| Preferred Sample | Milk (5-20 ml) |
| Fee | $25 |
| Schedule | Days Tested MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI Turnaround Time 3-6 days |
| Description | Isolation and identification of bacteria present in milk to determine the causative agent of mastitis. Routine milk culture does not include Mycoplasma sp. If Mycoplasma is suspected please also request Mycoplasma culture. Note: This method is not appropriate to determine whether milk is safe for human consumption. |
| Species | Bovine | Canine | Feline | Equine | Ovine | Caprine | Porcine | Wildlife Exotic | Other |
| Shipping Requirements | The best results come from samples that are appropriately collected in a leak-proof (screw cap) container and are either frozen immediately or transported on ice pack to the laboratory within 24 hours. |
| Additional Instructions | Collection method: Clean teats from front to back, collect milk specimen from back to front. Aseptically squirt 5-20 ml of milk into sterile container. For bulk tank samples see milk culture – bulk tank. An additional fee is charged for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Check out our Microbiology page for helpful collection and interpretation information. Additionally, this video gives a demonstration of milk collection. |