Minnesota DHIA News

A PUBLICATION OF MINNESOTA DHIA                                                   Volume 8, Issue  5                                                              May  2008

Dr. Edwin J.Kreykes DVM of Dairy Health Solutions in Sanborn Iowa is a practicing Vet and also does herd consulting.  Dr. Kreykes has worked extensively with DHIA records and with DRMS, our new processing center. He feels that MUN testing is more important now than ever, commenting “MUN will tell us what is REALLY going on inside the rumen of the cow !! Balance of nutrients - protein and starch.” 

Dr. Kreykes says the normal MUN range should be from 10 to 15.  If your MUN is too low, consider adding protein to the ration.  If it is too high, consider adding starch or decreasing protein.  Look at milk protein to determine the suggested course of action.  If milk protein is low, add starch to the ration.  If milk protein is high, remove protein from the ration.  Grazing cows and colored breeds will have higher MUN.

Dr. Kreykes agrees with Mike Hutjens and many other nutrition experts that it is important to test MUN every month to monitor feeding groups, stage of lactation, and lactation groups.  Tank results are not enough.  He also points out that it does not take much of an increase in production or decrease in protein costs to pay for the very small investment in DHIA MUN testing.  All paths in Dr. Kreykes’ decision tree above lead to testing for MUN.

GUIDE:  Does the actual DIM at first insemination = Voluntary Waiting Period goal?

Ask your field rep next test day to print you the graph for your herd!

This Guide graph plots individual cows at the days in milk in which they were first bred over the past year. This graph shows if you are breeding cows before your voluntary wait period goal or if cows are being bred later in lactation. Each lactation group is in its own color as you will see on the graph, and you can look at one lactation at a time or all 3 groups.  If you are a Timed AI herd, all the cows should be bunched together. One thing to note is if you have a cow that aborted and started a new lactation that the first breeding of that cow may be very early in lactation (calculated from the date of the abortion.)

The newest version of Dairy Comp 305 features several new and easy to access reports under the “Guide” command.  These are available in on-farm Dairy Comp 305, through the Consultant version, and in the DHIA Field Rep version that comes to your farm each sample day. 

