January 2003

Emailing option of selected reports

The following reports can be now be e-mailed to you: Herd Summary Report, SCC Flex and the Condensed Report. If the E-mail address and any of these reports are requested, we will be sending them as attachments using Adobe Acrobat to read them.

Most computers should have the Adobe Acrobat program, but if your computer doesn't, there is an option to Click on the Address for Adobe Acrobat in the e-mail and download this free program. The report can then either be viewed on screen or sent to the printer.

Please review with your Field Rep your correct e-mail address. If you want reports e-mailed make sure we have the correct e-mail address, if you don't want reports e-mailed, please have your Field Rep remove your e-mail address.

Right now we are offering this option at no additional cost. As we develop the option, the cost will more than likely be the same as the cost of mailing the same report. Watch for further development.*

Minnesota Dairy Days set at eight locations in January, 2003

The dairy cow of the future, robotic milking and cow health will be topics at Minnesota Dairy Days at eight locations in January. The University of Minnesota is offering the events, which are designed for producers and others interested in dairying. The program will be similar at each site.

Registration at each location will open at 9:30 a.m. The program will begin at 10 a.m. with a University of Minnesota research update. Then there will be a session on keys to success in dairying, including people considerations and cow considerations. Speakers at the various locations will be U of M regional Extension educators Lee Gross, Chuck Schwartau, Vern Oraskovich and Jim Salfer, and U of M Extension dairy scientists Marcia Endres and Jim Linn. Mike Hodgman, a veterinarian with Monsanto Dairy Business of St. Louis, Mo., will wrap up the session with a presentation on cow health.

There will be three presentations in the afternoon: lowering somatic cell counts by U of M Extension animal scientist Jeff Reneau; designing the cow of the future by U of M animal scientist Les Hansen; and an overview of robotic milking by Endres or Salfer.

A question-and-answer session will wrap up the day, with adjournment scheduled for 3 p.m. The Dairy Days registration fee is $25 per person and $15 for each additional person from the same farm. Pre-registration is not required; however some locations have limited space. You may register at the door, but please call the local coordinator at least a day in advance so that meals count can be planned.

Dates, locations and local coordinators are:
--Jan. 7, McIntosh, Community Center, Gene Krause, (218) 634-1511;
--Jan. 8, Perham, VFW, Vince Crary, (218) 385-3000;
--Jan. 9, Mora, American Legion, Jim Salfer, (320) 255-6169;
--Jan. 10, Willmar, Health & Human Services Bldg., Jim Salfer, (320) 255-6169;
--Jan. 14, Edgerton, Pizza Ranch, Tim Dolan, (507) 237-4100;
--Jan. 15, Lewiston, Community Center, Chuck Schwartau, (651) 385-3100;
--Jan. 16, Gaylord, Sibley Co. Courthouse, Tim Dolan, (507) 237-4100;
--Jan 17, Cannon Falls, Grandpa's Garage Rest, Chuck Schwartau, (651) 385-3100.

The Minnesota Dairy Days website is at
http://www.ansci.umn.edu/dairy/dairydays/2003mndairydays.html.*

2003 Pricing Changes

Effective with January tests, Minnesota DHIA will replace our standard per test fee with a charge for the number of days in the test interval. Herds that test every month will pay less. Herds that test less often will pay slightly more.

The charges will be as follows:
Owner Sampler or Basic
Was $5 per test, now is $.16 per day between tests. A herd testing every 30 days will pay $4.80 instead if $5. A herd testing 11 times a year will pay $3.40 more for the herd for the year 2003 than in 2002.

Supervised Test
Was $8.50 per test, now is $.28 per day between tests. A herd testing every 30 days will pay $.10 less per test than last year. A herd testing 11 times a year will pay $8.70 more per year for the herd to test.

DHIR Test
Was $10 per test, now is $.32 per day. Herds testing every 30 days will pay $.40 less per test. Herds with 11 tests in 2003 will pay $6.80 more for the year.

The price was changed to enable herds testing less often to help pay for the overhead costs of having the system in place when they do test.

The only lab raising its rates is Zumbrota which goes from 10 cents a sample for SCC to 11 cents a sample. The change is due to declining sample numbers and increasing cost of labor in the area.*

 Minnesota DHIA 2002 Annual Summary

It's time once again to publish the Minnesota DHIA Annual Summary. This year in addition to highlighting some of the many accomplishments of our members, we plan to expand our listings of dairy service and resource providers. Our goal is to make the Annual Summary a handy reference book for our customers.

If you, or someone you know, offers services or products that dairy producers would find useful please let us know. We'll be happy to help spread the word.
We are offering advertising space to any of the following resource providers:

Heifer Raisers  Hoof Trimmers
Cow De-horners Relief Milkers
Custom Harvesters Milking Equipment Dealers
Pest Controllers Dairy-related Artists

Each listing will cost $50 per line with a maximum of 2 lines per listing.
All Minnesota DHIA members will receive a 50% member's discount.

In addition to the discount, we will give referring member producers $5 for each name that gets published. We also have full and 1/2 page ad space available for those with more to say. If you know someone who would like to be included in the Annual Summary, please call Barbara at 1-800-827-3442. Remember this summary goes to the top of the dairy industry, including the top producers, consultants and extension professionals.*

Somatic Cell Counts less than 100,000!

Congratulations to the following 43 members - your December Somatic Cell Counts were under 100,000. We also had another 119 herds with 150,000 or less. Thank you for your quality to the dairy industry!

