Welcome to the MDGA Milk Program!

During the year 2004, the MDGA assigned a committee of experienced breeders, who were familiar with and understood the DHI processes and regulations to assist the MDGA in developing a Milk Test Program. Lisa-Jo Helgesen, headed this committee and spent endless hours researching and tabulating milk scores before coming up with a Milk Test, that would best support and properly record the results of the Mini-Dairy Goats in a precise and fair manner and give recognition of the does who adequately meet these requirements. Her work was presented to the committee which then voted on it and in the Spring of 2004, MDGA's first Milk Program was implemented.

Special thanks is given by MDGA to Lisa-Jo who spent endless hours working on this program, and who has volunteered to see its implementation and recordation properly maintained until her death, November 2004...

Following are the rules and regulations for the MDGA Milk Program.

GENERAL REGULATIONS

1.  Fees and forms must be sent to MDGA prior to beginning DHI testing.

2.  All DHI regulations will be followed.

3.  Scales must be certified by an appropriate technician.

4.  Final production data must be sent to MDGA. Sheets do not need to be sent each month, except the monthly sheet prior to a verification test must be sent to MDGA.

5.  No products or devices designed to enhance production or butterfat may be used, except those that are  part of normal daily care. (Example: Adding sunflower seeds to the diet on a regular basis to raise butterfat is normal daily care. Adding a hormone before the test is not normal daily care.)

6.  A Production Certificate will be issued to any doe qualifying for a production award.

7.  A test year is 305 days or less.

8.  A Production Star (*P) will be earned according to the Chart below

9.  MDGA will recognize the Top 10 production records each year, provided minimum production is met. All breeds will be combined unless there are more than 25 does of a breed on test. If more than 25 does of a single Mini breed are on test a Top 5 of that breed will also be recognized.

10.  All Top 10 does (or Top 5) will have a verification test conducted by a different supervisor. The rules for a verification test will be the same as for a one-day test.

11.  All does will need to be measured, the measurement will be included on the form sent to MDGA.

12.  Cost is $5.00 for herd application plus $2.00 per doe.

13.  Application must be made at least two days prior to the test except does with official milk test results completed prior to these regulations may turn in results for a star. The application paperwork and  fees must be filled out and sent with the test results.

14.  Types of Testing

       1.  The following testing types are approved by MDGA:

            a.  Standard test- A certified Supervisor tests herd each month, taking AM and PM weights and samples.

            b.  Group test - Conducted like a Standard test except the Supervisors are one of a group of at least 3 people who test each other's herd alternate months. All Supervisor's must be certified testers.

            c.  EOM - Owner tests and samples one month, Supervisor tests alternate months. Samples are taken as in a Standard Test.

            d.  AM/PM - Owner and Supervisor share testing and sampling, alternating AM and PM each month.

            e.  Owner - Owner weighs and samples milk each testing. Owner must be a certified as a tester.

       2.   All plans except the Standard and Group require a verification test.

       3.   If verification test results deviate more than 5% from the previous month a 2nd verification may be required.
 

  
ONE-DAY TESTS

1.  Only certified testers may preside over a one-day test.

2.  The doe must be on the premises where the test is held during the entire period of the test.

3.  Three milk outs will be conducted. The first is a check with no samples taken.  Weights will be recorded, but not used to figure final score.

4.  Samples and weights will be taken from the second and third milk outs. These will be used to figure final score.

5.  Weights and samples must be sent to a DHI lab for butterfat testing.

6.  Original result sheet from DHI will be sent to MDGA.

7.  Each milk out will be 12 hours apart.

8.  Each doe will be officially measured by the tester.

9.  A score of 45 points (figured to the thousandth place, rounded to the nearest whole number) will be required to receive a Production Star (*P).

10.  Scores will be figured on the following formula:

       a.  Multiply pounds of milk by 5.55
       b.  Multiply pounds of milk by butterfat, times 1.11
       c.  Multiply days since freshening by .0555
       d.  Add totals for final score.

       Example: a doe fresh 43 days with 5.6 pounds of milk at 4% fat:
       a.  5.6 x 5.55 = 31.080
       b.  5.6 x 4.0 x 1.11 = 24.864
       c.  43 x .0555 = 2.3865 (rounded to 2.387)
       d.  31.080 + 24.864 + 2.387 = 58.332 (rounded to 58) Doe receives a star.

11.  A certificate will be sent for any doe earning a Star.

One-day Milk Test Application

DHIA Milk Test Application

ADVANCED REGISTRY
 

1.  Any doe receiving a Star from a 305 day test will receive an Advanced Registry Certificate.

2.  A single one-day test will not qualify a doe for Advanced Registry.

3.  A doe receiving 45 points on 3 different one-day tests held in the same year may qualify for an Advanced Registry Certificate if one test is held during the first 3 months of lactation, the second during the second 3 months of lactation and the 3rd during the final four months of lactation.

INHERITED PRODUCTION STARS

1.  Does may have multiple starts. If the daughter of a Star dam earns a star, the daughter becomes a two star dam, each generation in an unbroken line would add a star number. So the 4th doe in the line receiving a Star would be a 4*P.

2.  A buck inherits a star if both his parents are star animals.

3.  A buck may inherit a star if both his dam and his sire's dam have earned stars.

4.  A buck may inherit a plus (+) if he has earned three AR or star daughters out of three different dams.

5.  A buck may inherit a plus (+) if he has two sons who have earned a plus (+).

6.  A buck may inherit a plus (+) if her has two Star daughters and one plus (+) son.

7.  A doe may inherit a star if she produces 3 *P daughters.

8.  A doe may inherit a star if she produces two plus/star sons.

9.  A doe may inherit a star if she produces Star daughters and one Star/Plus son.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
All milk test results should be mailed to:

Stacy Morris
Production Committee
8808 Silver Creek Drive
Spencer, OK 73084
Production@miniaturedairygoats.com