Field Microbiology for Feedlot Cattle

Abstract

Bacteriology is a useful diagnostic and treatment regimen management tool. The perceived difficulty, complexity and expense cause many veterinary practitioners to avoid diagnostic microbiology in their office laboratory. In reality, targeting diagnostic microbiology to the disease affecting animals in specific production management systems decreases the complexity needed to provide useful microbiology information. It also simplifies the interpretation of culture and bacteriological test results. This paper presents a simple diagnostic microbiology system targeted at feeder cattle that can augment production management consulting services. Supply sources, maximizing supply shelf-life, and building an inexpensive culture incubator is included.