'enter,
frvice
Question: Every now and
again, I receive a call from a dairy
producer who is upset that his
DHIA butterfat test and his
payment test are not the same.
This morning such a call came in
and I would like to show a piece
of research that might help
answer this question.
Butterfat test can vary greatly
from day to day in individual
cows. To illustrate this I include
this chart from North Carolina
State University.
We see wide variation in a
five-day period as noted by cow
#266 that tested a range ot 1.7 to
5.95% butterfat. The average cow
in this study actually varied fat
test across the tive-day period by
1.74% and one cow tested 3.8%
differently from one miking to
the other
Many factors can influence the
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irk, PA 16802
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day-to-day variation in fat test.
The day and time of sampling as
seen above can certainly play a
role. Environmental stresses such
as heat and humidity can also
alter fat test very quickly. Disease
pressure has an impact on fat test
and usually is coupled alSng with
large changes in milk volume.
Excitement associated with
activities outside the normal day
to-day life of the cows can
influence fat test. Foot trimming,
rectal palpations, or simple
changing groups or pastures
might cause large fat variation.
Nutritional changes can affect fat
test and should be done as gradual
as possible. Allow yourself to
wonder a bit about the large
change in a cow when she
pastures at night and then is fed a
TMR during the day.
Milking equipment, like any
other, will wear as time goes by.
When DISIA milk meters are
added temporarily to the system,
vacuum levels often become
inadequate thus compromising
both the ability to properly milk
the cow as well as the
functionality of the meter itself.
As you can see, there are many
opportunities for milk fat test
variation. These should point out
the impracticably of comparing
test results from DHIA and the
Slatted Pit For Free Stall Barn
601 Overly Grove Rd.. New Holland, PA 17557
Cow
Is£\
180
<» **
224'
'23o' *
236 5
238
251
258
265.
266
267
289
291
305
316
Aves. 3.44
processing plant. Often times we
are not comparing the same milk,
DHIA usually measures one
milking or one day and then is
only part of a multiple milking
pickup. Dean Amick (Director of
Field Services) will suggest this
when tank and DHIA butterfat
B
For All
Your Concrete
Walls And
Construction Needs
Mon. Tucs. Tues. Wed. Wed. Thu. Thu. Fri. Fri,
p.m. a.m. p.m. * a.m. p.m. a.m. p.m. a.m. p.m. avgs. Low High
2.60 2.50 3.35 2.90 3.90 3.15 3.00 2.60 2.20 2.91 2.20 3.90
2.20 2.75 2.95 1.35 3.80 2.30 1.95 1.60 3.50 2.49 1.35 3.80
3.80 3.90 3.
2.35 4.70 -^JU
2.45 * 3.50 ' 2.
3.50 3.25 3.15 3.65 3.40 3.60 3.60 3.49 3.15
3.30
4.00
4.10 3.25 3.25 2.90 3.60 2.70 3.05 3.27 2.70
3.40
3.20
_ 2.W ' I' 45 , | 2-20
2.20
3.80
3.00
3.40,
3.80,
5.50
2.70
. i j
3.65
1.70
3.00
3.80
3.80
3.90
4.20
3.75
3.20
2.50
3.65
3.50
3.95
3.70
3.40
3.60
3.49
YOUR FULL LINE KUBOTA PRODUCT HEADQUARTERS
• INVENTORY • PRICE • KNOWLEDGEABLE SALES STAFF
» SERVICE EXPERIENCE
2.85 4.10 5.95 4.90 2.00 2.65 3.59 1.70
3.25 3.50 '!-2.SS ' v 3.60 * ; 2.70 : V.20 ?3.28 f 2>o* J
4.25 3.95 4.05 2.70
3.40
3.30 3.30 2.90 4.50 3.10
3.80 3.45 3.60 2.80 3.95
3.20 3.60 3.20 3.30 3.05
3.23 3.60 3.35 3.58 2.86
test are severely different. Pull
one tank sample after proper
agitation and then divide into
three equal portions while
keeping the milk stirred. Send one
to your dairy processor, one to the
DHIA lab, and the other to an
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3.90 3.79 2.70
3.55 3.34 2.50
3.95 3.63 2.80
3.30 3.37 3.05
3.49 3.36
independent lab. This should
answer some questions about
testing procedures, herd
management, or sampling
technique used by the hauler.
Remember as you proceed, the
high test is not always the correct
one.
II ■ 0 T P
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2550 RUNWAY 600' From Dealershi
Cow Range Range
3.49 2.40 4.00
mfJMM
V 3.05 2.45 ' 150
4.00
4.10
4.65
>9;80
5.95
' iso
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4.50
3.95
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