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Program Overview WHAT DO YOU REALLY KNOW ABOUT YOUR COWS? The Value of Information The more documented records you have available on each of your cows, the better equipped you are to make bold, decisive decisions about culling, selection and mating systems. The managerial decisions you make today can have a huge impact on the future of your herd for many years to come. As an aggressive cattle producer competing in today's complex beef market, you need to utilize all the tools available to reduce guesswork, adding predictability to your herd performance. CHAPS 2000 is one of those tools. What is CHAPS 2000? CHAPS 2000 (Cow Herd Appraisal Performance Software) is a data intensive beef production record system designed to provide you with vital information about your managerial decisions and herd's performance. CHAPS 2000 was developed by the North Dakota State University Extension Service through the North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement Association (NDBCIA) and has been reviewed and approved by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association - National Integrated Resource Management - Coordinating Committee. Who Uses CHAPS 2000? Many aggressive, progressive cattle producers are utilizing the CHAPS 2000 program. Both commercial and registered breeders have success stories to relate on how CHAPS has met their needs in enhancing their management strategies. Because of the comprehensive analysis and the unique features of CHAPS 2000, Beef Improvement Associations and individual cattle producers from many states have purchased this program. As a testimony to the credibility and latest technology available in this program, the program is currently being utilized by Extension Services in 28 states. NCBA-IRM-SPA Analysis The NDSU Extension Service in cooperation with the NDBCIA provides managerial reports generated through the CHAPS 2000 program. These reports assist producers with total herd evaluations which are utilized in North Dakota's Integrated Resource Management (IRM) program. A common problem with record systems is the accumulation of mounds of data with little effective utilization of the data. The ultimate purpose of this program is to assure that each NCBA-IRM-SPA trait is balanced within the operation and evaluated simultaneously. The Benchmarks For more effective utilization of individual herd data, production benchmark values utilizing the NCBA-IRM-SPA calculations were obtained from CHAPS herds with a total of 107,882 cows exposed to bulls and processed through CHAPS during 1997-2001. CHAPS 2000 compares each individual producer's performance against the benchmarks. The benchmark values for the NCBA-IRM-SPA traits are as follows:
Cow/Calf Performance Reports As a comprehensive analysis system, CHAPS provides all the standard performance data as suggested by the Beef Improvement Federation. Some of the reports can be sorted by a variety of categories as determined by the producer. CHAPS includes the following performance reports: Calf Listing (divided by sex)
Sire Summaries - Progeny Averages
Cow Summaries
Calving Distribution
Cow Culling Report
Yearling Performance Reports
How Do I Get Started? If you have never been involved in a performance and managerial evaluation before, you will first have to identify your cows and calves with an identification system of eartags or freeze-branding, etc. The minimum records you should keep include cow ID, cow age, calf ID, calf birthdate, calf sex, weaning weight, and weaning date. Your local county agent can help you get started and you don't even need a computer on your ranch. If you want NDBCIA to handle the processing for you, all you have to do is report the information on the forms NDBCIA provides for you. Or if you want to process the records yourself, the CHAPS 2000 software program is available for sale. How Do I Participate? Simply contact your local county agent or the NDBCIA headquarters office at:
NDSU Research Extension Center NDBCIA will be glad to answer your questions and assist you in implementing your performance testing program. What Does It Cost? NDBCIA will process your records and send you the reports for $.50 per cow, plus a $5 annual membership fee. Laser printed reports and across year herd performance graphs are included. The CHAPS 2000 software program is currently available for $50 for individual use downloadable from this web site or a CD Rom is available for an additional $10. Click here to acquire a site license. For the $50 software fee you will receive the following:
A $20.00 Extended Membership can also be purchased. (click here for more info). Computer Equipment Needed The CHAPS 2000 program is available as a Micro Computer Program if you want to process your own records. CHAPS 2000 requires an IBM-PC or compatible microcomputer with a minimum of 25.8 megabytes of hard disk space and an operating system of version Windows 95 or greater. Turn-Around Time NDBCIA annually processes over 18,000 calf records from over 200 herds with an average turn-around time of one week. The NDBCIA in cooperation with the NDSU Extension Service, is equipped with state-of-the-art computer equipment. Coupled with a professional, trained staff, the NDBCIA is committed to serving its members and the livestock industry in North Dakota.
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