January 2000

Minnesota DHIA is introducing a new Herd Summary report with your current test day information. Features of the New Herd Summary include:

• Larger print on the front and print on both sides
• Lactation 2 is now a line item in many areas. Previously breakouts were only for lactation one and cows in lactation 2 or greater
• More SCC information
• New Reproduction section with new information
• New MLM summary information
• Additional (13th test) line in Rolling Herd Average section

Here are some of the changes you will see in the Somatic Cell Count Information:

"Changes in SCC Status" box: "Cures" are cows who were over 200,000 and are now under 200,000. "New Infections" are cows who were below 200,000 on the last test and are now above.

For example, if you have 8% Cures in the "Fresh vs Last Dry Off" box, 8% of your cows had an SCC over 200,000 (infected with mastitis) at their last test before dry off, and had an SCC under 200,000 at their first test this lactation. The SCC dropped during the dry period and the cow is no longer considered infected with mastitis. If the "New Infections" rate box in this same section read 16% then you would know that more cows are being infected than cured during the dry period or in very early lactation. You might want to look at cow care during this time.

"Current vs Last Test" SCC works the same way. If there are more Cures than New Infections, you are generally headed in the right direction on milk quality.

In the lower right "Quality" section of the large "Production Averages" section you will notice several changes:

• The first column is a "Raw SCC" average for your herd.
• The "SCC LS" or Linear Score is the number you have seen on your herd summary for years and and is a useful number in evaluating progress and putting a dollar value on losses to mastitis. See the article in your Annual Summary for more information.
• The next column is "Number Infections" which is a count of all cows over 200,000 SCC on the current test. (The level at which researchers feel a cow is infected.)
• "Fresh infections" is the number of fresh cows that have an SCC over 200,000 on the first test after calving. If you are year-around calving, this can be used to quickly identify problem months.
• "New Infections" is the number of cows with an SCC over 200,000 on this test, and under 200,000 on the last test. Fresh cows over 200,000 are included.
• "New Infections %" is the number of new infections from the previous column, divided by the number of cows eligible to become infected (cows who were not chronic on the latest test). Use this to pinpoint bad months or good months.

The change in payment pricing from Total protein to True protein content in milk has now come about. This means you will see a small change in the protein test you get back on your milk check. Total protein includes non-protein nitrogen (NPN). True protein is lower than Total or Crude protein because True protein looks only at Protein, not NPN. True protein equates to useable protein for milk processors. Herds running a Total protein test around the state average of 3.2 should expect to see a drop to about 3.0 with NPN eliminated from the protein test.

Researchers indicate that NPN is not genetic, but is related to feeding and management.

All DHIA Labs in the US will switch to True protein on May 1, 2000. This coordinated nation-wide change will allow for a uniform transition to minimize the affect on the industry, including data flowing from DHIA to USDA, which is the basis for genetic evaluation (Bull Proofs), and research.

The 2000 District Meetings for Minnesota DHIA are listed below. These are busi- ness meetings that any member is welcome to attend. Local DHIA Boards are ex- pected to send representatives.

• February 2 District 2 at the Ramada in Owatonna just off interstate 35
• February 3 District 3 at Fishermans Inn east of Oronoco -- ELECTION
• February 4 District 4 at Dubbs Club in downtown Glencoe
• February 9 District 9 at Old Bank Restaraunt in Pierz
• February 10 District 10 at Shooting Star in Mahnomen

The Minnesota DHIA Annual Meeting will be held on March 1, 2000 in St. Cloud at the Radisson Hotel. The Radisson is located across the street from the Convention Center downtown on the river, just off Highway 23. The Central Minnesota Farm show is being held at the same time at the Convention Center.