Recent Data Handling Challenges

 

There are 4 Dairy Records Processing Centers (DRPCs) in the U.S.  Minnesota DHIA contracts with Agri-Tech Analytics (ATA) of Visalia California to process our data, create reports for mailing, and handle data flow to USDA and the dairy industry.  ATA is owned by Holstein USA.

 

DHIA data flows from the farm through the DHIA system and management and benchmark information comes back to the farm in electronic or paper form.  An offshoot of this DHIA data handling system has long been the backbone of the dairy industry.  DHIA data from cooperating herds flows to USDA’s Genetic Evaluation Program, resulting in the Sire Summaries, Calving Ease information, and a host of solid research data. 

 

For the last several years, ATA has been developing a new industry model for data handling designed to be more efficient and handle data using new data platforms.  Minnesota DHIA herds began using the new system in January.  While most herds flew through the system in good order, a few herds experienced long turn around times, and a few saw problems with some herd average data.  When ATA sent that data for the May USDA run, they submitted incorrect milk and butterfat data out of the new system, causing USDA genetic values on some cows to be incorrect.  These problems were caught prior to reports being sent to producers, so you saw genetic data later than usual, as we decided not to send out the incorrect data.  The milk weight data has been corrected and resubmitted to USDA for inclusion in the August Genetic Evaluations.  Milk production data was correct on DHIA reports sent to producers all along.

 

In July, DHIA’s Quality Certification Services notified ATA of specific problems with data and the timeline necessary to fix those problems.  QCS made ATA “Provisional” which means that if problems are not corrected in a timely fashion, and the fixes are not documented and are not reflected in the test herd, that ATA will no longer be allowed to send data to USDA.  In the unlikely event that this happens, MN DHIA would find another DRPC to handle our data.  The Provisional status lasts until January 31, 2007.

 

Most problems have already been fixed and we believe the others will be resolved in short order.  ATA, its owners, and MN DHIA are committed to the future of the dairy industry.  Implementation of the system has been a little bumpy for some folks, and we appreciate your patience.  If your patience is at an end, MN DHIA will arrange for your data to be handled by one of the other 3 DRPCs.  Note that reports would look different.  Please call us at 800.827.3442 to discuss your wishes and concerns.

 

Outstanding In Their Field

We would like to send our sincere congratulations and thank you to the following Minnesota DHIA Field Representatives who are celebrating milestones this month.  Malcolm Dirksen is celebrating his 40^th year with DHIA.  Malcolm is from Twin Brooks, SD.  Ron Kipka from Oak Park, MN is celebrating his 20^th year with DHIA.  Please be sure to extend your congratulations to Malcolm and Ron when they visit your farm this month.

 

Milking Times are Critical for Accurate Records:

According to the National Standards for Dairy Records Processing Centers (DRPCs), milk production records need to be adjusted to a 24 hour day (basis for DHIA production records). This was put into play because some herds don't milk 2 or 3 times in one day, but 5 times in 2 days, and there are other variations.  In order for the DRPCs to calculate records for one 24 hour day, adjustments needed to be made to the milk totals on milking schedules other than 24 hours.

 

AgriTech Analytics (ATA), our DRPC as part of the new system that was put into place on Jan 1, 2006, has made the appropriate changes to their system to adjust the milk totals for the day to a 24 hour day.  The herds that will notice a change are herds that are weighing all the milkings in a day.  If the milk weighed represents  over 24 hours, then the milk weights will be adjusted back to 24 hours, if the day is less than 24 hours, then the milk weights will be adjusted up to 24 hours.  So if the field rep weighs 100 pounds for two milkings on a cow, and the milking times reported represent 25 hours, the cow will have her milk adjusted down to 24 hours.

 

AM/PM herds have always been adjusted for 24 hours, since we have the previous milking time and the current milking time. With the known interval and milk weight one, we then calculate the rest of the 24 hour period.

 

So, the result for herds that weigh all milkings in a 24 hour period is that official sample day milk may be slightly different from what your Field Rep leaves on sample day.  If sample day represents 24 hours, no adjustments are made.

 

RFID Tags Discount ends August 31

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.

 

 

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

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.

