Manager! Each DHIA has local rules that may affect how you can test your goat's milk, but your DHIA will be able to guide you.

So to get started - contact your DHIA manager... but here are some helpful resources to help you do your research. (Note that they are on other websites not related to us - but they are good examples)

Step 3: Choose your Dairy Records Processing Center (DRPC)

Choosing your DRPC may be a choice... or it may not. There are four DRPCs in the United States - and Amelicor is one of them. We of course would like to help you... but ultimately it is going to be up to your DHIA.

Some DHIAs work with a number of processing centers... others only work with one.

However, to help you understand this resource - here is how it works.

Have you been referred to us by your DHIA?

Get Started With Processing
  • After you get your milk tested, you will send it to a lab.
  • The lab tests the milk and sends the raw data to the DRPC.
  • The DRPC processes the data and puts it in understandable reports.
  • This data also gets reported to the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding. This information helps you understand how breeds like yours are performing around the U.S. You can read more about it on their website if you wish.
  • If you have any changes that need to be made, you may end up contacting your DRPC... but other than that you probably won't talk much unless you use the software.
  • Usually, the DRPC will bill the DHIA... and the DHIA will bill you.
  • If we are your DRPC, we can also help educate you if you have questions about the data.

Step 4: Get involved with a goat association

One of the biggest reasons people get involved with a goat specific association is to register goats. ADGA is the largest goat registry and the one most people talk about... but they aren't the only one. Here is a list of Associations:

Is this you?

I'm ready to start working with electronic records.

At this point, you already know the advantages of being involved with an association and have been testing milk... but perhaps you want a better way to track production over time.

You may also want to keep track of other data that isn't specifically part of the milk test such as pregnancy records, vaccinations, or health events.

Amelicor-dhiplus-logo

Take advantage of special small herd pricing

DHI-Plus has special pricing for small goat herds which makes it affordable to easily measure your production progress.

Get DHI-Plus

DHI-Plus is our Herd Management software. It will help you track anything you do to manage your animals including health events. And even though your herd is growing, you will still be able o focus on the individual goats that need attention.

Here are some brief benefits:

  • Your milk test reports are always accurate. When you generate the report, the data is always up to date with the date on the computer.
  • You are in control of the data. You are the one entering the record's information so there is no third party involved.
  • Milk test results are much faster. The records are updated in DHI-Plus after they are finalized - upon your next transmission.
  • Keep track of as much data as you want. There is much more to track then simple milk test results. Any data you enter can be used to measure your progress and compared to milk test results.