Newsletter

Minnesota DHIA News

A PUBLICATION OF MINNESOTA DHIA Volume 4, Issue 5 Mayl 2004

Milking Equipment Checkup

Here are some tips from Dr. Andy Johnson, past President of the National Mastitis Council and well-known mastitis expert.

At every milking:

Check the vacuum level—verify that it is at the desired level.
Check the cleanliness of inflations, shells and claws—also look for tears, holes, twisted inflations.
Check the air-vents—a cleaning tool should be readily available.
Use the "fall-off" test—with all other units attached hold one unit upside down so it is leaking the full amount of air. The vacuum level should not drop more than 0.6" in a properly functioning system.
Use the "recovery" test—with all units attached open a milk inlet, or pull off a milk hose from the milk line so that the vacuum drops about 1". Then stop the leak—the vacuum level should recover within 3 seconds. If the vacuum level bounces up more than 0.6" above where it is supposed to be, the regulator isn’t working properly.
Observe cow behavior—stepping or kicking at the units at the end of milking indicates over-milking. Red or blue teats indicate problems with vacuum level or pulsation.

Daily:

Test the vacuum level by placing a finger into an inflation for a few seconds. If the inflation pinches or causes discomfort you may want to have your system evaluated during milking.

Weekly:

Pull off a short air tube and listen to the pulsator action—does the change from vacuum to no vacuum sound the same from each unit and is it crisp?

Annually—3-4 times per year for larger dairies:

Have entire system serviced and maintained. Check pulsation, air flows, and vacuum level.
Have milking time evaluation done.
Ideal claw vacuum during peak milk flow should be 11.5" to 12.5".
Make sure all automatic takeoffs are functioning properly.
Have milking routine evaluated—timing, teat end cleanliness, proper letdown, etc.

Properly functioning equipment is vital for udder health and maximum production.

Judy Rickbeil recognized as one of the Best

Field Representative, Judy Rickbeil was recently recognized for her exceptional performance by being named one of the Minnesota DHIA Outstanding Field Representatives for 2003.

Judy who is from Browerville, has been a Field Representative for Todd County DHIA since March of 1992. Currently, Judy provides service to 54 herds. Judy has encouraged her herd owners to experience new technology, she currently has 7 users of DHIA on-farm software. Judy volunteered for training in mastitis culturing, and now offers that service to customers.

In her spare time, Judy enjoys spending quality time outdoors.

Thank you Judy for the excellent service that you provide to our customers.

New Report available from DC305 or your Field Rep on Test day.

The command to run is EVENTS\3 This report is a summary of calves born in the past year.

Minnesota DHIA policy for the 2004 testing year requires herds have 11 tests during calendar 2004 in order for herd data to be published in the Minnesota DHIA Annual Summary information.

DHIA Employees Reach Milestones

Our sincere congratulations go out to our hard working and dedicated Minnesota DHIA Field Representatives who are celebrating anniversaries this month. Maloye Thomas of Butterfield - 15 years and Corey Hotovec of Nicollet – 5 years. Please join us in extending our thanks to them for all the good work they do.

Milk Quality Tops for April 2004 sample days (SCC in 1,000s)

