Mastitis costs producers money in more ways than one. Studies have shown that a high Somatic Cell Count (SCC) reduces a cow's milk production, adversely affects milk flavor and shortens the shelf life of fluid milk. Cows that have clinical mastitis in early lactation also have a significant increase in the average number of days open. Would you like to win the fight against this silent profit robber and improve your bottom line? Minnesota DHIA, in conjunction with the University of Minnesota, is offering Bulk Tank Culturing and Individual Cow Culturing for mastitis-causing agents. The University of Minnesota is a nationally renowned leader in the diagnosis and prevention of bovine mastitis. Our field personnel have received training in sampling techniques developed by the U of MN and are proficient in both Bulk Tank Culturing and Individual Cow Culturing.
BULK TANK CULTURING is a useful technique for determining the general types of mastitis-causing bacteria present in cows within a herd, as well as the amount of exposure to environmental bacteria . If Staph aureus is present in the bulk tank, the dairyman should follow up with INDIVIDUAL COW CULTURES so those infected cows can be managed to help prevent the spread of the organism. If Strep agalactiae (Strep ag) is identified, cows should also be individually cultured because they can be successfully treated. High levels of environmental bacteria in the bulk tank usually indicates the need to focus attention on bedding management and proper milking procedure, particularly cow preparation.
BULK TANK CULTURING: Samples are taken for 5 days to give accurate results regarding contagious agents (Staph aureus and Strep ag.). Our DHIA field personnel will provide a sampling kit and review sampling instructions with the producer prior to sampling. The herdowner will usually be responsible for taking samples.
INDIVIDUAL COW CULTURING: The best time for taking individual cow samples is during milking, right after the cow has been prepped and before the unit is attached. DHIA personnel will do the sampling and will have the supplies they need from the University to ensure that high quality samples are being taken. Arrangements will need to be made about a week in advance of the sampling date to allow the University time to send the right number of sample vials and alcohol swabs to the person doing the sampling. Culture results for Bulk Tank Sampling and Individual Cow Sampling will be sent to you and your veterinarian. If you desire, you may also get information on the interpretation of culture results from the University. Individual cow culture results can be recorded in DC 305 and Scout herd management programs.
For more information on our culturing services, call Gabe Gieske @ 1-800-996-1571.
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 2001, election of delegates to the Annual Meeting scheduled for March 26, election of directors for 3-year terms in districts noted below, and new and old business.
| elect | Monday | March 11 | Northeast District | Embers, Milaca |
| elect | Tuesday | March 12 | West Central District | Pizza Ranch, Glenwood |
| Thursday | March 14 | Barron Washburn | Courthouse in Barron |
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 a local annual meeting, so
please refer to those notices for details.
Call 800-827-3442 for answers, or to make a reservation.
Proper and accurate animal identification has always been essential to profitable dairying. With today's growing interest in tracking an animal throughout its entire life, a permanent identification system has become more important. Minnesota DHIA offers a full line of tags. We offer several different styles and color, including 1-piece numbered or blank, 2-piece button back numbered or blank, long neck calf tags, feed lot tags, sheep & goat tags. We also have several printing options available, such as American ID, farm name, management number, sire & dam name, etc.
For more information or to order, please call Joyce at 800-827-3442. They can be delivered right to your barn door.
Entire herd Holsteins FOR SALE, 30-40 head located in Mabel, MN. This herd has 30+ years of AI with Accelerated Genetics. If interested please call Leo or Dan McKenna @ 507.493.5896 or 507.733.5788.
4 Springing Holstein Heifers FOR SALE. This herd has been using AI for 20+ years. If interested please call Jim Raymond at 320.543.3205. (2/5/02)
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.
We will be conducting Dairy Comp 305 User's meeting at the following
locations. Each location will begin @ 10:00 am.
Please bring a
backup disk of your herd to work on. You will be working on your own herd
on notebook computers we will be providing for the meeting.
Topics include: The Command Line, Using Scheduler, Vet Lists & Vet enter, Bredsum, Protocols and open question (if time available)
Dates and locations are as follows:
March 11 Loon
Restaurant, Lewiston
March 12 Lakes Cafe, Perham March 20 Courthouse
basement meeting room, Thief River Falls
March 21 American Inn, Sauk Centre
March 22 Government Annex - Meeting Room #1, Little Falls
March 25 Govt
Service Bldg Conf #3, Faribault March 27 Courthouse - Farmers Room, Worthington
April 2 Extension Office - Conf Room "C", Rochester
April 4 Countryside
Public Health Bldg, Ortonville
Everyone working with Dairy Comp 305 on your farm is invitied.
There will be a $10 registration fee which will cover lunch and handouts for
the meeting.
If you are interested in attending any of these meetings, please call us at 1-800-827-3442.
Your water may seem fine, but can you be sure? Many contaminants are unseen, harmful and can appear in previously safe water supplies. Concurrently, water can change - with the seasons, rainfall, soil treatments and other environmental effects. To be sure your water is safe, professional testing is recommended. Water testing is increasing in popularity. There are three different packages offered for your convenience: Livestock Suitability test is $35.00 Domestic Suitability is $25.00 Mineral Package is $25.00 Individual tests for minerals, nitrates, coliform, conductivity and pH are also available. Stearns DHIA Lab offers the following sampling methods as general guidelines. For coliform samples, swab the tip of the faucet with bleach, prior to flushing the lines for 2 -3 minutes. Coliform samples should be analyzed within 24 hours of collection. For this reason water samples to be tested for coliform will not be accepted on Friday or the day before any major holiday. For other samples, rinse the container two or three times with the water being collected unless preservative has been added to the container and it is needed to maintain sample integrity. Separate any suspended matter from the sample by pouring it off or filtering. Completely fill the container, leaving a small space for expansion of the liquid. For all samples, label the container or fill out accompanying paperwork with the necessary information. Refrigerate the sample and deliver as soon as possible to the lab for analysis. Well Water: When collection a well sample, pump the well for several minutes so the actual sample collected is from the groundwater source. Tap Water: When the sample is collected from a distribution system, run the tap fully open for 2 -3 minutes before collecting the sample. River Water: When the sample is collected from a stream or river, take a grab sample from the middle of the main channel at mid-depth. Open the container below the surface to avoid collecting surface scum. Lakes and Reservoirs: When the sample is collected from a lake or reservoir, the collected sample will reflect local conditions such as rainfall, runoff and wind. Choose time, location and depth of collection depending on the condition and the purpose of sampling. Open the container below the surface to avoid collecting surface scum. Stearns Lab offers a convenient by-mail water testing services.
Simply request your testing supplies at 1.800.369.2697. You will be sent a water test kit, instructions, a lab information form and a postage-paid return package. The certified test results are returned to by mail, fax or email.
DHIA service is as good as the person who shows up on your farm each sample day. Each year Minnesota DHIA recognizes 7 of the very best Field Reps. They represent the top 6% of the DHIA field staff. Please join me in Congratulating Kevin Knoblach for his Outstanding Service Award. Kevin is one of those silent stars out in our organization. Kevin lives in Sauk Centre with his family and has been a Field Representative for 3 years. When we do get to talk to Kevin, he is very keen on getting the correct answers for his clients and wants to provide the best possible service that he can. Kevin has a turn around time at 1.06 sample date to process. He is currently testing 57 herds and has added 4 new herds this past year. With so many herds selling cows all the time, Kevin has been able to keep his herd numbers stable. He is getting around to each herd an average of every 31.6 days or 12 tests per year. We thank Kevin for being a very service oriented field representative.
Keep up the outstanding job with your herds Kevin!