Minnesota Dairy Herd Improvement Association

307 Brighton Avenue South w Buffalo, MN 55313

763.682.1091 w Fax 763.682.1117 w www.mndhia.org

BENEFITS OF MUN TESTING

According to Mike Hutjens of the University of Illinois, as quoted in Agriview, looking at the amount of urea nitrogen in a cow’s milk can provide an accurate reflection of how much nitrogen that cow is absorbing but not using for growth or to make milk. Most of this nitrogen comes from feed. When a cow eats too much protein, she excretes the excess nitrogen in her milk and her urine.

Testing individual cows and whole herds can establish a baseline MUN level. From there increases or reductions in MUN can be tracked and analyzed. Hutjens advised looking for answers if MUN drops or rises more than two or three points from the baseline.

Underfeeding and overfeeding are not the only things that MUN can help monitor. Hutjens sees other uses for the milk test, including the monitoring the impact of heat abatement procedures, as a predictor of acidosis, and can reveal cows that are using more energy than they are consuming early in their lactations.

Jim Linn of the University of Minnesota says MUN has value in evaluation of protein and carbohydrate feeding to dairy cows. MUN values in the mid-teens and higher are probably too high today.  Either the total protein in the ration or the type of protein (rumen degradable) is higher than necessary when values are mid-teens and above.

Insufficient rumen degradable carbohydrate may also be a factor with high MUNs, but less likely than feeding excess or highly degradable protein.

MUNs of 5 or lower should be of concern as we may not be feeding enough protein to meet rumen bacteria needs.

Thus, MUNS between 7 and 12 are very satisfactory and probably a good range to meet protein needs of the cow and rumen bacteria.

10:1 RETURN ON MUN TESTING!

Cornell University research has indicated a 10-1 return on the cost of MUN testing. This reflects potential savings in feed costs and reduced days open if MUN testing leads to a reduction in MUN as a result of feeding program changes.

At 15 cents per sample, the investment in DHIA MUN testing can pay for itself pretty fast. At $15 for a 100 cow herd, it doesn’t take long for a return on that investment given the price of protein these days. It is useful to group cows by lactation number, days in milk, or milk, and there should be at least 10 cows in a group to create a true group MUN value

See the complete breakout of the MUN values for your herd on the DHIA MUN Profile report enclosed on yellow paper.

Contact your Minnesota DHIA Field Representative or state office staff about starting your herd on a regular MUN testing program.

“There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction”. Winston Churchill
February Quality Leaders Based on Log SCC

