MISCO Digital Dairy Refractometer

R19,700.00 Excl. VAT

The Digital Dairy Refractometer will provide reliable estimates of colostrum quality blood serum total protein concentration, the percent solids in waste milk, and calf hydration. The MISCO Digital-Dairy™ refractometers are specifically designed to help professional dairy farmers and calf ranchers to rear healthy calves. They are rugged enough to withstand the demands of farm use, yet precise enough to give laboratory-quality readings. Lead time is 3-4 weeks.

Availability: Available on backorder SKU: PA203X-003-098-105-466 Categories: ,
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Description

Refractometer for Dairy & Calf Management

Easily Manage Colostrum Quality, IgG Levels, Waste Milk Solids and Dehydration in Dairy Calves.

The MISCO Digital-Dairy line of refractometers sets the standard dairy refractometers. It is explicitly designed to help dairy farmers and calf ranchers rear healthy calves. Among the many problems plaguing professional dairy farms and calf ranches are waste milk and calf milk replacer, calf dehydration, and the measurement of colostrum quality, to prevent failure of passive transfer. Rugged enough to withstand the demands of farm use, yet precise enough to give laboratory-quality readings, the MISCO Digital-Dairy Refractometers provide reliable estimates of the percent solids in waste milk, IgG blood levels, blood plasma protein concentration, colostrum quality, and calf hydration. The instruments are easy to use and require little or no training.

Application

Ideal for dairy farmers and calf ranchers, the MISCO Digital Dairy Refractometer helps monitor critical factors like colostrum quality and calf hydration, improving calf health, preventing passive transfer failure, and optimizing milk management on the farm.

Dairy & Calf Management

Note: scale #003 (BRIX) is recommended for colostrum

Additional Information

The DD-3 Digital-Dairy Refractometer will provide reliable estimates of colostrum quality (Brix method), blood serum protein concentration, percent solids in waste milk, and calf hydration. The MISCO Digital-Dairy™ refractometers are specifically designed to help professional dairy farmers and calf ranchers to rear healthy calves. They are rugged enough to withstand the demands of farm use, yet precise enough to give laboratory-quality readings.

Calf ranchers and dairy farmers will immediately recognize the importance of colostrum quality. Digital-Dairy DD-3 refractometer can test for colostrum quality using the Brix method. A measure of blood serum protein concentration level can be used as an indication of IgG passive transfer. Blood samples must be spun in a centrifuge, or allowed to sit undisturbed for 24 hours, to separate the plasma from the whole blood before testing on the refractometer.

Nonsalable waste milk has been fed to calves for many years and represents a source of nutrition that is readily available, has few other uses, and is cheaper to feed than whole milk. However, solids content and bacteria levels are two problems associated with waste milk feeding. Since the DD-3 Digital-Dairy refractometer reads directly in solids content, it only takes a few drops of milk to quickly determine the percent solids and adjust them to desired levels with calf milk replacer. Another quick test for bacterial contamination and milk spoilage can be conducted using a pH meter, also available from MISCO.

Mild dehydration can occur without symptoms until it is nearly too late. Whether due to scours or other causes, calves can lose up to six percent of their body weight in fluid before there is any visual indication of dehydration. If dehydration is caught early enough, fluid therapy can reverse it, but the key is catching it early. The large-animal urine specific gravity scale, on the DD-3 Digital-Dairy refractometer, can be used quickly identify at-risk calves.

For any test, only a couple drops of sample are necessary to fill the Digital-Dairy’s stainless-steel sample well. The sapphire measuring surface, the next hardest substance to diamond, will withstand years of wear and tear. A simple user-friendly interface consists of two buttons: one to take readings and the other to step through various menu options. A large 24-character back lit LCD display is easily read, even in dim light, while an evaporation cover helps prevent evaporation and keeps out stray light.

Protection against inaccurate readings due to temperature differences, a major concern with refractometer measurements, is assured with nonlinear temperature compensation. Temperature compensation is automatic for fluids read between 10 and 40 °C (+50 to 104 °F). Digital-Dairy refractometers can be simply calibrated with water.

Additional information

Weight 1 kg
Dimensions 15 × 8 × 5 cm