Minnesota DHIA News
A PUBLICATION OF MINNESOTA DHIA	Volume 10,  Issue  2	February 2010

Seven Important Monitors
The DHI-403 Transition Cow Management Report provides analysis of seven important monitors that will help you discover opportunities for improving management of the transition period:

-Dry Periods - were they the proper length?
Studies found that dry periods < 30 days = 5% to 15% less milk; >70 days = 10% less milk
If shorter dry periods are targeted, are they being achieved? Are there too many early dries?

-First Milk - are cows producing well?
Cows and heifers that have low first test milk weights likely had a problem in transition. Higher milk
indicates dry matter intake is adequate and these cows should reach their potential for peak milk

-Fat Protein Ratio (FPR) - is it appropriate on the first test?
A normal FPR of 1.0 to 1.6 on the first test indicates that cows began the lactation eating well, are
maintaining bodyweight, and there are few metabolic and infectious disorders.

-Udder Health - what percent of the herd does not have an SCC infection on the first test?
A high percentage of infected cows on first test (SCC score >4.0) indicates problems in the dry
cow treatment program or dry pen conditions.

-Reproduction - are cows ready to breed soon enough?
If cows have transitioned well and are healthy, and if breeders are doing their job, most cows
should be bred within 30 days of the voluntary waiting period.

-Turnover - are cows surviving to 60 days in milk?
Excessive fresh cow culling is financially devastating. Fresh cow culling is a critical measure of fresh cow health. Healthy fresh cows are likely to perform very well during lactation. Cows leaving prior to 60 days in milk most likely will not have paid for the cost of the dry period.

-Distressed Cows - what percent of cows were not distressed during transition period?
Stressors during the transition period can cause cows to fail during the lactation for any of the reasons listed in the chart. In addition to a graph showing the percent of cows not distressed, a list of recently calved cows with low milk and/or high SCC is provided highlighting the reason(s) why she
 is considered distressed.

Try it Out!

Top Reasons to be on Scout:

10.  Lactation curve and detailed identification information on every animal.

  9.  Create customized dry off, to calve, and to breed lists for daily management.

  8.  Manage Vaccination programs for Modified Live, J-5, Scout Guard or Bangs.

  7.  Summarize inventory for year end book keeping (i.e. How many bulls calves sold, how many cows culled).

  6.  Record Johne’s disease testing.

  5.  Analyze conception rates by sire, breeding code (i.e. standing heat vs ovsync), and breeding technician.

  4.  Analyze pregnancy rate after each vet check.

  3.  Track and analyze health events (i.e. DAs, Ketosis, Mastitis, Pneumonia) with consistent treatments.

  2.  Manage PreSynch, OvSynch, or Resync breeding programs.

1. Create a customized Vet Check List

Free Lunch!  District Meeting Locations/Dates

All members and partners are welcome at any of the meetings.  Local board members are encouraged to attend.  Consultants who utilize our software are welcome at the software user meetings.  Lunch is provided for those attending either meeting   Please call Minnesota DHIA with any questions. 

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.  All districts will elect delegates to the Minnesota DHIA Annual Meeting on March 25 in Rogers.

Metro District - Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, McLeod, Scott, Washington, and Wright

February 26 at Pizza Ranch Waconia 224 West 1st Street (952-442-3321)

Scout users at 10:30, Lunch for all at Noon, District Meeting 12:45-2:30

South East District - Fillmore, Houston, Olmsted, and Winona Counties on March 1

at Pizza Ranch in Stewartville (North on 63)

Dairy Comp Users at 10, buffet lunch at noon, District Meeting at 12:45

West Central District – South Dakota, Big Stone, Chippewa, Douglas, Grant, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Meeker, Pope, Renville, Swift, Stevens, Todd, Traverse, and Yellow Medicine Counties

All interested DHIA members and families are welcome, whether you are in the west central district or not.

Dairy Research and Renewable Energy presentations start at 11, tours after lunch

We will have presentations from Joel Tallacksen on the wind turbine and other renewable energy sources at 11, along with Dennis Johnson (about to retire) talking about dairy research at the experiment station.  Following the short program, lunch will be served at the meeting.  After lunch, tours will be available (weather permitting).

March 2 at West Central Experiment Station in Morris

>From the north on #59, cross # 28, left on #329 at big U of M sign, left at WCROC office sign.
>From the east on #28, left on # 59, proceed as above.
>From the south on # 9, right to 59N, right on # 329 at big U of M sign, proceed as above. 
 
Please call in (800.827.3442) with a number of attendees so we can prepare enough roast beef for lunch!

If you are interested in looking at what the software can provide you with, please come to the software meeting!