DAN AND JOLENE/SCHLANGEN	EDEN VALLEY	50	F LYLE/SONDAG	APPLETON	100
MATT/HENDRICKSON	MENAGHA	55	LEO/LENZMEIER	SHAKOPEE	100
LOWELL/BAKKEDAHL	SARGEANT	57	CHAIN O LAKES DAIRY	BLUE EARTH	100
DYNAMITE HOLSTEINS	CHETEK	57	JOEL & NICOLE/GROSS	HILLMAN	101
PAUL & MARY/ZIMMERMAN	BROOTEN	60	KEITH/MAUS	MORRIS	102
PETERMARK/HENDRICKSON	MENAHGA	65	GERALD L/KONU	MOOSE LAKE	102
AIMEE/FINLEY	ST. CHARLES	68	KELLY+KURTIS/RONNINGEN	WEST CONCORD	102
ROSEY FUTURE HOLSTEINS/	ISLE	69	DENNIS/FISCHER	PIERZ	103
CHELSEA HOLSTEINS	GLENCOE	69	DAN + CINDY/NIELSEN	RICE	104
JIM P/BECK	PRINCETON	69	JOHN AND STACI/SCHERBER	ROGERS	104
MARK/KLEHR	BELLE PLAINE	72	DEVOINE/KRUSE	CALEDONIA	104
NORBERT E/WALDORF	BELGRADE	73	DONALD + PETER/SETTERGREN	DASSEL	105
NORBERT/BROWN	GREY EAGLE	74	THOMAS & RITA WOLBECK	WAUBUN	106
DELBERT/KRUEGER	ALEXANDRIA	75	SCHREIBER BROS/	RUSHFORD	106
DAVID/HALLBERG+STEPH LARS	PENNOCK	75	DAVID/POPOWSKI	IVANHOE	106
KIMM'S DAIRY	PELICAN RAPIDS	75	GREG AND MARISA/SABOLIK	KENSINGTON	107
LYNDON/LICHTY	STEWARTVILLE	78	DAVID/MANN	NEWYORKMILLS	108
WAYNE & KATHERINE/VOTH	LEWISTON	78	CHARLES/NELSON	CUMBERLAND	108
BOB & TERRI KETCHUM	UTICA	80	WILLIS-MARY/KRUEGER	ALEXANDRIA	108
SELKE FARMS/	DAKOTA	81	RON+BRAD\AUSMUS	HINCKLEY	109
JAMES HAUSCHILDT	ELLSWORTH	82	MIKE + BETH/DEPPA	FOLEY	109
PRAHL DAIRY	SUNBURG	83	DAVID H/ROTT	ELGIN	109
GARY/BECKMAN	PENNOCK	83	MAAS FARMS/	MILLVILLE	110
GLENN AND TRAVIS/LUHMAN	GOODHUE	84	HOWARD A/JOHNSON	WILLMAR	110
JOHN/NATHE	MELROSE	86	DONALD + DARLENE/MATROS	PIERZ	110
ANTHONY/LEMMER	MINNEISKA	88	CURT & KARLA/BAER	RUSHFORD	111
JOPPS CENTURY FARMS	MAYER	88	VANGSNESS BROS/	KENYON	111
PHIL/SUESS	GRAND MEADOW	91	SELMER & JOEL/NELSON	BARRON	111
JOHN\ZIMMERMAN	BELGRADE	91	EVERCREST DAIRY/	ROLLINGSTONE	111
RICK + JOE/FLANDERS	GROVE CITY	92	KIDMAN DAIRY	BALATON	111
KEVIN/ANDERSON	BATTLE LAKE	92	MIKE + ROSIE/ZEIG	SLEEPY EYE	113
TWIN OAKS DAIRY	PELICAN RAPIDS	93	SCHONNING FARM INC/	FARMINGTON	113
FRANK/PATRICK	RICE	93	WAYNE AND WADE/ATHEY	GRACEVILLE	114
JIM + PAM/LARSON	WINONA	93	CLOSSON DAIRY/	NORTHFIELD	114
STEVE + LORRIE/HELLMANN	HOLDINGFORD	94	BLAKE/LUEHMANN	LEWISTON	114
JEFF AND KAREN/FIEDLER	MILACA	94	RONALD/HARFF	WATKINS	115
PATRICK/BRODEEN	COOK	94	CHAD/NEESER	RICE LAKE	115
EXODUS/ HOLSTEINS	PETERSON	94	TODD & KATHY/JOHNSTON	ANGUS	115
JON & CHERYL FARBER	GREEN ISLE	94	ALLEN + ROGER/ALDINGER	WINONA	115
RANDY/FRIESE	BURTRUM	96	REUBEN AND JANICE/STOMMES	RICHMOND	115
JEREMY E/BEYER	UTICA	96	QUINCY VALLEY FARM/	ST CHARLES	115
ROBERT + FAWN/STAUB	MAZEPPA	98	NOSBUSH DAIRY/	FAIRFAX	115
SCOTT/HIPPEN	BROOK PARK	98	GLENARD AND MARK/TESSMER	ROGERS	116
RICHARD+PAUL/HILTNER	MELROSE	99	BECHTOLD BROS/	ST JOSEPH	116
BRUCE AND CHERYL/MOHN	LAKEVILLE	99	GATEWOOD FARM/	WILLMAR	117
JOHN+MARY/RADEMACHER	MELROSE	99	STENDER FARMS	YOUNG AMERICA	118
MICHAEL AND DONNA/RUTHER	PERHAM	99	MARK/PIEPER	JORDAN	118

Minnesota DHIA News
A PUBLICATION OF MINNESOTA DHIA Volume 4, Issue 5	Mayl 2004