BEVENDALE FARMS 2 39,000 GREENISLE     |   
MARVIN NELDNER 40,000 LEWISTON     |   
DAVID BUCK 47,000 DENNISON     |    PAUL NIBBE 81,000 ZUMBROTA
NORBERT BROWN 50,000 GREY EAGLE     |    HILLVIEW-SHORTHORN 82,000 FERGUS FALLS
MICHAEL AND KRIS BANSE 50,000 EITZEN     |    SELKE FARMS 83,000 DAKOTA
RONALD+BRIDGET AUSMUS 56,000 HINCKLEY     |    JIM + PAM LARSON 83,000 WINONA
LEROY DROPPS 60,000 MILACA     |    CHARLES-DOUG ARVIDSON 84,000 VERGAS
ROBERT SLATER 61,000 MAHTOWA     |    LESTER SCHULZ & SONS 84,000 GLENCOE
DANIEL HALLBERG 65,000 KANDIYOHI

|

 KEVIN ANDERSON 85,000 BATTLE LAKE
ROLLING GREEN HOLSTEINS 67,000 OAKLAND

|

 JAMES AND PALMER KYLLO 85,000 WANAMINGO
DOUG + BRENDA STANGL 67,000 PIERZ

|

 FORSS DAIRY INC 87,000 ZUMBROTA
JONATHAN PENNER 69,000 MT LAKE

|

 CURT & KARLA BAER 87,000 RUSHFORD
MIKE MARTIN 70,000 HAYWARD, WI

|

 GARY SMITH 89,000 HERMAN
MERTON + TRUDY NELSON 2 73,000 ELLENDALE

|

 AL + MARK SCHMITT 90,000 RICE
RORY BEYER 73,000 ROLLINGSTONE

|

 WAYNE & RON MATHISON 91,000 CUMBERLAND,WI
DAVID + PATTI TVEDT 75,000 BYRON

|

 JOHN NATHE 91,000 MELROSE
TODD & KATHY JOHNSTON 76,000 ANGUS

|

 MARK KLEHR 91,000 BELLE PLAINE
JOE AND ED WILLENBRING 77,000 RICHMOND

|

 LARRY LEXVOLD FAMILY 91,000 GOODHUE
MIKE + ROSIE ZEIG 77,000 SLEEPY EYE

|

 BRYCE ANDERSON 92,000 BARRETT
ROGER + WENDY SORENSON 78,000 EAGLE BEND

|

 STEVE HELLMANN 95,000 HOLDINGFORD
SONN-BELL DAIRY 79,000 CHETEK,WI

|

 GILMAN HALBAKKEN 95,000 ST CHARLES
GRIEBELS BLACK & WHITE 79,000 NEW ULM

|

 GREEN MEADOW JERSEY 97,000 NORWOOD
    

     |     

ROBERT + FAWN STAUB 99,000 MAZEPPA


Your 2003 DHIA District Meetings Notice

All members are welcome to attend the District Meeting. If you are a member, you are eligible to vote. Agenda items will include a review of the audit for 2002, election of delegates to the Annual Meeting scheduled for March 27, election of directors for 3-year terms in districts noted below, and new and old business.

Tuesday February 25 South Central @ Digger's in Kasson
Wednesday February 26 South East @ Loon Cafe in Lewiston *
Thursday February 27 North West @ Shooting Star in Mahnomen
Monday March 3 South West @ Karl's in Essig
Tuesday March 4 Metro @ Kubes in Norwood *
Thursday March 6 Barron WI
Friday March 7 North East @ Embers in Milaca
Wednesday March 12 West Central @ Holiday Inn in Alexandria
Thursday March 13  Central@ Lab in Sauk Centre
* elections

All district meetings begin with registration at 11:15 with the meeting beginning at 11:30 Lunch is provided for members.
The Barron Washburn meeting is also the local annual meetings, so please refer to that notice for details.
Call 800-827-3442 for answers, or to make a reservation.*

Dr. Seuss Explains Why Computers Sometimes Crash

If a packet hits a pocket on a socket on a port, and the bus is interrupted at a very last resort, and the access of the memory makes your floppy disk abort,
then the socket packet pocket has an error to report.

If your cursor finds a menu item followed by a dash, and the double-clicking icon puts your window in the trash, and your data is corrupted cause the index doesn't
hash, then your situation's hopeless and your system's gonna crash!!

If the label on the cable on the table at your house says the network is connected to the button on your mouse, but your packets want to tunnel to another
protocol, that's repeatedly rejected by the printer down the hall, and your screen is all distorted by the side effects of gauss, so your icons in the window
are as wavy as a souse; then you may as well reboot and go out with a bang, 'cuz sure as I'm a poet, the sucker's gonna hang!

When the copy of your floppy's getting sloppy in the disk, and the macro code instructions cause unnecessary risk, then you'll have to flash the memory and you'll want to RAM your ROM.

Quickly turn off the computer and be sure to tell your Mom!*

Cows for Sale

Cows for Sale: 60-cow Registered Holstein herd. Located in Pierz. All AI, SCC @ 100,000 - 200,000.
Please cal Don & Darlene Matros 320.745.2467. (11/25/02)

Cows For Sale is a service of Minnesota DHIA. Members can advertise for just $2.50 per animal with a maximum of $50 per herd (good for 60 days). For more information, talk to your Field Rep on sample day or call us at 800.827.3442.*