May 2002

HERD TOTAL REPORT - Now available


This month we have included a FREE copy of the newest report we are offering.  It is the HERD TOTAL REPORT (white). Also included is an explanation of the terms (blue) of this report.
The HERD TOTAL REPORT summarizes production and milk quality for a herd or permanent string for the most recent 12-month period. It provides yearly and monthly totals for the herd as well as rolling herd average production for the current year. The current yearly averages can be compared with yearly averages from three, six and twelve months ago. Managers may quickly review trends and take decisive action. It also provides the number of fresh cows and fresh heifers for each of the last 13 months, and calculates the average production for both groups for each month.

How do I continue receiving this report each month? Just tell your field representative you would like to receive the HERD TOTAL REPORT every test.  Any questions/comments on this report? Give us a call - 1.800.827.3442

 National DHIA Scholarship Application Available

 The National DHIA Scholarship Program is in its seventh year of existence. The support the program has received has been generous and solidifies the DHIAs
interest in tomorrow's dairy leaders.  Applicants will be evaluated on the basis of scholastic achievements and leadership in school and community activities. Scholarships are awarded to incoming and continuing students at technical, two, and four-year institutions.  Eligibility is defined as an immediate family member (husband, wife, son, daughter) on DHIA test or an immediate family member of a DHIA employee. Please note that you are entitled to receive the National DHIA scholarship one time.  All scholarships are $500. The recipients will be announced at the 2003 National DHIA annual meeting.

Applications for the 2003 National DHIA Scholarship Program are available online at: http://www.mndhia.org, or by calling our office at 1.800.827.3442.

 Cows for Sale

FOR SALE: 3 Springing Heifers - full vaccination program, Level 2 Johne's tested herd, AI bred, AI sired, 22,500 RHA. Due to calve in June,
August, September. Call Steve Hoffman - Brown County 507.354.7268 (5/1/02)

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.

 Minnesota Feedlot Rules for Manure Testing
Stearns DHIA


 The Minnesota Feedlot Rules State the following: "Manure from all storage areas holding manure from more than 300 animal units must be tested for nitrogen and phosphorous at least annually for the first three years and at least once every four years thereafter." 300 animal units equal approximately 160 dairy cows plus heifers and calves on a typical dairy farm.
     The rules also state: "Manure from all storage areas holding manure from 100 to 300 animal units must be tested for nitrogen and phosphorous at least once
every four years, or more frequently if management changes could lead to varying nutrient content. Individual stockpiles and manure packs generated by fewer than 100 animal units are not requited to be tested." 100 animal units equal approximately 55 dairy cows plus heifers and calves on a typical dairy farm.
     For a postage-paid manure analysis kit, please call the Stearns DHIA Lab at 1.800.369.2697. The charge for N, P and K testing is $20.00 for either liquid
or solid samples. Guidelines on how to take a sample are included in the kit.
The Stearns DHIA lab tests manure for 100+ custom manure applicators in the five-state area as well as producers of all types of livestock and poultry.

 Dave Nyberg presented Outstanding Field Service Award

 
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.
     It has been an exciting year for Dave Nyberg of New Auburn, WI. For the past 18 years he has been servicing herds in Barron/Washburn Counties in Wisconsin. As of last April, he has been servicing those same herds but processing them in the Minnesota/ATA system. Dave has been very progressive and actively working to make the new system work. His herds are very happy and well taken care of.
     Dave is currently testing 59 herds with 3,755 cows. He has added 8 new herds since the switch to MN, plus has taken on a sales role with MN DHIA by helping other Field Representatives in his local association add new herds. He has been a leader in learning DC305 and supporting software sales to his clients.
Starting with no software users, he currently has 6. From the time Dave tests the herd to the time the herd processes takes an average of 0.99 days and he is
testing his herds every 31.8 days.
     Dave has been a real leader in Barron Washburn DHI and an advocate for his herd owners. He has been ready to make changes that have been necessary to make a new system work for his herd owners. We are happy to have him as a part of the MN DHIA system. Thanks Dave for your great work and attitude!

VET LIST on your next Herd Health check

VET LIST is a Dairy Comp 305 Report that can be printed out for you on test day by your Field Representative. Take the time on your next test day with your
Field Rep to define your cow selection. This will save your time by not having to go back through your records to see who the Veterinarian needs to check when they are on your farm for herd health.
     The selection criterion is listed below with a brief explanation of each one. You can select the vet codes you want to use by putting a "Y" (YES) or "N" (NO) in the Y/N column. Then determine the value you want to use for each. You may want to fill this out ahead of time and give it to your Field Rep next time you test.

