Milk ELISA Johne’s Testing Up and Running

 

The Sauk Centre and Zumbrota DHIA Laboratories are both up and running with the Milk ELISA Johne’s test, and USDA recently announced it has approved the test.  Over 1400 samples have been run so far at the two labs, and data is flowing to Minnesota DHIA’s data handling system for report generation and for reporting to the Board of Animal Health and University of Minnesota for research purposes relative to Johne’s prevalence.   Work continues to make selection of cows easier in the software, and to trap the data in the cowfiles for consultant and producer use.  Minnesota DHIA is grateful for the cooperation of the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, Antel-Bio, and the College of Veterinary Medicine at the U of M.

 

RFID Tag Update

371 Herds have now ordered RFID tags from MN DHIA, totaling over 33,000 tags.  In a recent study on a member herd over a period of time, 10,080 cows walked past panel readers on their way into the milking parlor.  The stationary reader panel was able to identify 97.8% of the cows in routine operation.  Breaking the study down, 99.9% of cows with Half Duplex Tags were read, confirming our advice that if you plan to use RFID tags in the parlor, you should pay a little extra and get the Half Duplex Tags.  We thank Dr. Steve Stewart and the U of M College of Vet Medicine for their good work.

 

At least one major buyer of cull dairy cows reports paying an additional 3 cents per pound for source verified beef, has an RFID reader, and is using RFID on a limited basis as evidence of source verification.

 

Minnesota DHIA is selling both Digital Angel Full Duplex Tags and All Flex Half Duplex.  Both are USDA approved, both come with the USDA shield, both use the international 840 codes to satisfy current and future regulatory requirements, and both come only in white.  Digital Angel offers a combo tag that incorporates the RFID and a large visible management tag.  Ask your DHIA Field Rep for details.

 

Cow Page Corrections Complete / Available

Beginning in late January of last year, and continuing through the spring, our Dairy Records Processing Center, Agri-Tech Analytics (ATA) was implementing a new data processing system.  When they implemented one of the program changes, they mistakenly removed the application of AP factors for butterfat test on individual cows.  The net affect of this was that most cows sampled on a morning milking were not given enough butterfat credit, and most cows sampled on a night milking were credited with too much. 

 

When the problem was found, we requested that ATA correct all cows and Rolling Herd Averages.  They recently completed that project and Rolling Herd Average adjustments showed up in your reports starting this past fall.  ATA has now provided us with the corrected cow pages.  For those on the cow page option, corrected cow pages are available on request.  Please call us at 800.827.3442 or have your field rep include a memo on your next sample day.  Please note that the next routine cow page you get on a cow will have the corrections on them anyway.

 

