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Mastitis Testing

Submission Guidelines

Submission Form (PDF)

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Mastitis PCR

  • PCR detection is effective on DHI or hand-stripped milk samples from treated, fresh or late lactation cows
  • Pool up to five samples for cost-effective screening. Split positive pools to test individual samples
  • Convenient testing options include:
    • High SCC samples
    • Fresh cows
    • Monitor causes of infection and verify clearance before introduction
    • Bulk tank or groups to provide ongoing surveillance

PCR Test Options:

  • Individual Organism PCR
    • Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus uberis, Prototheca, Staphyloccous aureus or Mycoplasma bovis
    • Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common pathogens to cause chronic mastitis. It is highly contagious and usually not treatable. Infection with Staph aureus often leads to abscesses and an abundance of scar tissue in the mammary gland.
    • Mycoplasma bovis is a very small, highly contagious bacteria that can cause mastitis as well as respiratory and reproductive issues. Infection with Mycoplasma bovis is not treatable; infected cows must be identified, segregated, and culled.
  • AntelBio™ STRATA-G™ Contagious 3 PCR
    • M bovis, Strep ag., Staph aureus
  • Complete 16 PCR
    • Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus species, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Streptococcus uberis, Escherichia coli, Corynebacterium bovis, Enterococcus faecalis, & faecium, Klebsiella pneumoniae & oxytoca, Serratia marcescens, Arcanobacterium pyogenes & Peptostreptococcus indolicus, Staphylococcal beta-lactamase gene, Mycoplasma bovis, Mycoplasma species, Yeast and Prototheca species.

Sample Type

  • Milk (fresh, frozen or preserved)

When to use

  • Screen individual animals including recently purchased, new and chronically high SCC cows, and recently fresh cows
  • Monthly screening and monitoring of bulk tank, groups/pens and hospital pen/tank

Results

  • Available within 48 hours of sample processing
  • Only organisms detected are indicated. If no organisms are detected, result is reported as Undetected with a Negative final result.
  • Results are reported as Suspect or Positive. Positive results are given a categorical assessment of + (mild), ++ (moderate), or +++ (severe) based on CT values.
Target Suspect Mild(+) Moderate (++) Severe (+++)
Arcanobacter pyogenes and Peptostreptococcus (Peptoniphilus) indolicus >37 30.1-37 24-30 <24
Corynebacterium bovis >37 28.1-37 22-28 <22
Enterococcus spp. >37 28.1-37 24-28 <24
Escherichia coli >37 34.1-37 24-34 <24
Klebsiella spp. >37 32.1-37 24-32 <24
Mycoplasma bovis >37 32.1-37 22-32 <22
Mycoplasma spp. >37 30.1-37 20-30 <20
Prototheca spp. >37 34.1-37 21-31 <21
Serratia marcescens >37 30.1-37 31-34 <31
Staphylococcal beta-lactamase gene >37 30.1-37 25-30 <25
Staphylococcus aureus >37 31.1-37 24-30 <24
Staphylococcus spp. >37 32.1-37 24-31 <24
Streptococcus agalactiae >37 30.1-37 24-32 <24
Streptococcus dysgalactiae >37 30.1-37 22-30 <22
Streptococcus uberis >37 31.1-37 21-31 <21
Yeast >37 32.1-37 22-32 <22

Price

  • Individual Complete 16 PCR: $40/sample
  • Pooled Complete 16 PCR (Min 3): $10/sample
  • Individual AntelBio™ STRATA-G™ Contagious 3 PCR: $30/sample
  • Pooled AntelBio™ STRATA-G™ Contagious 3 PCR (Min 3): $8/sample
  • Individual Single Target PCR (Staph aureus, Strep. Ag. Strep uberis, Prototheca OR M. bovis): $14.25/sample
  • Pooled Single Target PCR (Min 3): $4/sample
  • Testing billed upon sample receipt
  • $10 sample submission fee per order

Submit Samples

Additional Information

Testing Supplies

CentralStar’s laboratories provide sample analyses on milk, blood, fecal, and tissue samples for a variety of production, disease and health-related traits. More than 6 million samples are processed annually using state-of-the-art equipment and techniques including infrared spectroscopy, flow cytometry, ELISA, PCR, and more.

Diagnostic tests are intended to identify diseases for animal health, and do not determine the “safety” of milk.