Roger Saltman, DVM, MBA, a consultant and former chief medical offi cer of U.S. cattle and equine business at Zoetis, has recently completed a study* demonstrating that on-farm milk testing with PCR technology that detects oligonucleotides (specific DNA fragments) of Mycoplasma bovis outperforms traditional culture testing done on farm or in a lab.

In recent weeks, several dry-off antibiotic treatments have gone on back order and the brands that are still available are often available only in allocated amounts.

The main goal of commercial dairy farms is to maximize economic returns by optimizing milk production and minimizing expenses. Both clinical and subclinical mastitis reduce milk production and increase cost, and mastitis remains the costliest disease in U.S. dairy cattle.