January 2007 Milk Quality Top 100

		SCC	Cows				SCC	Cows
DAN AND JOLENE SCHLANGEN	EDEN VALLEY	31	63		SUE STUEWE	COLOGNE	87	77
CIRCLE DRIVE HOLSTEINS	HUTCHINSON	38	16		OAK GLEN JOHNS	EAGLE BEND	88	33
TRAVIS-RICHARD SCHLOSSER	MILTONA	43	35		MARK KLEHR	BELLE PLAINE	88	54
HAPPKE HOLSTEIN FARM	PIERZ	46	66		LAYNE JANIKE	MINNESOTA LAKE	89	19
KEVIN ANDERSON	BATTLE LAKE	47	46		MIKE + ROSIE ZEIG	SLEEPY EYE	89	30
PETER & MARK HENDRICKSON	MENAHGA	47	71		GOLBERGS LAKEVIEW DAIRY	DEER CREEK	89	71
SCHEFERS BROS	PAYNESVILLE	47	78		GERALD+LISA BURG	FREEPORT	91	39
PHILIP & SHEREEN HAUGE	SUNBURG	49	49		CURT + JACKIE BEKIUS	MILACA	91	76
DANIEL HALLBERG	KANDIYOHI	49	59		BRUCE AND JODI HEIM	LEWISTON	91	142
HABERER HILL DAIRY	HENNING	53	20		TIM & SUE HOESE	GLENCOE	92	27
KEVIN & SHEILA THARALDSON	GOODRIDGE	55	54		BOB L LIESER	PAYNESVILLE	92	61
DAN-BRUCE-TIM LOUWAGIE	COTTONWOOD	55	64		JIM AND LAURIE ORTH	WINONA	92	68
NORBERT BROWN	GREY EAGLE	56	55		JON WINTER	HOFFMAN	93	32
JAMES AND PAUL GREGORY	BELGRADE	58	87		STEVE + LORRIE HELLMANN	HOLDINGFORD	94	44
HAZEL-BUSH FARMS INC	RICE LAKE	61	47		TREVOR HASSE	FERGUS FALLS	95	16
WAYNE AND WADE ATHEY	GRACEVILLE	62	43		EVERETT AND PAT ROLFING	WINONA	95	41
AL + MARK SCHMITT	RICE	63	94		AUSMUS FARM	HINCKLEY	95	78
LYLE AND WANDA HONEBRINK	MAYER	63	95		KIMM'S DAIRY	PELICAN RAPIDS	95	79
DALE ERICKSON	BARRETT	64	39		DEVOINE KRUSE	CALEDONIA	95	130
GLEN CHRISTEN	SAUK CENTRE	65	42		SCOTT'S DAIRY	RICE LAKE	96	37
MARK TESSMER	ROGERS	67	45		SONDAG DAIRY	APPLETON	96	39
ZUMBRO VIEW FARMS LLC	ZUMBROTA	67	50		DARRIN STEIN&LYNN SCHULTZ	CENTER CITY	96	43
JOHN AND STACI SCHERBER	ROGERS	68	48		TIMOTHY-MAYLA KLEMEK	HENNING	97	34
SCOTT FELDHACKER	HILLSDALE	68	57		STANLEY MARTIN	BROWERVILLE	99	34
WILLIS-MARY KRUEGER	ALEXANDRIA	68	68		TODD & KATHY JOHNSTON	ANGUS	99	57
JERON NATHE	MELROSE	68	242		SELKE FARMS	DAKOTA	99	160
MORRIS + JEFF CHAMBERLAIN	HASTINGS	70	18		DEAN FRISLE	PRAIRIE FARM	100	64
TOM FUECHTMANN	MELROSE	71	93		MARK & CARLA BRUNHOLZL	LAKE CITY	101	25
ROBERT SLATER	MAHTOWA	72	30		STEVEN KUEHN	NEW ULM	101	32
ART AND JANE STUMPF	PIERZ	74	47		LUX-URY HOLSTEINS INC.	EDEN VALLEY	101	134
MARK TITERA	BAGLEY	75	24		WALLY W WIESE	VERNDALE	102	30
KIRK BENGTSON	BUFFALO	75	44		CURTIS + MAREN HOLST	LAKE CITY	102	95
STEVEN ASHER	PINE CITY	76	32		HOWARD STUEBER	NEW ULM	103	33
BOB & TERRI KETCHUM	UTICA	76	122		LARRY & CAROL MOEN	CAMERON	103	73
TLK FARMS	HEWITT	77	64		JIM KULINSKI	LESTER PRAIRIE	104	49
AB ACRES	SHELL LAKE	79	40		SAINTVILLE DAIRY	NORWOOD-Y.A.	104	73
MILKY WAY DAIRY FARM	HAYWARD	81	43		SOLYNJA DAIRY ACRES	NORTHFIELD	104	79
JEFF MILLER	FOLEY	81	58		MANUEL JERGER & SONS	BARNESVILLE	104	130
WILL TACHIBANA DAIRY	UNDERWOOD	82	30		SCHUELER FARMS	WILLMAR	104	241
LARRY BRAEM	SACRED HEART	82	37		JOHN ROBERS	CLEAR LAKE	105	20
JEFF BLENKER	ALBANY	82	44		QUINCY VALLEY FARM	ST CHARLES	105	77
DEAN + ELIZABETH JOHNSON	HERON LAKE	82	72		STEVE H REMIGER	WOODLAKE	105	102
SCOTT & JACOLYN RICKEMAN	HUTCHINSON	83	61		DENNIS + BETTY JOHNSON	WINONA	106	145
POXLEITNER DAIRY	KELLIHER	83	98		FJEL-MAR DAIRY	ZUMBRO FALLS	106	169
RON AMY SHAWN BEMBOOM	GILMAN	84	89		DOUG KES	JORDAN	107	45
TRIPLE H DAIRY	ADAMS	84	136		STEVEN REINARTZ	ADAMS	107	57
DAVID SMITH	DENT	85	29		HIESERICH FARM	BELGRADE	107	88
NORTH VISTA HOLSTEINS	DALLAS	85	32		DAIRY SPA LLP	FARWELL	107	103
PAUL & MARY ZIMMERMAN	BROOTEN	85	61		JAMES C PFEIFER	OWATONNA	108	59
RICHARD SCHNOBRICH	NEW ULM	86	42		TIM MARION RUEGEMER	VILLARD	108	66
MATT ROBERT	NEW AUBURN	87	28		DUANE CAROL DENNIS HAIBY	PELICAN RAPIDS	108	74