April 2008 Milk Quality Top 100 based on Raw SCC

	SCC	Log	Cows		SCC	Log	Cows
DAVID FLOM	37	1.1	22	CURT + JACKIE BEKIUS	85	2	76
DAN AND JOLENE SCHLANGEN	43	1.3	63	BECHTOLD BROS	85	1.8	125
DAVID SMITH	43	1.4	31	D & J DAIRY	86	1.5	96
SCHREIBER BROS	43	1.4	85	WAYNE AND WADE ATHEY	87	1.7	49
HAPPKE HOLSTEIN FARM	46	1.1	74	BUTTERFASS ACRES	87	1.8	130
TERRY KOLSTAD	50	1.4	28	MARVIN RADEMACHER	88	1.9	66
CIRCLE DRIVE HOLSTEINS	56	1.4	19	DAVID SCHUUR	88	2.4	51
SARA KOEHN-WALBERG	56	2.1	16	TRIPLE H DAIRY	89	2.1	145
MOGER FARMS	57	1.6	95	CURTIS + MAREN HOLST	90	1.9	103
ROGER BRADLEY	61	1.8	36	KEITH R JOHNSON	90	2.2	43
GODE DAIRY	62	1.9	44	JEFF & TINA VINKEMEIER	90	2.4	97
CRONK DAIRY	65	1.4	34	DARRIN STEIN&LYNN SCHULTZ	91	1.9	45
JAMES C PFEIFER	65	2	56	JAMES AND PAUL GREGORY	91	2.2	89
DEWEY HERBER	66	1.7	142	STEVE SEARLES	91	2.6	7
FRANK PATRICK	66	1.7	58	SIBERT FARMS	92	1.7	44
GLEN CHRISTEN	66	1.9	41	MICHAEL AND KRIS BANSE	92	2	69
MAYNARD SCHUMACHER	66	1.9	45	DALE AND JULIE SCHWARTZ	92	2	97
BON-NAT HOLSTEINS	66	2	27	DARAN AND CHRISTY BORTH	92	2	57
HIESERICH FARM	67	1.7	83	DAVID BUCK	93	1.5	65
CYRIL TROENDLE + SONS	67	1.8	33	JERON NATHE	93	1.9	258
ROBERT MILLER	69	1.2	60	GERALD+LISA BURG	93	2.1	42
DANIEL HALLBERG	70	1.6	54	JEREMY E BEYER	94	1.9	40
LYLE AND WANDA HONEBRINK	70	1.8	106	BRUCE AND JILL BOETTCHER	94	2.1	147
BRUCE RUNDHAUG	71	1.4	56	EVERETT AND PAT ROLFING	94	2.5	42
KIMM'S DAIRY	71	1.6	84	METOGGA LAKES DAIRY LLC	95	2	315
ACKERMAN FARMS	71	1.9	105	BRUCE AND JODI HEIM	96	1.7	169
MARK TESSMER	71	2	45	JONATHAN SEIFERT	96	1.8	90
WM MCFARLAND + SONS	72	1.9	48	LARRY LEXVOLD FAMILY	96	1.8	71
LARRY AND DIANNA BRAEM	72	2.1	42	STELTER HOLSTEIN DAIRY	96	2.2	236
KEVIN & CARAL SCHAFER	73	1.6	40	JEFF BLENKER	96	2.2	42
ART AND JANE STUMPF	73	1.9	49	BIRCH-PARK DAIRY LLC	97	1.9	51
MIKE & JILL EICHLER	73	2.2	5	RICK HEUER	99	1.6	83
MATT BERKTOLD	75	1.8	176	SONN-BELL DAIRY	99	1.8	55
DONALD AND BRIAN ENTINGER	75	2	82	MIKE MOTL+KIM HARFF	99	1.9	78
SCHEFERS BROS	76	1.6	76	SWENSON DAIRY	99	2	39
RUIS-ING SUN DAIRY	77	1.2	67	JOHN ROBERS	99	2.1	16
KEVIN ANDERSON	77	2	48	CHRISTIANSON FARMS	100	2.2	55
ROBERT + FAWN STAUB	78	2.3	28	JOHN & ROBERT HUELSKAMP	100	2.3	65
BENGTSON FAMILY FARM	79	1.9	49	TRAVIS-RICHARD SCHLOSSER	101	1.5	35
DAVE CORBETT	79	2.1	35	GARY BECKMAN	101	1.9	69
ZUMBRO VIEW FARMS LLC	80	2	43	JOHN ZIMMERMAN	101	1.9	133
DAVID & CINDY HOESE	81	2.2	28	CANC	101	2	75
HABERER HILL DAIRY	81	2.4	28	GREGG VALORA STANGL	101	2	63
SCOTT'S DAIRY	82	1.7	42	BRUCE AND CHERYL MOHN	101	2.1	55
SOUTHLUND DAIRY	82	2	39	REWITZER+SONS	101	2.3	40
DEAN GABBERT	83	2.2	54	RICHARD SCHNOBRICH	101	2.3	43
SONNEK FARMS	84	1.9	70	UDDER VALLEY DAIRY	102	1.9	246
REMIGER DAIRY LLC	84	2.1	110	POPP DAIRY	102	2	191
WILFRED+JUDY BLONIGEN	84	2.1	66	DARREL+LISA MAUS	102	2.2	68
TOM FUECHTMANN	85	1.6	95	RUECHEL DAIRY FARM	102	2.2	91

Twins – do you know in advance?

The National Animal Health Monitoring System reports that 11% of calves born are a twin.  The percentage of twins has been on the rise (see Dr. Jim Bennett’s article “Too many twins” in the May 10 Dairy Star for more details).  Some of you have asked for the ability to report an animal “pregnant with twins”, and have that show up on lists of cows to recheck, cows to dry off, and cows to calve.  Dr. Bennett refers to the need and desire to manage cows pregnant with twins differently.  Some folks want to be able to report when a cow was pregnant with twins but no longer is, so that when the calf is born, if it is a heifer, they can test it. 