	SCC	Log SCC	Cows		SCC	Log SCC	Cows
TERRY KOLSTAD	44	1.0	27	RONALD AND SUSAN JOHNSON	72	1.9	60
ROBERT MILLER	84	1.2	60	GODE DAIRY	76	1.9	43
DAN AND JOLENE SCHLANGEN	44	1.3	63	JERON NATHE	80	1.9	247
TRAVIS-RICHARD SCHLOSSER	46	1.3	34	JOEL & NICOLE GROSS	81	1.9	43
BRUCE RUNDHAUG	85	1.3	57	ART AND JANE STUMPF	82	1.9	50
Kara-Kesh Holsteins	33	1.4	4	RUIS-ING SUN DAIRY	84	1.9	69
CIRCLE DRIVE HOLSTEINS	51	1.4	19	RAY+MARY FUCHS	86	1.9	64
FRANK PATRICK	53	1.4	56	PAUL & MARY ZIMMERMAN	87	1.9	64
CRONK DAIRY	58	1.4	35	PATRICK THOENNES	87	1.9	56
HAPPKE HOLSTEIN FARM	52	1.5	75	SC0TT AND DENISE GATHJE	89	1.9	75
KEVIN & CHERYL KRUIZENGA	81	1.5	64	SELKE FARMS	90	1.9	169
DAVID BUCK	119	1.5	65	LYNN WAEGE	91	1.9	44
TOM FUECHTMANN	56	1.6	95	GERALD SEITZER	92	1.9	61
HIESERICH FARM	56	1.6	85	KIMM'S DAIRY	94	1.9	83
JULIAN + DAVID SJOSTROM	59	1.6	72	DARRIN STEIN&LYNN SCHULTZ	95	1.9	46
MARK KLEHR	64	1.6	60	CLETUS MILLER	100	1.9	28
WAYNE KOEPP	67	1.6	138	MIKE MOTL+KIM HARFF	101	1.9	79
KEVIN & SHEILA THARALDSON	76	1.6	56	PEDERSONS Y-ME RANCH	105	1.9	69
SCOTT FELDHACKER	140	1.6	64	BENGTSON FAMILY FARM	108	1.9	47
DANIEL HALLBERG	147	1.6	61	LARRY LEXVOLD FAMILY	121	1.9	66
Schreiber Brothers	53	1.7	85	LARRY AND SHARON WISTE	128	1.9	28
GREGORY P. ZILKA	63	1.7	32	ROBERT SWYTER	148	1.9	65
BOB AND BARB PETIT	63	1.7	64	BRUCE AND JODI HEIM	148	1.9	167
CURT + JACKIE BEKIUS	65	1.7	77	ZUMBRO VIEW FARMS LLC	67	2	46
JKG HAVEN DAIRY	72	1.7	20	BECHTOLD BROS	69	2	128
D & J DAIRY	83	1.7	109	PAUL+ANN%NIBBE	71	2	37
GEHL ACRES	85	1.7	74	DEVOINE KRUSE	73	2	130
BRUCE HANSON	97	1.7	31	DAVID SMITH	78	2	32
KEVIN SPLETT	99	1.7	48	KEVIN ANDERSON	79	2	47
JOHN WASNER DAIRY	116	1.7	32	TODD & KATHY JOHNSTON	84	2	60
LUX-URY HOLSTEINS INC.	122	1.7	130	DONALD YOUNG	87	2	53
JOHN ROBERS	124	1.7	20	UDDER VALLEY DAIRY	87	2	243
JIM KULINSKI	144	1.7	51	ALVIN H BURSCH	88	2	63
SIBERT FARMS	191	1.7	45	RICHARD SCHNOBRICH	92	2	44
LYLE AND WANDA HONEBRINK	60	1.8	96	DALE + BRENDA GOEBEL	97	2	62
RKB DAIRY	79	1.8	89	DUANE & KAREN TIMM	99	2	82
ROBERT + TERRI DAHLEN	80	1.8	55	MOGER FARMS	100	2	105
ACKERMAN FARMS	91	1.8	106	ROSEVEIW DAIRY	102	2	176
MAYNARD SCHUMACHER	92	1.8	46	NEWALTA DAIRY	103	2	734
MIKE & PAT BERNECKER	96	1.8	51	DALE AUSTING	115	2	110
SONNEK FARMS	97	1.8	64	DOUGLAS +LINDA ENGLER	124	2	103
KEN & AARON VOGT	103	1.8	125	DEWEY HERBER	134	2	141
JIM TINTES	111	1.8	25	STEVE & ALAN OELTJEN	143	2	76
ROBERT SLATER	122	1.8	27	DALE MIDDENDORF	149	2	83
DEAN FRISLE	123	1.8	66	THOMAS JOHNSON	161	2	33
MEADOW LARK DAIRY	128	1.8	299	DAVID SCHUUR	66	2.1	51
DAVID FLOM	50	1.9	25	WAYNE AND WADE ATHEY	75	2.1	49
MARK TESSMER	61	1.9	46	LARRY AND DIANNA BRAEM	79	2.1	41
PHILIP & SHEREEN HAUGE	69	1.9	43	WILFRED+JUDY BLONIGEN	80	2.1	69
OAT HILL DAIRY	71	1.9	85	SCHLIEP FAMILY DAIRY	85	2.1	65