 

2006 Minnesota DHIA Breed Averages

 

			Brown				Milking	Red &	Mixed
	State	Ayrshire	Swiss	Guernsey	Holstein	Jersey	Shorthorn	White	Breed
Number of herds	2,470	6	17	14	2,266	42	6	3	116
Yearly Rolling Average:
Dollar Value	2,768	2,349	2,492	2,143	2,807	2,266	2,158	2,762	2,363
Cows per herd	102	35	66	36	105	62	53	60	73
% Cows in milk	88	87	87	88	88	87	83	85	86
Days in milk	196	187	215	218	196	189	174	176	193
Milk lbs.	20,809	16,502	17,303	14,188	21,203	14,442	16,397	21,398	17,164
% Fat	3.8	4.2	4.2	4.6	3.8	4.8	3.7	3.6	4
Fat lbs.	790	696	724	659	799	687	604	771	683
% Protein	3.1	3.2	3.3	3.4	3.1	3.6	3.1	3	3.2
Protein lbs.	640	530	579	481	650	514	506	645	546
SCC Linear \ SCC Count	3.2/352	3.3/316	3.4/376	3.6/444	3.2/351	3.4/348	3.3/326	3.1/314	3.3/364
% SCC Positive	31	34	33	37	31	35	32	28	32
MLM lbs.	71	59	63	53	72	52	57	71	60
Average Sire PTA:
Avg PTA Dollars, Service Sire	285	97	264	195	290	238	168	233	236
Avg PTA Dollars, 1st lact.	174	68	121	121	178	163	118	-37	127
Avg PTA Dollars, Other cows	124	46	73	116	127	93	62	26	94
First Lact. vs. Other Lact. Cows:
Percent of herd 1st lact.	37	31	33	38	37	34	37	32	34
Avg Production Index, 1st lact.	101	95	101	101	101	102	98	100	101
Avg Production Index, other cows	99	102	100	98	99	99	102	100	99
Average age, 1st lact.	27	30	28	29	27	27	26	27	28
Average age, other cows	57	67	64	64	57	61	57	61	59
% Identified by sire, 1st lact.	70	83	84	93	70	85	77	74	59
% Identified by sire, other cows	71	84	90	97	71	80	89	88	58
Avg peak lbs, 1st lact	72	60	59	53	73	52	62	73	62
Avg peak lbs, other cows	92	77	78	65	93	64	80	97	79
Peak ratio	0.79	0.78	0.76	0.84	0.79	0.83	0.77	0.75	0.79
% Leaving herd, 1st lact	8	18	13	11	8	7	5	6	7
% Leaving herd, other cows	26	27	26	25	26	23	28	23	25
Cows Dry before Calving:
Average days dry	63	70	71	60	63	63	93	75	67
% Dry less than 40 days	13	11	7	12	13	9	13	6	11
% Dry 40 - 70 days	65	54	66	69	65	73	52	61	63
% Dry more than 70 days	22	34	27	18	22	18	35	33	26
Reproduction:
Minimum calving interval **	14.1	8	15.5	15.4	14.1	13.9	13.6	13.6	13.9
Apparent waiting period	50	33	48	59	50	50	59	53	45
Avg days to 1st heat **	95	70	97	102	96	90	91	83	94
Avg days to 1st breeding **	96	70	100	102	97	92	94	83	96
Avg days open **	165	106	190	194	166	147	133	135	155
Conception rate	12	3	9	7	12	14	20	17	11
Heat detection index	33	13	35	38	33	37	35	45	31
% Cows in heat by 60 days	17	4	21	16	17	24	12	11	21
% Repeat breeders	28	11	35	36	28	26	17	30	24

