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
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24 Hour turn around on NIR samples
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36 Hour turn around on most wet chemistry samples
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E-Mailing or faxing of analysis
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Affordable pricing
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Toll free service for voice communications
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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