VETC

YVET

Y/N

VALUE

DESCRIPTION

====

====

===

=====

====================================

1

CHCK

Y

0

OWNER REQUEST FOR VET EXAM

2

FRSH

Y

30

COW FRESH (___) DAYS / RECHECK

3

PREG

Y

34

(___) DAYS POSTED BRED TO PREG CHECK

4

REPG

Y

180

(___) DAYS BRED TO CHECK TO DRY

5

ODUE

Y

300

(___) DAYS CARRIED CALF AND NOT FRESH

6

ABT?

Y

0

ABORTED???

7

CYST

N

10

(___) DAYS BETWEEN HEAT - CYSTIC???

8

MSHT

Y

30

(___) DAYS SINCE LAST HEAT

9

NOHT

Y

60

(___) DAYS IN MILK AND NO HEAT

10

PROB

N

250

(___) DAYS OPEN - PROBLEM BREEDER

11 XBRD N 3

(___) BRED MORE THAN (___) TIMES


 VETC (VET CODE)

  1. Check a cow you normally would not check. Example: a cow confirmed pregnant but you saw her showing signs of a heat. You may request a vet exam on her to see if she was still pregnant.
  2. How many days in milk before you do a post-calving check on the cow?
  3. How many days after breeding a cow you wait to pregnancy check her? If you check at 35 days then the value should be 34. This will bring up the cows bred 35 days or more.
  4. If you do a second pregnancy check to confirm the cow is still pregnant.
  5. This will alert you of any overdue dry cows that have not calved.
  6. This will add any cows that have aborted to the list. If a cow that has been confirmed pregnant has been seen in heat and rebred without marking her as open she will show up in this category too. The Vet can confirm if she was actually open at that breeding.
  7. If you breed a cow twice in a certain number of days she may be cystic. Do you want her on the list?
  8. If a cow has been bred and found open she will show up on the vet list under this category until she is rebred. The number of days is from the time she was last bred.
  9. How many days in milk after a cow calves to check her if she has no activity.
  10. Days open before I consider this cow a problem breeder. Usually turned off. This can interfere with cows you want to come up on the list for a preg check.
  11. Use this if you want animals to show up on the vet list because they have been bred more than X number of times.

After you have your cow selection defined you may want to customize your list even more. You can add items or take out items you don't need. For example, if you don't have strings you can remove the strg item from your report. If you use strings you can sort your vet list by strings and print out each string on a separate sheet of paper. If you check strings 1 & 2 this week and 3 & 4 next week you can print out separate lists for each of those days.

Items on the reports might include things like DSLH (days since bred) EDAY (date of last event) EVT (the event) REM (remark with that event), or RV (relative value). The item under VETC is the reason she is on the report.

BNAME

L

RPRO

DIM

TBRD

BRDHT

MILK

SCC

EDAY

EVT

REM

DSLH

VETC

BNAME

=====

=

=======

===

====

=====

  ====

===

====

=====

========

=====

====

=====

12

4

OK/OPEN

129

1

1/20

135

40

4/16

PROST

GNRH

70

MSHT

12____

17

4

OK/OPEN

152

1

1/26

93

60

4/16

OPEN

-

64

MSHT

17____

18

4

FRESH

63

0

-

127

760

4/16

RECK

INFECTIO

0

FRSH

18____

Some herd owners like the history on each cow handy to look at in case the vet has a question about previous events. The "V Switch" can be added at the end of your list and every event recorded for a cow will be printed on the vet list.  If you only need the last 6 events you can add a "V6" or "V4" for the last 4
events recorded. Below is an example of a vet list with the "V4" switch added.

BNAME

STRG

LACT

RPRO

DIM

TBRD

BRDHT

MILK

RV

DSLH

VETC

BRDHT

BNAME

=====

=====

====

=======

==

===

====

====

==

====

====

=====

=====

213

1

1

OK/OPEN

310

4

2/25/02

80

123

43

MSHT

 

213

 

3/20/02

MAST

RR/CEFA

4/5/02

RECK

PGRH

 

 

 

 

3/26/02

MOVE

TO SOUTH

4/9/02

OPEN

CL2UNF10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

228

1

1

BRED

130

1

3/4/02

85

91

36

PREG

 

228

 

12/25/01

MOVE

TO SOUTH

3/4/02

BRED

1H2278 8T

 

2/22/02

OK

 OVSYNCH

4/5/02

 RECK PGLH

If you take a look at the VETC (vet code) item on this example you can tell why these two cows are on the list. Cow 213 has MSHT (missed heat-she was found open on 4/9 and hasn't been rebred yet) and 228 has PREG (pregnancy check). You have the last 4 events for the cow and a blank line to write the results down when she gets checked.

The next time your Field Rep visits give them the completed customized list and they can record your data to run VET LIST. Using the Vet report gives you the
added benefit of making it easier to keep a record of some of the information found on herd health checks. If you have any questions - please give your field rep a call or call the office @ 1.800.827.3442.