 

** includes data from pregnant cows, possibly pregnant cows and problem cows

 

District Meeting Locations/Dates

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                           

 

 

 

All meetings start at 11:45 with lunch.  All districts will elect delegates to the Minnesota DHIA Annual Meeting at Cabela’s in Rogers on Thursday March 22, 2007. Please call Minnesota DHIA with any questions.  The phone numbers of each location are listed in case you need to be contacted while attending. District Meetings are open to all members, but local board members are encouraged to attend.  Please come prepared to share your opinions.

 

All members are welcome to attend the meeting of your choice, but you can only vote or serve as a delegate at your district meeting.

 

Agenda items will include Milk ELISA Johne’s testing, ID systems, Records Processing Services, budgets and financial reports, Percent Milk Sold policy, and open discussion.

 

 

THE CONCEPT BEHIND the  National Animal Identification System

(reprinted from the USDA public posting)

 

Animal identification is not a new idea.  Federal and State animal health programs—such as cooperative eradication programs for brucellosis and scrapie—include an animal identification component, and certain classes of livestock must be officially identified before entering interstate commerce.  In addition, under current laws and rules, some animals must be identified before they can compete in shows or races.   

 

There are already multiple identification systems in place that exist for various purposes.  The critical difference with NAIS is the national scope and uniformity of the system across many animal species.   But, the basic components of NAIS—identifying premises and animals—are not any different from the approaches Federal and State officials have taken for centuries through animal disease programs to maintain the health of livestock and poultry in the United States. 

 

When diseases such as bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis were widespread in this country, animals were identified through disease eradication and control activities.  Animals were identified with a unique number every time they were tested or vaccinated for a disease for which there was a program.  During the height of these eradication programs, a large percentage of the U.S. livestock population was identified.  Now, with the successful eradication of many diseases, the need for and level of vaccination and testing is low—as is the percentage of uniquely identified animals and premises in the United States.  With this void of information, the ability to quickly find, control, and eradicate disease can be hindered.  

 

Today, new challenges in the industry pose new risks.  In commerce and the production chain, animals move from place to place and are in close contact before moving yet again.  Contagious diseases can spread quickly and across great distances.  Many States have information systems in place to locate at-risk animals and premises during an outbreak.  But these systems are not consistent or connected, which can slow the disease response should an infected animal cross State lines—just when time counts most.    

 

The voluntary NAIS program will help producers and animal health officials respond more quickly.  It offers a modern, streamlined information system that fills the current void in animal identification and provides a vital tool for rapid disease response.    

 

 

Foot and Mouth Disease Simulation at University of California, Davis

 

The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine is asking for your help to protect America’s livestock industry from an accidental or terrorist-caused outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD). “Economic losses from the 2001 FDM epidemic in the United Kingdom exceed $15 billion, and more than 6 million animals were slaughtered,” stated veterinarian Pelayo Alvarez from UC Davis. This project is designed to depict a realistic view of the possibility of a FMD outbreak in the United States.

 

The only help they request is that you spend 20 minutes to participate in their survey where you are asked to provide information about your livestock management practices. The survey is anonymous and all responses will be strictly confidential and used for research and modeling purposes ONLY. Understanding how FMD might spread among our country's diverse animal populations will allow us to target specific strategies for prevention and control of the disease epidemics.

 

Thank you in advance for your participation in this survey. Please feel free to pass on information about the survey to other livestock owners and managers and encourage their participation. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Robyn at 800-827-3442, ext 19.

 

To take the survey, go to http://survey.euro.confirmit.com/wix/p34177541.aspx