AZtRanCMMr Fanning, Sattmtay, Octobar 24,1992 Pennsylvania Dairy Herd Improvement Association Dixie L. Burris, membership development. Call 1-800-DHI-TEST for information. Lab Has 100 Percent Qyality Record One of the largest milk sample testing labs on the East Coast has racked up the rare distinction of having 100 percent compliance on the quality control blind sample program. For IS consecutive months the Pennsylvania DHIA lab has a 100 percent compliance record on quality control. “It’s rare for a lab to have 100 percent compliance for a 12 month period,” said Linda Scibilia, lab manager. We are running up over IS months. The Pennsylvania DHIA lab has four stations of testing equipment that have error handling systems built into them. If for some reason the wrong information is obtained from a milk sample, the machine shuts itself down, and the compu ter tells the operator where to look for the problem. This state-of-the art equipment exceeds old equip ment in performance, especially in keeping the number of incorrect readings to a minimum because of reduced human error. The machines test for fat and protein with the added capacity to test for solids-not-fat in the future. Linda Scibilia is lab manager and says quality is the lab’s number one issue. Average Farm Feed Costs For Handy Reference Com, No. 2y - 2.48 BU. 4.44 CWT. Wheat, No. 2 - 3.07 BU. 5.13 CWT. Barley, No. 3 - 1.66 BU. 3.55 CWT. Oats, No. 2 - 1.45 BU. 4.52 CWT. FOCUS A somatic cell counter is also installed at each station. Calibra tions are constantly monitored, and a strict preventative mainte nance program has kept errors and down equipment time to a minimum. “I just want to emphasize that for us quality is the number one issue,” Scibilia said, “We do 3.3 million samples each year, and we have a very efficient operation.” While the lab has not done out- side work for private companies or milk cooperatives, it has the Pen nsylvania license to do so. The original cost of equipment is high (about $200,000 per machine), but the cost of maintenance and calib ration is also expensive. Since small operations may not have enough samples to justify these costs or to keep their labs running full-time, future outside work for the Pennsylvania lab may be sought With new equipment and excel lent quality control, dairymen can be assured that their test results arc authentic, and the information from these results is reliable. Soybeans, No. 1 - 5.15 BU. 8.60 CWT. Ear Com - 72.80 BU. 3.64 CWT. Alfalfa Hay -102.50 TON 5.13 CWT. Mixed Hay - 93.19 TON 4.66 CWT. Timothy Hay - 118.80 TON 5.94 CWT. PA DHIA’s previous article summarized the modifications to your reports. As this article will attempt to explain several changes to the Monthly Lactation Report. In the next few weeks 1 will try to specifically direct articles on other changes. The Monthly Report is currently the red, white and blue report that you receive in your orange envelope. The current size 10”xl2.5” Herd Summar I (blue) and the Reproductive Manage ment Report (brown and yellow) will also be changing to 8.S”xlI” white, three hole punch paper. The color and size on these reports are changing to a more manageable size which makes the reports more convenient to handle and to keep. Changes in the reports will be begin on Novem ber 1, 1992 along with a smaller envelope and some column changes on the Monthly Lactation Report Beginning with the Monthy Lactation Report and going across the top - the first change will be in the area under “Test Day Data". The first column in this section marked “Milk Lbs” will remain the same; the next two columns, which at this time looks like this: Test Data will change to ac commodate SNF and will be for matted a little differendy. It will lode like this: Each different (part of the milk) has its own column in this set up and each entity lists its percentage and pounds in the same column as opposed to having percentages of both fat and protein and pounds of both fat and protein listed together in the same column. All other col umns in “Test Day Data” will remain the same. Now, we will move on to the column under the next large see- The Pennsylvania DHIA milk testing lab has maintained a 100 percent quality con trol record fOr more than 15 successive months. Shown in the photo are several of the four working stations that have state-of-the-art testing equipment. What’s Changed And What’s Better In “Monthly Report”? Lbs Fat Pro % Fat Pro Test Day Data Fat % Lbs. 3 ro % SNr % Lbs. Lbs. tion of data: “Lactation to Date”. Once again, look over at the col umns for “% Fat and Pro” and “Lbs Fat and Pro”; these columns will change in exactly the same way as in the ‘Test Day Data” sec tion to include SNF and each (part) Fat, Pro, SNF will have its own column with percentages and pounds listed under it. Also, in this same way, the % fat pro, and lbs fat, lbs pro columns under the calf sire/calf Id-EsL 305/ME will change to three columns to accommodate SNF. Other than the change in size, color, three holes versus the multi holes, and the changes to accom modate the new SNF column, the remaining part of the form will remain the same. The back of the Monthly Lacta tion Report will have some changes. It will include for your convenience some additional charts and management informa tion. The most important is that the SCC conversion chart will print on this report (Monthly Lac tation Report) instead of the back of the Herd Summary I. This change was made to accommodate the herds that might elect to not getting the Herd Summary I but are on the Somatic Cell County option. The herds have mote than one Montly Lactation Report sheet (more than 20 cows) will print individual cow test any data and lactation to date data on both sides following the first page. The first page of the Monthly Lacta tion Report will print the explana tion data. (Turn to Page A 22)
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