**5. Evaluation of Dissemination and Adoption: Potential Impact**

underline simulated data determines a better plan that results in a much lower premium,

**Month Regular Premium, \$ Least Cost Premium, \$ Savings on Premium, %**

**Table 4.** Savings on premiums when insuring net margins using the LGM-Dairy insurance program during the year 2011 assessed by the tool *LGM-Dairy Least Cost* using default amounts of corn and soybean meal as feed insured and assuming a reasonable insurance deductible of \$1/46.4 kg milk for a 200-cow dairy farm producing 31 kg milk/cow

The *Dynamic Dairy Farm Model* was applied on a typical North Florida dairy farm of 400 cows with a production of 7,711 kg/cow per year having 62 ha of crop fields and pastures. A dual op‐ timization including maximization of profit while relaxing N leaching indicated that the nitro‐ gen leaching ranged between 4,800 to 5,000 kg/year whereas the profit would change between \$70,000 and \$70,600 (Figure 8) [2]. Furthermore, strategies to reduce nitrogen leaching would compromise profit. Depending on the farm goals and environmental regulations, the *Dynamic Dairy Farm Model* proved to be an effective tool to screen options and study whole farm man‐ agement strategies. As in previous cases, farm specific conditions along with current market

**Figure 8.** Dual optimization of profit maximization by relaxing nitrogen leaching assessed by using the tool *Dynamic*

January 4,384 3,389 22.7 February 4,904 3,429 30.1 March 5,209 3,863 25.8 October 4,019 2,685 33.2 November 4,216 3,064 27.3

conditions need to carefully be defined before doing those assessments.

*Dairy Farm Model*. NL is average nitrogen leaching and SD is standard deviation.

but the same level of protection.

164 Decision Support Systems

**4.7. Dynamic Dairy Farm Model**

per day.

Following is some evidence that indicates the DairyMGT.info Website has become the placeto-go for decision-making tools related to dairy farm management in Wisconsin and a trust‐ ed reference with increased visibility in other states and internationally. The DairyMGT website was officially launched at the end of 2009. A predecesor webpage existed since June 2008. between April 2012, and a rate of when email registration was required. According to *Google Analytics (http://www.google.com/analytics/)* the Wisconsin Dairy Management domain (DairyMGT.info or DairyMGT.uwex.edu) received 45,307 page views during the year period ending on April 30, 2012. Fifty nine percent were visitors from the U.S.A. and the rest from other 135 countries. From these, the most important countries were: India (5.5%), Australia (3.3%), Argentina (2.6%), Canada (1.9%), Mexico (1.8%), Kenya (1.6%), United Kingdom (1.5%), Italy (1.5%), Turkey (1.3%), Brazil (1.2%), Peru (1.2%), South Africa (1.0%), Pakistan (1.0%), and Spain (1.0%). Inside the U.S.A., visitors came from all states, but 63% of them were from Wisconsin. Other important states were: California (7.4%), Minnesota (3.1%), Illi‐ nois (2.8%), New York (2.6%), Iowa (1.6%), Texas (1.5%), Florida (1.3%), Pennsylvania (1.3%), Michigan (1.3%), and Washington (1.0%).

During the same period of time, May 2011 to April 2012, 1,635 users of decision support tools elected to register their emails on the DairyMGT.info system. A thousand and fifty five did it during the months of 2011, a period in which email registration was optional. During January‐ to April 2012 a rate of 5 emails registrations a day was recorded. During the one year period May 2011 to April 2012 there were 9,336 downloads of the top 25 DSS tools as shown in Table 5.



**•** "The Optigen tool is a very simple application, yet it makes a quite powerful impact be‐ cause it opens a realm of opportunities in the field." – A dairy industry service provider.

DairyMGT: A Suite of Decision Support Systems in Dairy Farm Management

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/50801

167

**•** "…the Sexed Semen evaluator brings very useful information and it is a tool that people can really use and apply within field situations. This is a very useful tool" – A veterinari‐

**•** "I think that the information and spins of using the Income over Feed Cost database tool

**•** "The tools related to economic evaluations of reproductive programs in dairy cattle are

**•** "The State of Wisconsin has led the nation in number of contracts and milk insured under the LGM-Dairy program, which reflects, at least in part, the usage and practical applica‐ tion of the LGM-Dairy Analyzer tool of the UW-Madison" – An Extension specialist. "[The LGM-Dairy Analyzer] …is having a direct and measurable impact [in our dairy in‐

**•** "We are defining reproductive strategies for our herd and we found invaluable the use of the [DairyMGT.info] management tools in our planning design. We specially appreciate the clarity of the applications and the simplicity of concepts that make these tools very

**•** "The [DairyMGT.info] decision support tools have really helped out our dairy farm in may aspects including financials, replacements, reproduction, and even nutrition." – A se‐

