Delivering informative, accurate, timely and cost-effective test results is paramount for effective management of today’s dairy operations. At CentralStar, we are continually developing and validating assays so that producers are receiving the best information for their buck. We diligently strive to place our work at the intersection of novel biological discoveries and next generation technologies in order to deliver cutting edge tools to producers without prohibitive cost.

Custom Mastitis Testing

We continually expand our library of validated assays targeting both common and less common pathogens that are known to cause mastitis. We often work directly with herds to identify and contain a problematic pathogen through bulk tank microbial profiling and custom diagnostic approaches.

Bovine Leukemia Virus

CentralStar’s flagship BLV SSI qPCR Assay has become the most used Leukosis PCR test in the U.S. The SS1 Assay compares viral DNA to host DNA in blood enabling identification of advanced disease, commonly referred to as super-shedders. Animals with the highest amount of BLV should be removed to reduce new infection rates over time. We are currently enrolled in a seven-herd, 3,000 cow field trial which has resulted in herds reducing their BLV prevalence by 60 percent in two and a half years. 

Custom single-plex SNP Assays

Is there a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) that you are interested in within your herd? Genetics that encode milk proteins like A2 β-casein or K-casein can be determined from tissue, blood, or your DHI milk sample! 

Johne’s Detection and quantification

We have developed an assay capable of determining relative amounts of the causative microorganism of Johne’s Disease (Mycobacterium avium paratrabucluous – MAP) from fecal samples.This assay helps producers screen and remove shedding cattle before it’s too late.