Minnesota DHIA News

A PUBLICATION OF MINNESOTA DHIA                                                   Volume 6, Issue 5                                                              May 2006

 

Lower your SCC - Advice from Dr. Jeff Reneau:

 

Cow hygiene score cardA University of Minnesota study showed that in herds where environmental mastitis predominate, hygiene of the lower rear legs and udder correlated to SCC.  Cows with higher cow hygiene score also had a higher SCC.  The average hygiene score for rear legs and udders for cows in this study was 2.95 (on a hygiene score scale of 1-5 with 1 being spotlessly clean and 5 being very dirty) and the average SCC for the 1191 cows studied was 405,000.  For the cows in this study, every 1 unit score improvement in hygiene resulted in a 50,000 reduction in SCC.  Using the cow hygiene score card, also found on the above mentioned website, you can determine the potential SCC impact of keeping your cows cleaner.

 

 

Cows are dirtier in early lactation.  Unfortunately this is also the time when they are most vulnerable to getting new mastitis infections because their immune system may be somewhat depressed.  Therefore, more intense bedding and stall management should be given to maintain clean and dry stalls for close-up dry cows, fresh and early lactation cows.

 

University of Minnesota Diagnostic Lab culture records indicate that most of the mastitis in Minnesota dairies is coming from environmental pathogens.  That is why the bottom line for reducing Minnesota BTSCCs boils down to hygiene.  More effort in keeping cows cleaner and more effort in cleaning teat surfaces prior to milking will always pay off in lowering BTSCC.  How about it?  Let’s all initiate a “spring cleaning” in a concerted effort to get Minnesota’s SCC back on track.

 

It would be wise to obtain your Premises ID today, before the rush that will happen as USDA implements its requirement.  Register your Premises today by calling the Board of Animal Health at 651.201.6816 or go to www.bah.state.mn.us.

 

Mastitis Culturing

 

With warmer weather coming there is often an increase in the incidence in mastitis and subsequent Bulk tank Somatic Cell Counts. Many Minnesota DHIA Field Representatives have had training in proper sampling techniques for taking Bulk Tank and individual cow samples for mastitis culturing. They will be happy to assist you if you are interested in having some cultures tested to determine what organisms are causing your herd problems.

 

Here are some things to keep in mind regarding mastitis cultures:

·                    Avoid contamination! The best time to take individual cow samples is after prepping the cow, but before putting the unit on. Clean teat ends thoroughly while prepping and then use an alcohol pad to scrub the teat end before taking the sample. Samples must be taken directly from the teat—milk going through the claw or hoses will be contaminated.

·                    Vials must be sterile! Vials can often be obtained from your milk hauler for a few samples, or get them from the lab that will do the culturing. DHIA testing vials will not work because of the preservative in them. Avoid touching the inside of the cap and keep dust and other contaminates out of the sample.

·                    Samples must be cooled immediately, and frozen as soon as possible. They must be packed to remain frozen while shipped to the lab.

·                    Five days worth of samples can be taken and combined for Bulk Tank cultures to give a more representative result than just one day.

·                    Your Field Representative has more detailed information that they can print out for you, including the cost of cultures done at the Stearns DHIA lab or the University of Minnesota.

 

RFID Tags available from DHIA

The bovine industry has settled on Radio Frequency chipped eartags as the best management practice for the National Animal Identification System (NAIS).   Minnesota DHIA offers the tags.  You can choose RFID tags from Fearing (Digital Angel), and All Flex.  All Flex RFID tags are $2.60 each, plus shipping and sales tax.  Digital Angel RFID tags are $2.15 each ++.  Please have your Premise ID ready when you call to order tags.

 

Special Pricing for DHIA members who have their Premises ID – offer good until 5/31/2006, limited to # of cows

Digital Angel RFID Tags - $1 each, free tag applicator with 50 tags

All Flex RFID Tags - $1.40 each, free tag applicator with 50 tags               Please call 800.827.3442

 

You can order RFID tags in tandem with management tags.

 

 

Tag should be inserted in the left ear, no closer than 1/3 of the ear from the head, between the middle two cartilage ribs, with numbers on the inside

 

 

 

 

 

Cows For Sale

Cows for sale is a service of MN DHIA.  Members can advertise for just $2.50 per animal with a maximum of $50 per herd (good for 60 days). Cows are listed on our website, on the Field Rep updates, and in this newsletter.  Please contact Nancy Zander at 800.827.3442 to list "Cows for Sale".