**•** "These [DairyMGT.info tools] are a collection of the most practical tools I have ever seen."

A number of emerging and evolving technologies are today available to dairy farmers more than ever. These include the use of smart phones, tablets and similar hardware devices; more efficient software resources; and improved data networks. There is no doubt the trend of fast technological improvement in the area of computer, software, and gadget develop‐ ment will continue even at a faster pace. Progressive farmers and an increasing proportion of Extension agents and dairy farm consultants are already using these technologies. New technologies bring challenges to keep information systems up-to-date, but at the same time

One important advantage of smart phones and tablets is their portability along with connec‐ tivity. Nowadays farmers enjoy voice and, importantly, data network and therefore the ca‐ pability to save and retrieve data eventually from anywhere at anytime. For example, a farmer can have complete information of a cow (e.g., age, lactation, pregnancy status, pro‐

practical and applicable." – A dairy farm manager of several dairy farms.

**6. Future Developments: Keep Up with Technology and Needs**

an attending dairy farms.

are great and powerful" – A dairy farm consultant.

dustry]" – A University administrator.

nior dairy science student and dairy farmer.

– A well-established county Extension agent.

bring great opportunities for improved DSS development.

going to be incredibly useful." – A dairy Extension specialist.

**Table 5.** Ranking of the most downloaded tools of DairyMGT.info Decision Support System tools during the period May 2011-April 2012.

A number of tools have been adjusted and translated to other languages to better represent conditions in other regions or in other countries following user inquiries and requests. This was the case for the tools: *Economic Value of Sexed Semen for Dairy Heifers*, *UW-DairyRepro\$: A Reproductive Economic Analysis Tool*, *Value of a Springer*, and *Income Over Feed Supplement Cost* translated to Spanish and adjusted to Argentinian conditions. The *Economic Value of Sexed Se‐ men for Dairy Heifers* tool was in addition translated to Chinese.

Another evidence of DairyMGT.info DSS demand is the world wide requests for talks re‐ garding these tools. During the past 4 years (May 2008 to April 2012) 168 talks have been given regarding DairyMGT.info tools, a rate of 3.33 talks per month. These talks had a total attendance of about 6,500 people. One hundred and twelve of these talks were in Wisconsin (3,200 people); 25 in other states (1,700 people), and the rest, 31, in other countries such as Mexico, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Honduras, and Nicaragua (1,600 people).

Evidence of adoption together with functionality and benefits of the DSS tools can also be measured by comments and feedback reported by users and other stakeholders. Some anon‐ ymous test imonials about DairyMGT.info DSS Tools are listed below.


**•** "The Optigen tool is a very simple application, yet it makes a quite powerful impact be‐ cause it opens a realm of opportunities in the field." – A dairy industry service provider.

**Rank Decision Support Tool Downloads**

113

 Dairy Ration Feed Additive Break-Even Analysis 240 Herd Structure Simulation 228 Milk Component Price Analysis 218 Heifer Replacement 215 Exploring Timing of Pregnancy Impact on Income Over Feed Cost 196 Dynamic Dairy Farm Model 156

21 Cost-Benefit of Accelerated Liquid Feeding Program for Dairy

*men for Dairy Heifers* tool was in addition translated to Chinese.

Mexico, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Honduras, and Nicaragua (1,600 people).

ymous test imonials about DairyMGT.info DSS Tools are listed below.

switching milking frequencies." – A county Extension agent.

work with" – A dairy farm nutritionist.

 Dairy Nutrient Manager 98 Grazing-N: Application that Balances Nitrogen in Grazing Systems 97 Economic Evaluation of using rbST 90 Seasonal Prediction of Manure Excretion 48

**Table 5.** Ranking of the most downloaded tools of DairyMGT.info Decision Support System tools during the period

A number of tools have been adjusted and translated to other languages to better represent conditions in other regions or in other countries following user inquiries and requests. This was the case for the tools: *Economic Value of Sexed Semen for Dairy Heifers*, *UW-DairyRepro\$: A Reproductive Economic Analysis Tool*, *Value of a Springer*, and *Income Over Feed Supplement Cost* translated to Spanish and adjusted to Argentinian conditions. The *Economic Value of Sexed Se‐*

Another evidence of DairyMGT.info DSS demand is the world wide requests for talks re‐ garding these tools. During the past 4 years (May 2008 to April 2012) 168 talks have been given regarding DairyMGT.info tools, a rate of 3.33 talks per month. These talks had a total attendance of about 6,500 people. One hundred and twelve of these talks were in Wisconsin (3,200 people); 25 in other states (1,700 people), and the rest, 31, in other countries such as

Evidence of adoption together with functionality and benefits of the DSS tools can also be measured by comments and feedback reported by users and other stakeholders. Some anon‐

**•** "The Income over Feed Supplement Cost is a very useful tool that allows me to find out the best ingredients to buy and provide clear and practical advise in a number of clients I

**•** "I have used the tool 2X to 3X milking with a number of farms and consultants and it has always been well received. It does an excellent job of determining the economic impact of

Calves

May 2011-April 2012.

166 Decision Support Systems

