Over the last few years, a new space has developed around mastitis control. This is the ability to culture or identify the pathogen (bug) causing mastitis in a particular cow, allowing you to treat appropriately, treat less animals, use an appropriate dry off strategy, or cull if required. A fantastic advancement which is a long way from the ‘use penicillin in the spring, and cloxacillin in the summer’ advice which was once given in the absence of information on the true cause of mastitis. However, this is also a space where there have become various options for testing, adding further confusion to the results. All the options below provide information, but I’d like to give a summary of the tests available, the pros and cons, what we use, and why we use it. Allowing you to spend effectively on useful information, rather than unnecessary testing giving you erroneous results.
Which Option is Best?
The best method depends on your farm’s needs:
For prompt decision-making on treatment (including non-antibiotic options) : We believe Mastatest is your best option, providing quick, valuable results 90% of the time
For severe or recurring cases/ culling decisions: Laboratory culture +/- antibiotic sensitivity is recommended.
For tracking herd infections/resistance development: Bulk milk testing/Dairy Antibiogram is useful.
For precision identification: Laboratory culture / PCR if required, with the benefit of laboratory quality assurance + veterinary advice
Comparison of Mastitis Pathogen Identification Methods
| Method | Pros | Cons |
On-Farm testing | On-Farm Culture Testing | - Quick turnaround time (24–48 hours) - Cost-effective - Reduces unnecessary antibiotic use | - Limited pathogen identification - Requires proper handling - Less precise than lab testing |
Mastatest Machine | - Rapid results (24 hours) - On-farm convenience - Reduces antibiotic overuse | - Initial cost - Limited pathogen detection - Requires maintenance | |
Off-Farm testing | In-House Vet Clinic Culture | - Slightly faster than lab culture (24–48 hours) - Cost-effective | - Limited pathogen detection - No antibiotic sensitivity testing – Less quality assurance |
Laboratory Culture | - Highly accurate providing more specific results - Provides antibiotic sensitivity if requested - Useful for herd-level trends Robust Quality Assurance systems ensuring high levels of accuracy | - Slightly slower turnaround (2-3 days) - Requires bringing sample in | |
Whole herd testing | Staph. aureus Test (LIC) | - Detects subclinical infections - Helps with culling decisions - Non-invasive and integrates with LIC herd data | - Only detects Staph. aureus - No antibiotic sensitivity data - Slower results |
Bulk Milk Tank Testing / Dairy Antibiogram | - Good for monitoring herd health - Identifies subclinical infections - Cost-effective for routine screening – Shows antibiotic resistance | - Does not pinpoint individual cows - May miss low-shedding infections |
Recently after reviewing cost/ benefit of all options we have moved our testing from in-house to laboratory testing. This has come with a slight price increase but is much more accurate, frequently calibrated by the professionals at the lab, and is able to identify more mastitis pathogens, ultimately giving more useful data to the farmer.
Accurate mastitis diagnosis is the objective and helps reduce treatment costs, improve cow/herd health, and maintain milk quality. Work with us to choose the right approach for your farm!
For more advice on mastitis management, feel free to contact our clinic or talk to us at your Milk Quality Consult prior to dryoff.
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