DHI TESTING
Milk butterfat, protein & somatic cell (SCC) content:

• Technologies used - Laboratory instrumentation uses technology based on the Infra Red (IR) and Fouier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) principles for components, and Fluorescent Microscopy and Flow Cytometry principals for Somatic Cell Counting. Chemical Reference Methods are performed on raw milk samples to determine component compositions and used for calibrating and verifying the accuracy of the instrument results. The software versions used to operate these instruments also provide the operators with performance information, quality control statistics, and maintenance management messages.

MUN (milk urea nitrogen) analysis:

• Milk Urea Nitrogen (MUN) is a milk component analysis that measures levels of urea nitrogen in a milk sample.
• Johne's Milk ELISA Test
  
  FOOD & MILK TESTING
  Milk Standards
  Milk Payment Testing
• Analytical services provided - Traditional DHI component analysis routinely provides butterfat, true protein, and SCC results for all samples. Optional components available and requested by most Dairy Plants are lactose, total solids (TS), solids non-fat (SNF), and other solids (OS). Milk Urea Nitrogen (MUN) is a milk component analysis that measures levels of urea nitrogen in a milk sample.

Miscellaneous Services:

• ProfiTest is a type of service that provides lab analysis results directly to a member, bypassing our processing system. Results are reported using electronic media, file attachments via e-mail, or by printed reports that are mailed to the member.
  
• ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING
  Water testing
  Dairy water

Unique lab features:

• Distribution system - AgSource owns a transportation system for the purpose of sample collection and supply distribution. Operational efficiencies are gained when the distribution system was combined to include both DHI and Dairy Plant samples. Twelve vehicles, traveling designated daily routes throughout the major service areas in the upper Midwest, support the system, with some Dairy Plant locations being picked up on Sunday night routes. DHI samples are collected on the farm by field technicians and brought to centrally located pick up points. Our route drivers stop and deliver supplies, load samples, and transport them to the designated lab facility. Private Couriers, UPS, and USPS are also used to provide transportation services from fringe service areas where herd and cow density are low.