We recently showed your Field Reps how to provide “Pregnant with Twins” information on the reports provided to you on sample day.  You can start reporting pregnant with twins on your next DHIA sample day, and receive the revised lists on that sample day. Old diagnoses of pregnant with twins can be updated on your next sample day as well.  Report the sex of the calf from ultrasounds the same way.  On-farm software users have had this ability for some time.  Note Twins do not yet show on any reports you receive in the mail from DHIA.

Quarter Milk

The Minnesota DHIA Annual Meeting delegates asked us to start collecting data on how many cows are being quarter milked on sample day.  On some dairies, quarter milkers are used and the milk from one quarter is withheld from the tank.  There has been some discussion about whether quarter milk should be counted towards sample day production, and there seems to be general agreement that if quarter milk is not sampled, it should not be weighed (you should not get “credit” for the milk without taking “credit” for the SCC), and that if it is weighed it must be sampled.  There has been a suggestion that cows being quarter milked should be labeled.  Then when that cow is sold to another dairy, the buyer will know that the SCC for that cow does not represent all the milk. 

In order to have a reasonable discussion of the matter, we are asking the Field Reps to code cows that are quarter milked (when the milk is not being weighed and sampled) in the software.  The code will not show on any DHIA reports, but will be captured in the software so we can assemble the data and delegates can make an informed decision in 2008.

Johne’s Data Handling Changes

· Results added to cowfiles in field rep computers to aid in selection of cows for future tests.

· Results available for on farms to add into your software and add to reports, and pre-select cows for Johne’s testing on the next sample day

