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LATE IN YOUR REGISTRATIONS?
WE CAN HELP!
DHI can register your calves/cows with Holstein Canada electronically on test day.
Benefits include:
Accurate, timely registrations at any purity level;
No more paperwork;
No more registration late fees;
$3.00 per-application discount from Holstein Canada.
Detailed information and DHI fees for this service are available from
your DHI staff.
It’s that time of year again and we wish to remind you that occupational health and safety concerns must be considered when spraying insecticides for louse and fly control.
In order to prevent a potential health hazard for your DHI staff, we ask that you refrain from spraying for flies on test day.
If this is not possible, please spray at least one hour prior to milking in order to minimize residue.
Thank you!
New technology tackles old problem
Article from the March 2009 Ontario Catalyst
As all dairy producers know, mastitis is an age-old problem and even today it continues to be the most significant disease of dairy cattle, costing the Canadian dairy industry millions of dollars annually. So it is no wonder that a new mastitis test being offered by CanWest DHI is generating a lot of interest. The new Staph ID test, which identifies the presence of the Staphylococcus aureus (Staph aureus) mastitis pathogen can be done using the same milk sample currently collected by DHI.
“The fact that the DHI sample can now be used, makes it incredibly convenient.”
The new test, based on PCR-DNA technology, offers many advantages. Namely convenience, rapid turn around of results, improved accuracy and enhanced results reporting, including already captured DHI cow information (SCC history, milk production level, etc).
Dr. David Kelton, professor at the Ontario Veterinary College and mastitis expert agrees. “One of the core strengths of DHI service is the routine aspect of sample and information collection and the resulting comprehensive database of cow and SCC information. Adding a convenient, reliable test for Staph aureus, takes it a step further. This will be a good tool for producers and veterinarians.”
According to Richard Cantin, Director of Customer Service for DHI, convenience will be the key selling point of this new service. “Sample collection for mastitis testing has always been time consuming and inconvenient which means it often didn’t get done. The fact that the DHI sample can now be used makes it incredibly convenient”
Producers will have the ability to test the entire herd, selected cows, (such as newly purchased cows or cows displaying clinical signs of mastitis), or test cows that exceed a certain producer selected SCC level, where those samples will be redirected from the SCC analyzer to the Staph ID testing area. Early infection detection, even before clinical signs are present is extremely valuable.
"The testing choices will be very flexible and it will be up to each producer and their veterinarian to decide which testing options will be best for their farm” said Cantin.
Initially, the testing will focus on the identification of Staph aureus pathogen only, but the technology allows for the testing of all mastitis pathogens. “We’re starting with Staph aureus since this type of infection is often associated with elevated SCC levels and probably has the greatest value for our customers, but we definitely intend on exploring the possibility to offer a test for all pathogens” adds Cantin.
Dr. Kelton concludes, “At the end of the day, mastitis management has to occur at the farm and having good information for decision making is critical. This new test, in addition to other important farm and cow specific information will enhance the ability of producers and veterinarians to make better decisions, and that’s a great step forward in mastitis management.”
Producers should work closely with their veterinarian to implement mastitis best management practices, determine a testing plan for their herd and implement an action plan for test positive cows.
For more information on the new Staph ID test or to find out when it will be available in your region, ask your DHI field staff or call us at 1-800-549-4373.
Due to initial lab capacity limitations, the new Staph ID test will be made available gradually by regions and to all CanWest customers as soon as possible.