Dipstick test for mastitis?
Dipstick test for mastitis?
TWO mastitis projects completed by the Milk Development Council could be taken on by commercial companies.
MDC project manager James Booth said that talks were under way with pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies to develop a dipstick test to identify which mastitis bacteria are present in milk.
This follows a project at the Institute of Animal Health, Compton, which made some pro-gress in developing a dipstick test.
However, its proving difficult to get further work sponsored because tests must cost a maximum of £2-3 each, much less than similar tests developed for human medicine, he explained.
Mr Booth also hopes that pharmaceutical companies will be interested in studying the use of oxytocin as an alternative to antibiotics for clinical mastitis.
A study at the Hannah Research Institute, Ayr, found that oxytocin looked promising for controlling Staph aureus bacteria when compared with antibiotic treatment. It is used in the US, but only eight cows were used in the UK study and a much larger study is needed.