Species: Bovine

Specimen: Milk

Container: Sterile pottle 

Collection protocol:

Collect from the vat or arrange collection via the dairy factory.  A form is available from Awanui Veterinary to authorise milk collection from the factory

Special handling/shipping requirements: Refrigerate until testing or store frozen

General information about the disease:

Ostertagia larvae infect the abomasal of adult cattle, can lead to abomasal damage, reducing nutrient absorption, and leading to decreases in milk production. 

General information about when this test is indicated:

Collect milk samples near the end of lactation. The milk ELISA test demonstrates the ostertagia parasite burden in the herd. The numerical result generated is the ratio of the sample to the positive control and the values range from 0.1 to about 1.5. Higher levels indicate higher worm burdens. In overseas herds, bulk milk ratios greater than 0.5 have been associated with a depression of milk production and linked with a response to anthelmintic treatment.

Comparison with other related tests:

Serum pepsinogen measurement is another test to gauge if there has been abomasal damage. For general parasite screening of adult cattle faecal egg counts are another option.