Milk Quality Laboratory With Integrated Dairy Services, Inc.

The lab at Integrated Dairy Services, Inc. provides high quality testing and trustworthy, timely, and accurate results. We are available to help all dairy producers and veterinarians with herd health management and mastitis consulting by offering the following: (click on a topic for more details)

We also provide specialized reports to identify repeat sampled cows, contagious cows, environmental mastitis cows, and bulk tank analysis reports with tank histories.

Please feel free to call the lab and speak with one of our friendly technicians if you have any questions about our services at (254)445-3985 or (800)842-0278 or e-mail us at:

milklabdublin@vetoutletinc.com	milklabhartley@vetoutletinc.com
milklabroswell@vetoutletinc.com	milklabclovis@vetoutletinc.com

SPC - Standard Plate Count - total bacteria count in milk. Can be caused by improper cleaning, poor refrigeration and cooling, and mastits (back to top)

LPC - Lab Pasteurized Count - Bacteria count in milk after pasteurization. This shows bacteria that can survive warm temperatures and gives an indication of how well the wash-up procedures are doing in keeping the system clean. (back to top)

Coliform Count - counts E. coli only - usually indicates that cows are not being cleaned and dried well before milking. Can also indicate bad seals on equipment. (back to top)

SCC - Somatic Cell Count - The number of white blood cells in milk. This is an indication of the amount of infection in an udder. (back to top)

Blood agar - This test is performed on cows and bulk tanks to indicate what types of bacteria are present in the milk. It can take 24-48 hours depending on the type of organism. (back to top)
    Staph aureus - This is a very contagious pathogen that can pass from cow to cow at milking time. Proper teat dipping and dry cow treatments can help stop the spread of this organism. However, once a cow is infected with this, it is very rare that she can be cured. Milk any cows that are infected last, even after the hospital, to avoid transmission. Milkers should always wear clean gloves as well, in order to stop the spread. The mastitis tube Pirsue has been recommended to treat this bug, but is not always successful. Please obtain veterinary advice prior to treating your animals. (back to top)
    Strep ag - This is a very contagious pathogen that can pass from cow to cow at milking time. However, this is very easy to cure. Recommended mastitis tubes include Pirsue, Amoximast, and Today amongst others. Please obtain veterinary advice prior to treating your animals. (back to top)
    Staph species - This is an environmental bacteria meaning it is normally found on the skin of the udder and is not contagious. Spectramast is a new mastitis tube on the market aimed specifically at environmental mastitis. Please obtain veterinary advice prior to treating your animals. (back to top)
    Strep non ag - This is an environmental bacteria, but there are several species that can act in a contagious manner. Amoximast, Pirsue, Spectramast, and others are available to treat this type of mastitis. Please obtain veterinary advice prior to treating your animals. (back to top)
    Coliforms/Gram negatives - This class of organisms includes E. Coli, Klebsiella, and others. There is no treatment for animals with this type of mastitis but many cows can clear the bacteria. The organisms live in the udder but die off rapidly leaving behind a toxin that causes a high fever. Please obtain veterinary advice prior to treating your animals. (back to top)
   Arcanobacterium pyogenes (A. pyo) - This bacteria is primarily transmitted by flies. There is no cure. Milk from an infected quarter will usually look greenish and smell very bad. Drying up the infected quarter is recommended. Please obtain veterinary advice prior to treating your animals. (back to top)
   Bacillus - This is found in soil, dust, air, water, and other environmental sources. Proper milking procedures with a good dip are necessary to prevent new infections. Please obtain veterinary advice prior to treating your animals. (back to top)

Mycoplasma - This organism is very contagious and is spread at milking and can be passed by contaminated intramammary treatments and treatment devices. There is no treatment for this kind of mastitis. Due to the highly contagious nature of it, the best thing to do is cull the infected cow. If this is not an option, milk her last, after the hospital to minimize the chances of infecting another cow. This bacteria grows very slowly. Results are available at 3 and 7 days after plating. Please obtain veterinary advice prior to treating your animals. (back to top)

Johne's tests - Johne's disease causes severe diarrhea in cows. They end up wasting away and dying. This is a contagious disease. Texas has a state funded program to help dairies test their herds for this disease. Dr. Al Harper of Veterinarian's Outlet is a member of this program and can help set up dairies to receive the funds available. (back to top)

Serum Protein - this test looks at the quality of colostrum delivery by determining the amount of immunoglobulins absorbed by the calf. A blood sample in a red top tube is all that is needed. (back to top)

Herd cultures - Should it be determined that all cows on a dairy need to be sampled, Integrated Dairy Services, Inc. is able to perform all necessary procedures to accomplish this. We can come collect all the samples and will have results as soon as possible. Please call the lab for more details and pricing information. (back to top)

Antibiotic residue - When you are not sure if a cow still has antibiotics in her milk, this test is a necessity. We can perform it for you or Veterinarian's Outlet has many tests you can do on farm. (back to top)

FAQ's

Q: Why should I sample cows and how do I know which ones to sample?
A: Sampling cows is a good practice to follow. We recommend sampling all fresh and hospital cows. Because these times are highly stressful in the life of a cow, catching new infections at these times can not only save you a lot of money, but the exact kind of mastitis can be determined. This allows you to treat your cows with the best available medication for that kind of mastitis. This will not only get her back in the milking string faster, but will put more money in your pocket. Also, if the cow shows up with coliform mastitis, no growth, or other kind of unresponsive mastitis, it is not wise to treat her with antibiotics. That in itself will save money. (back to top)

Q: What are the benefits of regular bulk tank sampling with Integrated Dairy Services, Inc.?
A: Integrated Dairy Services, Inc. provides testing that can help you troubleshoot any barn problems before the official lab finds it and lowers any bonuses. We have a highly trained staff that uses these results to track trends and run tests on your parlor to make sure all equipment is working correctly and efficiently. (back to top)

Q: Isn't all this testing expensive?
A: It isn't as bad as you may think. Sampling fresh and hospital cows may seem bad, but once you figure out if the cow should or should not be treated and exactly what kind of mastitis tube to use, you will end up saving money not only on medications, but you will cure cows faster. That will get them back into the milking string sooner which will make you more money. For exact price savings, please call the lab. We will be happy to do a cost analysis report to help you determine just how much you can save by sampling. (back to top)

Q: Are there any vaccines to help my cows?
A: The only vaccines that can help mastitis are those aimed at gram negatives such as J-5 and Endovac, also Lysingen and SRP vaccines for S. aureus which may be appropriate for your operation. Multiple doses must be given for maximum effectiveness. (back to top)

Q: How can I prevent my cows from getting mastitis?
A: The best and easiest way to prevent cows from getting mastitis is to follow a standardized milking procedure with quality products. Milkers should wear gloves and clean them often with an iodine based product for at least 30 seconds. Pre-dip should remain on the cows for 30 to 60 seconds. Cows should be wiped clean and dry with a single service paper towel or a dried cloth towel. Remember only one towel per cow! Allow 1 to 2 minutes for milk letdown before attaching the machine. Do not let the machine overmilk the cow at the end and apply post-dip over the entire teat. Having feed for your cow immediately after milking can help as well. The longer she can keep her udder off the ground, the better her teat ends will close which will help keep out nasty bacteria. (back to top)

Q: What happens if they do get mastitis?
A: Sample the infected cow immediately in order to know what kind of organism you are dealing with. Treat only those cows that need it and care for other cows in a manner that will speed their recovery. Please obtain veterinary advice prior to treating your animals. (back to top)

Have any other questions? Please call the lab at 254-445-3985 or 800-842-0278.