Mastitis – Dairy Antibiogram13 Nov 2017

Stay on top of Mastitis with this exciting new test which identifies ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IN MASTITIS BACTERIA

Antibiotic resistance is a serious health problem arising in both human and animal medicine alike. It is a problem where bacteria become more able to survive in the presence of antibiotic treatments, causing infections which are increasingly difficult to cure. The end result is a situation where we are powerless to treat infections which were once very responsive to antibiotics.

Antibiotics are a valuable tool in the dairy industry, and when used responsibly, they are vital for the maintenance of good animal health and welfare. Bacterial resistance to these valuable treatments is a threat to the viability of dairy farming, and is perceived as a threat to human health. Knowledge of the resistance status in your herd is the key to choosing the right treatments for your cows, and for monitoring and preventing the development and spread of bacterial resistance.

Dairy Antibiogram is a new test which shows you how sensitive the bacteria on your farm are to different mastitis treatments. The test is easy to have done, as it is performed on bulk milk samples taken from the milk processors. A Dairy Antibiogram will give you valuable information which, with the direction from one of our vets, will help you:





  • Plan to use effective mastitis treatments
  • Avoid using expensive treatments when other options are shown to be effective
  • Know your resistance status and how this ranks compared to other farms in the country
  • Develop biosecurity plans to protect a “Good” resistance status
  • Identify threats to your herd which can be investigated further and managed or removed
  • Monitor if your resistance status is changing over time
  • Help your dairy industry demonstrate that it is using antibiotics responsibly


A Dairy Antibiogram provides essential information to ensure the sustainability of using antibiotics on your farm.
Contact The Vet Centre to book in a time to discuss Dairy Antibiogram.