29 Apr 2026
CVS said the project yielded a 15% increase in diagnostic activity in 2025 alone.
Chris Simpson
Job Title
CVS Farm Vets has celebrated the “major” progress shown in the second-year results of its cow mastitis quality improvement project.
Launched in 2023, the mastitis project aimed to address challenges around slow turnaround of laboratory milk culture, which prompted farms to treat many cases with antibiotics as standard practice.
CVS invested in Mastatest technology – which allows on-site milk culture and sensitivity testing and produces results within 20-24 hours – at all 15 of its farm practices.
The group said its practices have now processed more than 1,100 clinical samples and nearly 200 high cell count samples since the programme began, with a 15% increase in diagnostic activity in 2025 alone.
The project’s second-year results show that more than one in three clinical mastitis cases did not require antibiotic treatment, with 34% of samples identifying no growth or E coli – both of which are said to resolve with supportive care when clinical signs are mild.
Streptococcus uberis was found to cause 16% of cases, requiring antibiotic therapy.
Sensitivity testing is said to have supported a shift from broad spectrum category C antibiotics to narrow spectrum category D penicillins, which CVS described as “a major step forward in responsible prescribing”.
Farmers are encouraged to use NSAIDs in cows showing mild mastitis signs while awaiting diagnostic results.
CVS said the coordinated efforts of vets, veterinary technicians and administrative teams collecting samples, operating the machinery and communicating the results have built consistency, improved efficiency and strengthened farmer engagement.
Project lead Simon Mitchell, senior vet at Coast 2 Coast Farm Vets, said: “These results show just how powerful rapid diagnostics can be in dairy practice. For the first time, we can make confident, evidence-based treatment decisions within 24 hours.
“This means cows receive the most appropriate care, unnecessary antibiotic use is avoided and when antibiotics are needed, they’re the right ones.
“Year two has demonstrated that quality improvement, combined with practical technology and strong teamwork, can deliver real, measurable change for farmers.”
Dr Mitchell said the group will continue expanding the programme, sharing insights from it across its practices and with the wider industry.