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DAVE SLUSSER
General Manager
STATE COLLEGE (Centre
Co.) —At the most recent meeting
of the Pa. DHIA Board of Direc
tors. Dixie Burris, manager of the
lab, reported on the successful
introduction of MUN (Milk Urea
Nitrogen) analysis.
As of the end of October. 607
member herds with over 40,000
cows were tested for MUN. These
figures do not include the non
member SAP (Sample Analysis
Program) herds.
Vermont DHIA Board of Direc
tors voted to have Pa. DHIA do
their MUN testing.
The successful introduction of
MUN is attributed to a major
effort by Pa. DHIA to promote the
service through news releases,
advertising, veterinarians, nutri
tionists, and county agents. Also
help and advice was sought frpm
University of Pennsylvania, New
Bolton Center, Penn State, and
Cornell.
New Bolton Center did our
calibration samples, and will con
tinue to do so. New Bolton is also
doing calibration samples for sev
eral other DHIA’s throughout the
United States.
The infra red analysis system
has proved to be extremely accu
rate and the most efficient way of
MUN anaylsis. Our IS cents per
cow member fee is the lowest in
the nation.
In other business, Dixie
announced the annual meeting of
Pa. DHIA is to be held Feb. 16, at
the Holiday Inn, State College.
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Dr. Jim Ferguson from New
Bolton Center is to speak on MUN
and its importance in dairy herd
nutrition and reproductive health.
The Pa. DHIA Performance Eco
nomics Program will also be on
the agenda. District meetings are
scheduled for Jan. 23 through Feb.
5.
Jim Boyer, manager of Pa.
Dairy Records Processing Center
(DRPC), reported on the nation's
first MUN Analysis Report. The
members who pay IS cents per
cow get this report that summar
izes lactation groups, days in milk,
and groups within the herd.
Boyer also reported that about
four different organizations are
applying for approval of new
DRPCs. The trend in the nation
seems to be turning from large
multi-state processing centers
back to smaller local DRPCs like
Pennsylvania.
The field report and the general
manager’s report were given by
Dave Slusser. The Fall Techni
cians Training Conferences were
held throughout Pennsylvania for
all our field technicians. MUN
analysis and its importance to our
members was explained to our
technicians, by local veterina
rians, county agents, and/or Penn
S(ate professors. We really appre
ciate the support given us by these
professionals and our field
technicians.
Our Performance Economics
Program is complete, copies have
been distributed to several inter
ested farmers, and the board. Over
the next several weeks letters will
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12’ x 83' Diameter Circular Manure Storage
be sent to county committees and
county agents requesting partici
pation in Dairy Day Programs or
county DHIA committees
workshops.
Dr. Steve Ford, several county
agents, and Dave Slusser are will
ing to present this program at
meetings. Pa. DHIA Performance
Economics will be free to
members.
Board action included the
appointment of a Long Range
Recently Pa. DHIA completed
the fall technician conferences.
Highlighting the conferences was
discussion on the milk urea nitro
gen testing.
Penn State personnel, veterinar
ians and county agents presented a
program at each of the 14 confer
ences across the state. Their pre
sentations included using over
heads to stress the importance of
testing for milk urea nitrogen,
which is a by-product of tissue and
dietary breakdown in all animals.
Data County
Nov. 18 Lackawanna
Nov. 20 York
Nov. 21 Perry
Nov. 30 Beaver
Nov. 30 Lebanon
Dec. 1 Westmoreland
Dec. 5 Berks
Dec. 6 Wayne
Dec. 7 Centre
Dec. 7 Chester
Dec. 8 Armstrong
Dec. 14 Adams
Dec. 15 Indiana
Jan. 13 Dauphin
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Planning Committee made up of
five board members, and two staff
members. This committee’s
assignment is to explore options in
organization structures, and future
alignments, and to lead Pa. DHIA
into the 21st century. Marian But
ler and Ralph GiUdnson are to
attend the Basic Cooperative
Directors Institute Jan. 17-19, and
Dave Slusser is to be a part of the
program.
The Board received and
approved the finance statements,
and reviewed our Accounts
Receivable Policy.
DHIA Fall Conferences
It was pointed out that the cow
breaks ammonia down into urea
because ammonia is toxic to the
cow’s system.
It takes energy for cows to syn
thesize urea for excretion. This re
duces the amount of energy avail
able for milk production.
In essence, less available ener
gy may put early lactation cows at
increased risk for ketosis. High
levels of urea are toxic to sperm
and embryos and can result in in
fertility.
Pa. DHIA
1995 County Annual Banquata
Placa Time
Green Grove Grange 7:45 p.m.
Shrewsberry Fire Hall 7 p.m.
Landisburg Fire Hall 7 p.m.
Extension Office 10:30 a.m
Meyerstown Church of the Brethren 7 p.m.
Knights Court Inn, New Stanton 11 a.m.
Kutztown Grange Hall 7 p.m.
Bethany Methodist Church Hall 7:45 p.m.
Logan Grange Hall, Ploasant Gap 7 p.m.
West Fallowfield School 7 p.m.
Steak House. West Kittanning 11 a.m.
Harney Fire Hall 7 p.m.
Hoss’s, Indiana Noon
Western Sizzler, Progress Ave. 10:45 a.m
' * y
ADC Is the Place To Be
Quality milk and support of its members - the outstanding
benefits that Levi and LuAnn Ransom refer to - are among the
strengths of the premier dairy cooperative in the region.-
Atlantic Dairy Cooperative has a 78-year history of excellent
service to its members. Financially strong, ADC guarantees a market
for all member milk and excels in maximizing returns. ADC is a
leader in providing equity payments, quality bonuses and over-order
premiums to members. ,
Nearly 4,000 dairy farmers agree that "ADC is the Place to Be.
For free information on how you can secure the future of your
dairy farm operation, write or call:
*
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 18, '1995-A29
Atlantic Dairy Cooperative
1225 Industrial Highway ISHICJ
Southampton, PA 18966 LLHBBSji
1-800-645-MILK
President Sollenberger
appointed Don Duncan, Frank
Oxncr, John Wilcox, Lane Sollen
berger, and Norm Hershey to rep
resent Pa. DHIA at the Eastern
Caucus meeting Nov. 12 and 13 in
Ithica, N.Y. and he also asked the
general manager to attend.
National DHIA Convention
dates were announced for March
3,4 and 5,1996. The Board Meet
ing was followed by the first meet
ing of the Long Range Planning
Committee.
Monthly monitoring of milk
urea nitrogen can help to recog
nize when feeding changes need
to be made which can directly af
fect the reproductive status of the
herd.
Each region manager discussed
the importance of monitoring the
bulk tank comparisons and dis
cussed changes being made.
Dean Amick, director of field
operations, discussed technician
benefits and pricing.
A certification exam was given
in compliance with National
DHIA’s quality certification pro
gram. Along with this exam there
was a retention performance
evaluation given at the end of the
conference to measure the reten
tion of the information presented
at the conference.
Pa. DHIA holds three confer
ences a year along with monthly
mini meetings to continuously up
date and educate the technicians
on any changes.
• It's great to be part of the team at
ADC that produces a quality
product and stands by its farmers. ”
—Levi & LuAnn Ransom
Nicholson, PA