 

 

April Milk Quality Top 100

 

SCC

Cows

 

 

SCC

Cows

DAN AND JOLENE SCHLANGEN

31

61

 

THE UDDER PLACE

89

48

PRAHL DAIRY

33

29

 

PATRICK BRODEEN

89

47

NORBERT BROWN

39

47

 

TOM GUNNINK

91

84

HAZEL-BUSH FARMS INC

43

49

 

ROBERT ZOUBEK AND SONS

91

69

BOB & TERRI KETCHUM

48

116

 

RANDY GRABAU

93

31

CLETUS MILLER

49

30

 

AIMEE FINLEY

95

90

DAVID SCHUUR

53

55

 

SCOTT FELDHACKER

95

55

HENDRICKSON DAIRY

55

32

 

CHARLRS NIENABER

95

64

DAVID BUCK

55

65

 

ROLLING W ACRES

95

23

JOHN HOLMGREN

56

10

 

AB ACRES

96

41

FRANK PATRICK

56

57

 

MIKE MENZE

96

68

JAVA FARM

58

47

 

STEVE AND SANDY SIEGLE

96

54

PHILIP HAUGE

58

45

 

LEZER FARMS

97

46

MARK KLEHR

59

52

 

TWIN OAKS DAIRY

98

52

DAVE STEMIG

60

52

 

DANIEL HALLBERG

98

57

GILMAN HALBAKKEN

60

81

 

MICHAEL BRUCE

98

99

KEVIN ANDERSON

62

45

 

JEFF BLENKER

99

36

RICK HEUER

63

73

 

CHUCK KLAPHAKE

101

93

PETER & MARK HENDRICKSON

64

70

 

HARLAN + KATHY LAPE

101

49

MARVIN NELDNER

64

23

 

STEVEN KUEHN

101

31

STEVE MARTIN

64

44

 

ROBERT + FAWN STAUB

102

27

SCHEFERS BROS

66

73

 

STARLIGHT ACRES

103

51

TERRY KOLSTAD

67

24

 

F  LYLE SONDAG

104

41

RICHARD SCHNOBRICH

67

42

 

GARY BECKMAN

105

74

LARRY BRAEM

68

38

 

MAYNARD SCHUMACHER

105

45

GOLBERGS LAKEVIEW DAIRY

69

58

 

STAN WURTZBERGER

105

34

RUIS-ING SUN DAIRY

69

61

 

LEO + LYNN GARTNER

105

51

JERON NATHE

69

232

 

B AND C DAIRY

106

65

SELKE FARMS

71

153

 

PAUL & MARY ZIMMERMAN

106

61

LARRY AND SHARON WISTE

71

26

 

FRED VIERE

107

80

PEDERSONS Y-ME RANCH

72

59

 

MIKE MOTL+KIM HARFF

107

77

RICKY AND LEE THOMPSON

72

63

 

REUBEN AND JANICE STOMMES

108

64

TODD & KATHY JOHNSTON

74

57

 

MANUEL JERGER& SONS

108

130

OAK GLEN JOHNS

75

32

 

MARK MUNDT

108

126

KIRK SCHLEMMER

75

53

 

DEAN + ELIZABETH JOHNSON

109

71

GERALD+LISA BURG

78

39

 

JOHN ROBERS

109

20

MOLDANS HOLSTEINS

79

67

 

ANDY KRONEBUSCH

110

52

DEAN RAUSCH

79

59

 

TOM FUECHTMANN

110

93

D & J  DAIRY

79

65

 

WAYNE KOEPP

111

158

KIMM'S DAIRY

81

85

 

PETER SKAJ

111

36

KIRK BENGTSON

81

44

 

MIKE + DONNA TELLERS

112

55

WAYNE + LONNIE GREENER

83

90

 

IRVIN + JOANNE SCHANSBERG

112

147

OREN AND JULIE OLSEN

83

93

 

DAVID H ROTT

112

115

JERRY + BEV POHLMANN

84

61

 

ISIDORE+JANET LOEFFELHOLZ

112

98

KEVIN & SHEILA THARALDSON

84

53

 

RUECHEL DAIRY FARM

112

76

CHUCK LEUTHOLD

84

70

 

DOUG SUHR

113

94

HOLLERMANN DAIRY

87

259

 

ZUMBRO VIEW FARMS LLC

113

51

ROGER ALDINGER

87

64

 

DAVID + PATTI TVEDT

114

53

JEFF & TINA VINKEMEIER

87

72

 

KEVIN & CARAL SCHAFER

114

30

ROGER DITTBERNER

88

38

 

GREG RINDSIG

114

45

MARK TESSMER

88

42

 

RAY+CHERYL SEIBERT

114

62

 

 

Corrected February Milk Quality Leaders

 

 

