DAVE SLUSSER General Manager PA DHIA STATE COLLEGE (Dauphin Co.) As we approach the new millennium, food safety, or in our case milk safety and quality from the cow to the dairy case, will be a watchword. Even though we have the clean est milk in the world, the pressure will always be on. According to Jim Dickrell, pres ident of the National Masdds Council (NMC), his organization is moving forward to lower the somatic cell count (SCC) regulat ory limit from 750,000 to 400,000 cells per milliliter. The NMC recommends the reg ulatory limits be lowered to 600.000 SCC by Jan. I, 2001; 500.000 SCC by June 1,2002; and 400.000 SCC by Jan. 1, 2003. They also recommend the limits be calculated using a geometric mean (based on 12 tests over three months) rather than using the simple arithmetic average. While Pa.DHIA members don’t see the lowering of the legal limit to 400,000 cells/ml as a major con cern, their SCC average is well below 400,000. Those with herds not on test, or Quality Service That Exceeds Expectations DAVID BIGELOW Training Coordinator STATE COLLEGE (Centre Co.) PA DHIA is, in itself, a quality driven cooperative that provides a full range of farm management record . keeping options for it’s membership. Starting right at the farm with the milk sampling and data collection, the PA DHIA mem bership controls all aspects of the testing procedures through representation on the state board of directors. Uniquely positioned, PA DHIA is the only fully-owned DHIA cooperative in the nation which includes field, lab, con sulting and processing services. Aggressive marketing contin ues to bring favorable results, through the technicians starting a record number of owner-sam pler herds on test. Within the past year, our market share has seen an over whelming increase of 61 percent or over 6,000 new cows added to the owner-sampler option. Dairymen continue to benefit from this program since our pro gram is USDA approved, which in essence qualifies owner-sam pler herds for young sire pro grams. With milk companies demanding the highest of stan dards in today’s competitive world, the somatic cell program continues to be a very beneficial part of the PA DHIA package. Using the SCC program is helpful in pinpointing lost pro duction due to subclinical (hid den) infections, improper milk ing procedures, milking equip ment malfunctions, percent and level of involvement in the herd, and cows to culture for identifi cation of bacteria causes. Once damaged, cells cannot be replaced until the dry period; production is lost for the entire Higher Somatic Cell Standards Coming Pa.DHIA Testing, Reports Can Help managers not using their DHIA information, may be in for problems. Lowering your SCC well below 400,000 has major benefits beyond ensuring you of a market for your milk. Low SCC count cows pro dusce more milk, demand higher component prices, and are healthier. By maintaining a SCC count between 100,000 and 300,000, research and history have proven you will generate more income by increased production and higher premium payments. The cost of the Pa.DHIA test, of treating cows and of discarded milk, will be returned two to six times, depending on your level of infection. Subclinical mastitis will not show up on the strip-cap or the milk strainer, but will lower your production and rob you of quality premiums and component prices. One or two high count cows could contaminate an entire tank of milk and that situation will get worse as we approach a legal limit of 400,000 cells/ml. The Pa.DHIA SCC report will pinpoint the problem cows each month and calculate your losses from each cow. lactation. Make money by reducing lost production. Seventy percent of the cost of mastitis is lost milk production. Above all, lost milk plant premiums due to increased herd SCC can be very trying for today’s dairy producer. PA DHIA technicians contin ue to network through nutrition ists, county agents, vets and other ag professionals to bring the highest quality service to you. Please feel free to contact your technician with any ques tions concerning your PA DHIA record keeping service. Cmw'ort Realizing that a farm manager’s time is very short this time of year, be sure to have someone appraise your SCC Report on your behalf, if you cannot. You are talking about thousands of dollars in losses per year by not paying attention to each cow in your herd. No matter what your herd size is, it all comes down to tme cow at a time. Recommended steps to keep your SCC under control are: 1. Maintain your milking equip -1999 PA DHIA State Directors List Distnct/Counr 1 Erie 2 Westmoreland Adam Derr Fay-West Holsteins 543 Davis Rd Dawson PA 15428 3. Clearfield Frank Orner Secretary Orner raims RR 1 Box SB Rockton PA 15856 4. Cambria 5. Huntingdon John Brodzma Treasurer Brod-Way Farms RR 4 Box 355 Tyrone PA 16686 6. Cumberland Michele Reasner 1 20 Red Shed Road Shippensburq PA 17257 7. Bradford John Wilcox RR 3 Box 449 Troy PA 16947 8. Columbia 9. Lebanon 10. Lancaster 11 Susquehanna John Castmgiovanm, Castlemont Farms RR 1 Box 367 Montrose PA 1 8801 PA DHIA Board of Directors District Map WMt*m New Worren ment properly by checking the vacuum levels at each milking and by having an expert check your system at least twice per year. 2. Take your milking proce dures seriously. Your best people should be milking your cows. Use individual towels, pre-dip and post-dip, and get the milkers on and off in time. I recommend that all your milkers attend a milking school. 3. Test your cows with Pa.DHIA and use this information to treat. ddress Name, Ralph Cilkinson Mi-Ra Crest 13886 Macedonia Rd Wattsburq PA 1 6442 William Ule 814-886 4465 Somerset, Blair, Cambria, and Exec. Member at Large 886 7171 dairy Bedford Vale Wood Farm 886 9619 fax 747 Vale Wood Rd (call first) Loretto PA 1 5940 Scott Krlebel RR 2 Box 18 Benton PA 17814 Dale Hoover Vice. President 517 Horseshoe Pike Lebanon PA 1 7042 Norman Hershey President Sprlngarden Farm 4195 Old Philadelphia Pike Cordonville PA 17529 Additional Counties ihone Telei 81 4-739-2087 Erie, Crawford, Warren, Mercer, Venango, Forest, Lawrence, Clarion and west New York 724-529 02 55 Butler, Armstrong, Allegheny, 529-071 7 fax Washington, Greene, Westmoreland, Beaver, Fayette, and Indiana 814-583-7854 h Potter. Elk, Cameron, Jefferson, 81 4-583 741 8 b Clearfield, Centre Clinton McKean, and west central New York wcltle<®aol com 814-632-8684 Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, and Perry 717-776 5181 Fulton, Franklin, Cumberland and Adams 570 297-401 7 Tioga, Bradford and east central New York 570 925-6275 Lycoming, Sullivan, Snyder, Union, Montour, Luzerne, Columbia. Northumberland 717 867-2489 Dauphin, Lebanon, Schuylkill, 867 4958 fax Carbon. Monroe, Leigh, Berks, Northampton 71 7-768 8126 Bucks, York. Lancaster, Chester, 758-0520 fax Montgomery 570 278-3694 Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming, Lackawanna, Pike, eastern New York and New lersey culture, and diy treat high cows. Cows that do not respond to treat ment should be beefed. 4. Have your veterinarian review your Pa.DHIA information each month during your herd health check, and act on this information. By following these steps, you will improve your income, assure yourself of a market for your milk, and make a major contribution to food safety from the cow to the dairy case.
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