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July Milk Quality Top 100

DAN AND JOLENE SCHLANGEN	EDENVALLEY	28		ALTONWOOD	PLAINVIEW	99
NORBERT BROWN	GREY EAGLE	45		NORTH VISTA HOLSTEINS	DALLAS	100
SCHEFERS BROS	PAYNESVILLE	45		MORRIS+JEFF CHAMBERLAIN	HASTINGS	101
JAVA FARM	CLEARLAKE	51		KEVIN ANDERSON	BATTLELAKE	102
PAUL & MARY ZIMMERMAN	BROOTEN	53		KEVIN SPLETT	ALMENA	102
PETER & MARK HENDRICKSON	MENAHGA	53		HY-RIDGE HOLSTEINS LCC.	RIDGELAND	102
GOLBERGS LAKEVIEW DAIRY	DEER CREEK	55		JOPPS CENTURY FARMS	MAYER	103
KEVIN & SHEILA THARALDSON	GOODRIDGE	56		RICK HEUER	LESTER PRAIRIE	103
MICHELS BROTHERS	PELICAN RAPIDS	57		C & C DAIRY	PARKERS PRAIRIE	103
MARVIN NELDNER	LEWISTON	58		HOLLERMANN DAIRY	BURTRUM	103
DEAN SWENSON	LITTLE FALLS	61		JONATHAN SEIFERT	SLEEPY EYE	103
SAPA SKA FARM INC	LAKECITY	63		HENDRICKSON DAIRY	HARMONY	104
DAVID BUCK	DENNISON	66		TOM AND PENNY BERG	PINEISLAND	104
KIRK SCHLEMMER	WOODLAKE	69		ACKERMAN FARMS	SAUK RAPIDS	106
JAMES M TESSMER	LORETTO	70		WALLY W WIESE	VERNDALE	106
TODD & KATHY JOHNSTON	ANGUS	71		SAM SALZL	MELROSE	107
HAPPKE HOLSTEIN FARM	PIERZ	73		HIESERICH FARM	BELGRADE	107
FRANK PATRICK	RICE	74		SCHUELER FARMS	WILLMAR	110
RONALD AND SUSAN JOHNSON	LINDSTROM	75		STEVE AND SANDY SIEGLE	COLOGNE	111
MARK KLEHR	BELLE PLAINE	76		CHUCK LEUTHOLD	ELLSWORTH	111
CURTIS,MAREN,JEREMYHOLST	LAKECITY	77		MEADOW BROOK DAIRY	SARTELL	111
DAVID SMITH	DENT	78		DEAN RAUSCH	RICHMOND	112
PRAHL DAIRY	SUNBURG	79		FJEL-MAR DAIRY	ZUMBROFALLS	113
CRONK DAIRY	HENNING	79		LYLE & WANDA HONEBRINK	MAYER	113
JEFF BLENKER	ALBANY	81		BRAD GLENZ	PAYNESVILLE	113
DAVID SCHUUR	SAUK CENTRE	82		VALLEY VIEW DAIRY	MAPLELAKE	114
DOUG PELKA	ALBANY	83		MOGER FARMS	ROLLINGSTONE	115
ROSEVEIW DAIRY	SLEEPY EYE	84		MARK SMITH	LONG PRAIRIE	115
JERON NATHE	MELROSE	85		GARY & KARISSA WINGERT	DOVER	115
CHUCK KLAPHAKE	SAUK CENTRE	86		LARRY BRAEM	SACRED HEART	116
GARY P LIESER	BELGRADE	87		BOB & TERRI KETCHUM	UTICA	116
KIMM'S DAIRY	PELICAN RAPIDS	87		O + S DAIRY	RICE	116
GILMAN HALBAKKEN	ST CHARLES	89		B AND C DAIRY	FORTRIPLEY	116
GERALD+LISA BURG	FREEPORT	90		HAROLD+BONNIE SCHOSSOW	PERHAM	116
STAN WURTZBERGER	NEW ULM	90		KEVIN & DELORES CARLSON	WANNASKA	116
LARRY & CAROL MOEN	CAMERON	91		JAMES AND PAUL GREGORY	BELGRADE	117
SCHREIBER BROS	RUSHFORD	91		MERRYVILLE FARM	WAVERLY	117
OLMAR FARMS	SLEEPY EYE	92		STONY CREEK DAIRY	BELGRADE	118
JERRY + BEV POHLMANN	GREY EAGLE	92		REUBEN & JANICE STOMMES	RICHMOND	118
SC0TT AND DENISE GATHJE	RICHMOND	93		BREEZY WILLOWS DAIRY	DOVER	119
ROBERT + TERRI DAHLEN	TWINVALLEY	93		OAK GLEN JOHNS	EAGLE BEND	119
KALMES FARMS INC	ROLLINGSTONE	94		DAN + CINDY NIELSEN	RICE	119
MARK & CARLA BRUNHOLZL	LAKECITY	95		BRUCE AND CHERYL MOHN	LAKEVILLE	120
SHIR-MAN HOLSTEIN FARM	FOUNTAIN	95		ESPERANZACATTLECOMPANY	PETERSON	120
DEAN + ELIZABETH JOHNSON	HERONLAKE	95		JOHN WENNINGER	LAFAYETTE	121
JULIAN + DAVID SJOSTROM	PELICAN RAPIDS	96