SCC

Cows

 

 

SCC

Cows

ROBERT SLATER

36

24

 

WALLACE + ROGER BRADLEY

88

35

DAN AND JOLENE SCHLANGEN

44

60

 

KEVIN ANDERSON

90

45

PHILIP HAUGE

46

45

 

EUGENE ARNDT

90

44

MARK KLEHR

50

51

 

JEROME LEE

90

20

KIRK BENGTSON

51

42

 

LYLE AND WANDA HONEBRINK

92

98

PRAHL DAIRY

51

28

 

TODD & KATHY JOHNSTON

92

57

CRONK DAIRY

52

37

 

ART AND JANE STUMPF

92

49

NORBERT BROWN

54

48

 

MIKE + MANDI HOERNEMANN

93

83

STAN WURTZBERGER

55

34

 

LEROY DROPPS

93

36

OAK GLEN JOHNS

55

32

 

TRAVIS & GARY LEHNERTZ

93

36

SCHEFERS BROS

62

76

 

TERRY KOLSTAD

93

24

DAVID SCHUUR

62

52

 

DAVID H ROTT

94

117

SCHREIBER BROS

64

89

 

REUBEN AND JANICE STOMMES

94

64

DALE SEYKORA

64

26

 

MILKY WAY DAIRY FARM

94

44

FRANK PATRICK

65

57

 

KREIDERMACHER FARM

95

185

JAVA FARM

65

53

 

JAMES AND PAUL GREGORY

95

85

RICHARD SCHNOBRICH

65

44

 

MIKE MENZE

95

70

JEFF BLENKER

65

33

 

DALE AND JULIE SCHWARTZ

96

97

JIM KULINSKI

67

50

 

JIM STORTZ

96

28

LARRY & CAROL MOEN

69

69

 

JOPPS CENTURY FARMS

97

90

RONALD AND SUSAN JOHNSON

70

59

 

RICK + JOE FLANDERS

97

41

GREG RINDSIG

71

45

 

WAYNE KOEPP

98

163

GERALD+LISA BURG

72

37

 

JOHN+MARY RADEMACHER

98

83

DAVID BUCK

73

66

 

BILL + MERRI POST

98

68

MARK & CARLA BRUNHOLZL

73

23

 

JIM P BECK

98

52

MICHAEL BRUCE

74

100

 

DAVID AND DONNA ANDERSON

98

38

HAZEL-BUSH FARMS INC

74

50

 

GILMAN HALBAKKEN

99

76

KIMM'S DAIRY

75

85

 

GRIEBELS BLACK AND WHITE

99

71

JOEL & NICOLE GROSS

75

48

 

STEVE AND SANDY SIEGLE

99

53

AB ACRES

75

39

 

DEAN RAUSCH

100

60

MIKE + BETH DEPPA

76

60

 

SAPA SKA FARM INC

101

83

PATRICK BRODEEN

76

44

 

KB HILLSIDE DAIRY

101

50

SELKE FARMS

78

148

 

PAUL WEIDENBORNER

102

131

OTTO L HARTMANN

78

38

 

RON+BRAD AUSMUS

103

52

JON WINTER

78

37

 

ANDY AND RACHEL EMMERT

103

48

PETERMARK HENDRICKSON

79

69

 

DALE ERICKSON

104

39

STEVE MARTIN

79

47

 

BRAD GOHMANN

105

76

JAMES M TESSMER

82

47

 

OAT HILL DAIRY

105

57

RUIS-ING SUN DAIRY

83

64

 

STACY & JULIE MILLER

106

68

JOHN AND STACI SCHERBER

83

53

 

BIRCH POINT FARMS PESHON

107

198

JERON NATHE

85

227

 

EARL FELLING

108

73

BOB & TERRI KETCHUM

85

114

 

ESPERANZA CATTLE COMPANY

108

45

RAY+CHERYL SEIBERT

85

68

 

RICK STOCKER

109

70

SHIR-MAN HOLSTEIN FARM

86

99

 

ANTHONY LEMMER

109

43

CURTIS,MAREN+JEREMY HOLST

86

82

 

RAYMOND PRIMUS

109

32

WAYNE AND WADE ATHEY

86

40

 

FJEL-MAR DAIRY

110

156

JOHNSON TURKEY + DAIRY

86

27

 

DANIEL HALLBERG

110

52

ROSEVEIW DAIRY

87

172

 

ZUMBRO VIEW FARMS LLC

110

45

MICHAEL AND DONNA RUTHER

87

107

 

VON WAHLDE DAIRY

111

92

CORNER POST FARMS

88

57

 

SCOTT FELDHACKER

111

58