February 2008 Quality Top 100 based on Raw SCC

	SCC	Log SCC	Cows		SCC	Log SCC	Cows
Kara-Kesh Holsteins	33	1.4	4	GEHL ACRES	85	1.7	74
TERRY KOLSTAD	44	1	27	SCHLIEP FAMILY DAIRY	85	2.1	65
DAN AND JOLENE SCHLANGEN	44	1.3	63	RAY+MARY FUCHS	86	1.9	64
TRAVIS-RICHARD SCHLOSSER	46	1.3	34	PAUL & MARY ZIMMERMAN	87	1.9	64
DAVID FLOM	50	1.9	25	PATRICK THOENNES	87	1.9	56
CIRCLE DRIVE HOLSTEINS	51	1.4	19	DONALD YOUNG	87	2	53
HAPPKE HOLSTEIN FARM	52	1.5	75	UDDER VALLEY DAIRY	87	2	243
Schreiber Brothers	53	1.7	85	MICHAEL AND KRIS BANSE	87	2.2	67
FRANK PATRICK	53	1.4	56	ALVIN H BURSCH	88	2	63
TOM FUECHTMANN	56	1.6	95	SC0TT AND DENISE GATHJE	89	1.9	75
HIESERICH FARM	56	1.6	85	SELKE FARMS	90	1.9	169
CRONK DAIRY	58	1.4	35	JOHN E SAUBER	90	2.2	57
JULIAN + DAVID SJOSTROM	59	1.6	72	LARSON BROS. DAIRY	90	2.2	78
LYLE AND WANDA HONEBRINK	60	1.8	96	SHIR-MAN HOLSTEIN FARM	90	2.4	103
MARK TESSMER	61	1.9	46	ACKERMAN FARMS	91	1.8	106
GREGORY P. ZILKA	63	1.7	32	LYNN WAEGE	91	1.9	44
BOB AND BARB PETIT	63	1.7	64	MAYNARD SCHUMACHER	92	1.8	46
MARK KLEHR	64	1.6	60	GERALD SEITZER	92	1.9	61
CURT + JACKIE BEKIUS	65	1.7	77	RICHARD SCHNOBRICH	92	2	44
DAVID SCHUUR	66	2.1	51	KIMM'S DAIRY	94	1.9	83
WAYNE KOEPP	67	1.6	138	DARRIN STEIN&LYNN SCHULTZ	95	1.9	46
ZUMBRO VIEW FARMS LLC	67	2	46	KEVIN & CARAL SCHAFER	95	2.2	40
PHILIP & SHEREEN HAUGE	69	1.9	43	JEFF & JULIE KETCHUM	95	2.2	27
BECHTOLD BROS	69	2	128	MIKE & PAT BERNECKER	96	1.8	51
OAT HILL DAIRY	71	1.9	85	BRUCE HANSON	97	1.7	31
PAUL+ANN%NIBBE	71	2	37	SONNEK FARMS	97	1.8	64
JKG HAVEN DAIRY	72	1.7	20	DALE + BRENDA GOEBEL	97	2	62
RONALD AND SUSAN JOHNSON	72	1.9	60	DONALD AND BRIAN ENTINGER	97	2.2	79
DEVOINE KRUSE	73	2	130	CULLBARR FARMS	97	2.2	88
WAYNE AND WADE ATHEY	75	2.1	49	ARMIN & DOUG PRIGGE	97	2.3	104
KEVIN & SHEILA THARALDSON	76	1.6	56	TIM & SUE HOESE	97	2.3	46
GODE DAIRY	76	1.9	43	REWITZER+SONS	97	2.6	39
DAVID SMITH	78	2	32	KEVIN SPLETT	99	1.7	48
RKB DAIRY	79	1.8	89	DUANE & KAREN TIMM	99	2	82
KEVIN ANDERSON	79	2	47	LESLIE+TERESA BIERBAUM	99	2.1	46
LARRY AND DIANNA BRAEM	79	2.1	41	CLETUS MILLER	100	1.9	28
CHAD FELTMANN	79	2.4	9	MOGER FARMS	100	2	105
ROBERT + TERRI DAHLEN	80	1.8	55	PAUL WEIDENBORNER	100	2.1	127
JERON NATHE	80	1.9	247	CHAIN O LAKES DAIRY	100	2.2	188
WILFRED+JUDY BLONIGEN	80	2.1	69	MIKE KUGATH	100	2.3	48
KEVIN & CHERYL KRUIZENGA	81	1.5	64	MIKE MOTL+KIM HARFF	101	1.9	79
JOEL & NICOLE GROSS	81	1.9	43	SCOTT & JACOLYN RICKEMAN	101	2.1	73
ART AND JANE STUMPF	82	1.9	50	ANTHONY LEMMER	101	2.4	44
GOLBERGS LAKEVIEW DAIRY	82	2.3	107	DAVE CORBETT	101	2.4	34
D & J DAIRY	83	1.7	109	ROSEVEIW DAIRY	102	2	176
ROBERT MILLER	84	1.2	60	HERB+SHARON WIELENBERG	102	2.1	36
RUIS-ING SUN DAIRY	84	1.9	69	HENRY THOMFORDE	102	2.4	46
TODD & KATHY JOHNSTON	84	2	60	KEN & AARON VOGT	103	1.8	125
KIDMAN DAIRY	84	2.2	116	NEWALTA DAIRY	103	2	734
BRUCE RUNDHAUG	85	1.3	57	POXLEITNER DAIRY	103	2.1	134