Averages from herds tested in January 2010: 181 Days in Milk, 73.6 pounds of milk per milking cow, 3.7 butterfat and 3.1 protein tests, Peak milk for lactation one is 74#, 157 average Days open, 14.4 month projected calving interval, 3.0 services per conception, 92 days to first service, 64 dry days, and SCC at 284,452.

January Milk Quality Top 100 based on Raw SCC
 

	SCC	cows		SCC	cows
JASON + NANCY BACHMANN	34	32	ALTON WOOD	76	46
ZUMBRO VIEW FARMS LLC	42	49	RICK HEUER	77	102
DAN AND JOLENE SCHLANGEN	43	66	DENNIS +DARREN JOHNSON	77	147
MARK KLEHR	43	58	BECHTOLD BROS	78	77
NORBERT BROWN	46	33	BRADLEY A STARK	78	32
CHUCK KLAPHAKE	47	98	MICHAEL AND KRIS BANSE	78	66
CB FARMS LLC	49	50	EARL FELLING	78	74
MANANNAH-VALLEY	49	35	JAMES C PFEIFER	78	59
JEFF PETERMEIER	50	26	JERON NATHE	79	290
DANIEL HALLBERG	52	61	LUTZ DAIRY FARM	80	56
SCHEFERS BROS	52	81	DAVID SCHUUR	80	54
CIRCLE DRIVE HOLSTEINS	52	19	DENNIS AND WAYNE WOLTERS	80	106
RONALD AND SUSAN JOHNSON	54	63	JIM & RANDI WINGERT	81	91
MATT BERKTOLD	55	170	JOPPS CENTURY FARMS	81	109
GLEN CHRISTEN	57	44	CRAZY DAISY DAIRY	82	137
KEVIN ANDERSON	57	46	TED TEWS	82	153
GARY LIESER	60	49	KEVIN+CONNIE HAMMEL	83	30
GREGG VALORA STANGL	60	66	BRUCE HANSON	85	32
BRUCE AND JILL BOETTCHER	61	153	GOODVUE AYR FARMS II	85	49
DEWEY HERBER	61	144	ROGER ALDINGER	85	64
PANEK DAIRY	61	58	BRUCE BURMEISTER	85	37
KARA-KESH HOLSTEINS	61	2	LARRY LEXVOLD FAMILY	86	64
TERRY KOLSTAD	62	29	KCE FARM	86	107
HIESERICH FARM	62	86	BREEZY POINT FRM - LASKA	86	70
WAYNE KOEPP	62	153	DEAN RAUSCH	87	70
TONY MATHEWS	62	63	RICHARD & DEBI FRAZIER	88	106
GERALD+LISA BURG	62	48	BRAD GLENZ	88	58
ROBERT MILLER	63	57	RICHARD FONDER	88	36
BOB & TERRI KETCHUM	64	127	GRIEBELS BLACK AND WHITE	89	73
SONDAG DAIRY	64	38	JOEL & NICOLE GROSS	90	43
DEAN + ELIZABETH JOHNSON	64	77	RICHARD & SUSAN LENTZ	91	91
CURT + JACKIE BEKIUS	65	65	JOHN + KARYL DIERSEN	92	148
MARK SCHMITT	68	94	BOB & LIZ KROCAK	93	174
STACY & JULIE MILLER	68	83	SCHREIBER BROS	93	87
THELL CENTURY FARM	68	65	SCHLIEP FAMILY DAIRY	94	68
TIM & SUE HOESE	68	34	DALE AUSTING	94	104
BENGTSON FAMILY FARM	69	45	JERRY + BEV POHLMANN	95	69
PETER SKAJ	69	58	HOEFS' DAIRY	95	217
SIGEL DAIRY COMPANY	70	61	PETERM&LYNN HENDRICKSON	95	68
FUNKS MIDWAY DAIRY	70	567	JASON & JOHN SCHROEDER	95	55
LARRY AND DIANNA BRAEM	70	42	DAVID AND DONNA ANDERSON	95	47
DAVID & CINDY HOESE	70	31	MARSHALL KORN	96	84
GREGORY P. ZILKA	72	34	SCHULTE FARMS	96	241
KIMM'S DAIRY	73	84	STEVE + LORRIE HELLMANN	96	47
LYLE AND WANDA HONEBRINK	74	105	MAAS FARMS	97	41
ROGER DITTBERNER	74	41	RICK STOCKER	97	84
SELKE FARMS	75	218	TRIPLE H DAIRY	98	164
CRONK DAIRY	75	37	DAVE SCHROEDER	98	31
UDDER VALLEY DAIRY	75	199	EUGENE ANDERSON	98	40
KUECHLE DAIRY	76	215	D & J DAIRY	98	107