FIELD TEST TO HELP DAIRY FARMERS TACKLE ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE

Indian dairy farmers will be able to trial a new portable testing kit that can help target antibiotics to treat cows and buffalo, and tackle the global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The new project is funded by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency and sees partners including the University of Reading, Capillary Film Technology, Design Science and the National Institute of Animal Biotechnology work together to create an easy to use and portable test to tackle AMR in dairy farming.

In the first phase of the project, dairy farming and biomedical technology experts are working with molecular microbiologists and design experts to create a quick test that can help vets use specific antibiotics to treat mastitis in dairy cattle, reducing the overuse of antibiotics that is leading to AMR.