What's new

Better bug detection moves mastitis management up a gear 

A new technique for identifying mastitis-causing bacteria will improve mastitis management on farms and bring benefits to producers, vets and milk buyers. Launched this month (February) by National Milk Laboratories - part of the NMR group - the technique detects bacterial DNA and can identify nearly twice as many pathogens and in hours rather than days compared to NML' traditional culture techniques.

Known as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), the technology uses an assay that was developed in Finland and is used successfully in other leading dairy countries. The PCR and assay combination used by NML is more than 99% accurate for all the bacteria identified..

NML has replaced traditional plate cultures used in its Microcheck services with PCR technology. The services include NML's Mastitis ID, where producers or vets use kits to send in samples from individual cows or quarters, and its BactoBreakdown service that identifies mastitis pathogens in bulk milk samples.

Results from NML's PCR tests will be available immediately and customers can access them through the Herd Companion web site, or by email, fax or post. Results for samples arriving in the NML laboratory before 10.00 am on a working day will be available in less then 24 hours.

Identification of plant hygiene bugs, also offered through BactoBreakdown, will still be carried out using cultures as there is no PCR technology available for identifying these group of bugs. Results from this part of the service will follow the PCR results.

"PCR offers huge advantages over plate cultures for detecting mastitis causing pathogens", says NML's business development manager Hannah Pearse. "It reliably detects 11 pathogens and the susceptibility of Staphylococci to penicillin, compared with six pathogens and no penicillin susceptibility in NML's traditional culture. Also, the PCR test takes just hours to complete compared to 48 to 72 hours for a culture."

Another major advantage of NML's PCR test is that it can be carried out on bulk milk samples already held by NML for payment testing purposes. "NML holds samples for 98% of British dairy herds so the advantage of having a sample to hand without any further hassle increases the attractiveness of carrying out a BacotBreakdown for the producer," adds Ms Pearce.

New sample kits have been developed for the Mastitis ID service as the PCR test can use milk held in preservative. "This means that milk from the cow goes straight into a pot with preservative and any further growth of bugs in the raw milk is minimised. This is a great advantage over the plate culture that requires fresh milk samples.

The NMR group has invested significant development funds into the new PCR technology. "As a result of this investment we can offer our customers a highly accurate and efficient pathogen detection service. This will help improve the speed and accuracy of mastitis management on our dairy units.

The cost of carryout out a BactoBreakdown test on a bulk milk sample is £45.00 plus VAT. Kits, with a sample pot for Mastitis ID using PCR on individual cow samples costs from £15.00 plus VAT per test.

For more information or to order tests contact NMR Customer Services on 0844 7255567 or email customerservices@nmr.co.uk.

Â

PCR Run Room placing the PCR plate containing the extracted DNA in the Real Time PCR Machine (5)

Marie Severn, NML Microbiology unit manager, preparing sample for extracting DNA

Extraction room - sample is placed in centrifuge as part of DNA extraction process (3)

For more information contact:

Hannah Pearse 01249 467204
hannahp@nmr.co.uk

Karen Wright 01780 767222
karen@karenwrightpr.com

Published to web by:

webmaster@nmr.co.uk