National DHIA, a trade association for the dairy records industry, and its division, Quality Certification Services Inc. (QCS), recently held a meter technician training Sept. 14-18, in Hanford, Calif.
“The QCS Meter Technician Training School helped technicians learn important skills, troubleshoot a variety of scenarios and boost networking opportunities,” stated Steven Sievert of QCS. “With the completion of this training, we’ve serviced a market area that represents a large portion of the nation’s milk supply. Knowledge and skills gained through this school helps ensure accurate and reliable meter performance to help dairy producers get the most out of their DHI investment.”
Participants improved their abilities through classroom instruction and hands-on experiences with various milk meters approved by the International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR)/National DHIA. Training at Kings County DHIA involved standard, dual meter and fast-flow calibration procedures, with a focus on calibration and routine care and maintenance of portable milk meters used on dairy operations for weighing and sampling of milk on test day.
Each year, QCS offers a regional meter technician training school to provide comprehensive instruction and meet the certification requirements of meter technicians working in the DHI system. Dairy One Cooperative Inc., Ithaca, N.Y., will host the next meter tech training school in October 2010.
Those advancing their portable milk meter maintenance, operation and calibration skills represented California DHIA, Idaho DHIA, Vanden Bosch Testing, Tulare DHIA, Tillamook DHIA, Fresno DHIA, The Udder Tester, Southern Counties DHIA, Central Counties DHIA, Ferndale Cow Testing Association, Willamette DHIA, Integrated Milk Testing, Julie Sousa Testing, JP’s Herd Testing, San Joaquin DHIA and Sue’s Testing Service. These trained technicians work with DHI field service providers serving dairy producers and milk testing laboratories in Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington. Kings County DHIA hosted the meter technician training school.