· Appears on dry off and to calve lists out of Dairy Comp on sample day

· Enables new items on reports and cow cards such as Johne’s status of the dam

April Udder Health Leaders (ranked by Linear Score (Log) SCC

	Log	SCC	Cows		Log	SCC	Cows
DAVID FLOM	1.1	37	22	SONNEK FARMS	1.9	84	70
HAPPKE HOLSTEIN FARM	1.1	46	74	MARVIN RADEMACHER	1.9	88	66
ROBERT MILLER	1.2	69	60	CURTIS + MAREN HOLST	1.9	90	103
RUIS-ING SUN DAIRY	1.2	77	67	DARRIN STEIN&LYNN SCHULTZ	1.9	91	45
DAN AND JOLENE SCHLANGEN	1.3	43	63	JERON NATHE	1.9	93	258
DAVID SMITH	1.4	43	31	JEREMY E BEYER	1.9	94	40
SCHREIBER BROS	1.4	43	85	BIRCH-PARK DAIRY LLC	1.9	97	51
TERRY KOLSTAD	1.4	50	28	MIKE MOTL+KIM HARFF	1.9	99	78
CIRCLE DRIVE HOLSTEINS	1.4	56	19	GARY BECKMAN	1.9	101	69
CRONK DAIRY	1.4	65	34	JOHN ZIMMERMAN	1.9	101	133
BRUCE RUNDHAUG	1.4	71	56	UDDER VALLEY DAIRY	1.9	102	246
D & J DAIRY	1.5	86	96	JIM TINTES	1.9	105	16
DAVID BUCK	1.5	93	65	REUBEN AND JANICE STOMMES	1.9	109	70
TRAVIS-RICHARD SCHLOSSER	1.5	101	35	CLYDE R JOHNSON	1.9	114	40
MOGER FARMS	1.6	57	95	RKB DAIRY	1.9	117	89
DANIEL HALLBERG	1.6	70	54	WAYNE KOEPP	1.9	121	141
KIMM'S DAIRY	1.6	71	84	PETER SKAJ	1.9	122	35
KEVIN & CARAL SCHAFER	1.6	73	40	SELKE FARMS	1.9	122	176
SCHEFERS BROS	1.6	76	76	BRADLEY A STARK	1.9	124	32
TOM FUECHTMANN	1.6	85	95	JULIAN + DAVID SJOSTROM	1.9	131	72
RICK HEUER	1.6	99	83	STONY CREEK DAIRY	1.9	148	57
DEWEY HERBER	1.7	66	142	MIKE & PAT BERNECKER	1.9	155	51
FRANK PATRICK	1.7	66	58	KCE FARM	1.9	189	134
HIESERICH FARM	1.7	67	83	JAMES C PFEIFER	2	65	56
SCOTT'S DAIRY	1.7	82	42	BON-NAT HOLSTEINS	2	66	27
WAYNE AND WADE ATHEY	1.7	87	49	MARK TESSMER	2	71	45
SIBERT FARMS	1.7	92	44	DONALD AND BRIAN ENTINGER	2	75	82
BRUCE AND JODI HEIM	1.7	96	169	KEVIN ANDERSON	2	77	48
BROCHMAN DAIRY	1.7	119	80	ZUMBRO VIEW FARMS LLC	2	80	43
MEADOW LARK DAIRY	1.7	148	263	SOUTHLUND DAIRY	2	82	39
JIM KULINSKI	1.7	154	53	CURT + JACKIE BEKIUS	2	85	76
ROGER BRADLEY	1.8	61	36	MICHAEL AND KRIS BANSE	2	92	69
CYRIL TROENDLE + SONS	1.8	67	33	DALE AND JULIE SCHWARTZ	2	92	97
LYLE AND WANDA HONEBRINK	1.8	70	106	DARAN AND CHRISTY BORTH	2	92	57
MATT BERKTOLD	1.8	75	176	METOGGA LAKES DAIRY LLC	2	95	315
BECHTOLD BROS	1.8	85	125	SWENSON DAIRY	2	99	39
BUTTERFASS ACRES	1.8	87	130	CANC	2	101	75
JONATHAN SEIFERT	1.8	96	90	GREGG VALORA STANGL	2	101	63
LARRY LEXVOLD FAMILY	1.8	96	71	POPP DAIRY	2	102	191
SONN-BELL DAIRY	1.8	99	55	KEVIN SPLETT	2	107	49
BERNING FAMILY DAIRY	1.8	106	65	BOB & TERRI KETCHUM	2	112	116
AL + MARK SCHMITT	1.8	106	101	FOLTZ DAIRY FARM INC.	2	113	80
MARK KLEHR	1.8	123	58	GARY P LIESER	2	119	52
GODE DAIRY	1.9	62	44	DEAN FRISLE	2	120	67
GLEN CHRISTEN	1.9	66	41	TURNER DAIRY LLC	2	122	186
MAYNARD SCHUMACHER	1.9	66	45	JEFF PETERMEIER	2	134	22
ACKERMAN FARMS	1.9	71	105	TIM & SUE HOESE	2	135	50
WM MCFARLAND + SONS	1.9	72	48	ROGER HEMMESCH	2	136	53
ART AND JANE STUMPF	1.9	73	49	GREGORY P. ZILKA	2	139	32
BENGTSON FAMILY FARM	1.9	79	49	LARSON BROS. DAIRY	2	139	77

How good were the cows that left home last year?

The newest version of Dairy Comp 305 features several new and easy to access reports under the “Guide” command.  These are available in on-farm Dairy Comp 305, through the Consultant version, and in the DHIA Field Rep version that comes to your farm each sample day.  The reports are built to answer common questions you may or should ask about what is happening in your herd.  Categories include Fresh Cows (transition cows), reproduction, production, SCC, replacements, data accuracy checks, and more.  The May suggested Guide report for you to ask for from your Field Rep on sample day is “Sold and Dead cows”.  This colorful graph shows the more important “when” as in when cows leave home.  A quick look can tell you how many cows leave soon after calving compared to in late lactation when you would prefer they leave.  The graph also shows ME, so you can see if how many of your good cows really did leave.  Your Field Rep can click in and out lactations so you can just look at your lactation one cows, lactation one and two cows, or the whole herd.