DHIA Laboratories—Facilities and Equipment


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		Facilities and Equipment Facilities The lab is a 6000 square foot facility located on two acres of I-94 frontage property in the City of Sauk Centre. The lab, located on the I-94 corridor offers convenient access to the facility. Current facilities house a milk lab, forage lab, wet chemistry lab, and microbiology lab. Transportation of samples to our facility is contracted through Spee-Dee Delivery Service, US Postal Service and our own sample vans. We are owned by the Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA). The lab provides milk testing for the DHIA program to herds in North and Central Minnesota, North Dakota and Sibley County, South Dakota. Feed and forage analysis are provided for clients in Minnesota, eight other states and two Canadian Provinces. DHIA Laboratories located in Sauk Centre started testing milk samples in 1968. We analyze an average of over 100,000 milk samples per month for protein, fat and somatic cell count. The NIR (Near Infrared) feed and forage lab was added in 1988. The NIR Spectrophotometer analyzes an average of over 20,000 samples per year. With non NIR samples on the increase and a better quality control program needed, the Wet Chemistry Lab was implemented in 1992. Sample numbers have been on the rise ever since. Another product analyzed in the lab is animal waste. It is probably one of the most popular tests run in this lab. These samples are analyzed for N, P, K and Organic N. Equipment We use state-of-the-art equipment to provide proper analysis. The milk lab currently has two lines of 4,000/5,000 Combi-Foss Milk Analyzers to analyze samples for fat, protein and somatic cell. The Skalar Analyzer (pictured) provides the primary method for the determination of Milk Urea Nitrogen (MUN). The NIR Spectrophotometer is the main piece of equipment in the forage lab. It was purchased in 1991 and has continued to be upgraded periodically since then. Four microwave ovens serve as drying ovens for this department. Two UDY Grinders are used to prep samples for the NIR Spectrophotometer. Major equipment used in the chemistry lab includes: a Lachet Flow Injection analyzer for TKN and protein analysis, an ICP-AES for mineral analysis, Tecator Fibertecs for fiber analysis and Soxtec Fat Extractors for fat analysis. We also implement various digesting blocks, ovens and electrodes for numerous analytes. Special Services 24 Hour turn around on NIR samples 36 Hour turn around on most wet chemistry samples E-Mailing or faxing of analysis Affordable pricing Toll free service for voice communications VISA, MasterCard and Discover are accepted DHIA Laboratories 825 12th Street South, PO Box 227 Sauk Centre, MN 56378-0227 320.352.2028 Email Hours Monday-Friday: 8AM-4PM Drop Off Location Sauk Centre Front Entrance Drop Off Open 24 Hours