Mastitis continues to be one of the most frustrating and expensive health problems for dairy producers. It reduces milk yield, increases somatic cell count, forces milk to be discarded and often shortens a cow’s productive life. For years, selective treatment decisions were based on guesswork or delayed until culture results returned from a lab; neither option is ideal for today’s dairy business. 

That’s where Mastatest® can make a difference. This automated on-farm diagnostic tool gives producers and veterinarians rapid, reliable information about mastitis causes, allowing for more precise and cost-effective management decisions. 

How It Works 

The core of Mastatest is a device called the Lapbox™. When a cow has mastitis, a sterile milk sample is collected and placed inside a Mastatest cartridge. The Mastatest cartridge, which contains 24 wells with different reagents, is inserted into the Lapbox. An electronic sensor, or “eye”, at the bottom of the Lapbox detects bacteria in the well and sends diagnostic information digitally to a cloud-based database cloud for interpretation. Different cartridges can test different things. For example, one type of Mastatest cartridge can test how the bacteria respond to antibiotics. 

Results are automatically uploaded to the cloud and emailed to you, usually within 24 hours. The report details: 

Data-Driven Decisions 

Mastatest also has an online portal that compiles your farm’s results. Over time, stored results may reveal a pattern of mastitis-causing bacteria. This data can guide management strategies to decrease overall mastitis and improve milk quality. 

What It Detects 

Mastatest can identify several major mastitis pathogens, including: 

It also flags mixed infections, contamination or no bacterial growth. The report for one cartridge type can also include an antibiotic sensitivity profile to help guide treatment. 

Benefits for the Farm 

The biggest advantage of Mastatest is better treatment decisions. Instead of treating every mastitis case with an intramammary antibiotic, Mastatest helps producers create a more targeted therapy plan or avoid unnecessary treatment altogether. 

Many cows won’t benefit from antibiotics due to self-curing infections or the absence of bacteria. By waiting one day for results, you may avoid unnecessary treatments, wasted milk and withdrawal periods. 

Key benefits include: 

Things to Consider 

Mastatest isn’t a replacement for good management. There are limitations to consider: 

The Bottom Line 

Mastatest is a practical tool for farmers who want to decrease antibiotic use, save money and gain insight into herd health. For larger farms or those with persistent mastitis problems, the system often pays for itself through reduced treatment costs and better disease control. Smaller farms may take longer to see a return but could still benefit from more precise decision-making. 

Mastatest is not a quick cure but a decision support tool. Used alongside your veterinarian’s guidance and good milking practices, Mastatest can improve herd health, lower costs and strengthen your farm’s bottom line.