Minnesota Easy Culture System
By Minnesota Easy Culture System
Last reviewed: December 2025
The Minnesota Easy Culture System enables on-farm mastitis diagnostics, allowing dairy producers to identify major mastitis pathogens and make targeted...
Overview
The Minnesota Easy Culture System is an innovative on-farm mastitis diagnostic tool developed at the University of Minnesota. It enables dairy producers to identify major mastitis-causing pathogens quickly and accurately at the farm level.
How It Works
Tri-Plate System
The culture system uses a specialized three-compartment plate that differentiates:
Simple Procedure
Benefits for Dairy Operations
Targeted Treatment
Knowing the pathogen type before treatment helps:
Rapid Results
On-farm culture eliminates laboratory shipping delays, providing same-day or next-day answers.
Cost Savings
Compared to laboratory culture fees, on-farm testing is significantly more economical for routine mastitis cases.
Accuracy Considerations
Studies show the Minnesota Easy Culture System provides:
Training Requirements
Proper training is essential for accurate results. Training is available through:
Supply Requirements
Integration with Mastitis Programs
The culture system works best as part of comprehensive mastitis control programs including proper milking procedures, environmental management, and veterinary oversight.
Key Features
- Rapid Results: Culture results in 18-24 hours for same-day treatment decisions
- Gram Differentiation: Bi-plate system separates gram-positive from gram-negative organisms
- Simple Protocol: Easy-to-follow procedures suitable for on-farm use
- No Special Equipment: Only requires incubator and basic supplies
- Treatment Algorithm: Clear decision tree based on culture results
- Proven Research: Extensively validated by University of Minnesota research
Ideal For
Farm Types: Commercial dairy operations, Organic dairies (to guide supportive care decisions), Progressive operations focusing on antibiotic stewardship
Pricing Information
Here is the pricing information for Minnesota Easy Culture System:
On-farm bi-plate culture system for rapid mastitis pathogen identification.
Pricing Model: Per-plate test kit pricing
Available through veterinary distributors and direct from Minnesota Easy Culture System.
Pros & Considerations
- Reduces antibiotic use by 50% or more
- Improves treatment targeting
- Rapid results for timely decisions
- Simple enough for on-farm use
- Extensively research-validated
- Reduces treatment costs
- Requires training for accurate interpretation
- Does not identify specific pathogens (only gram type)
- Some organisms harder to classify
- Requires consistent technique for reliable results
Evaluation Questions
Key questions to consider when evaluating Minnesota Easy Culture System:
- How many clinical mastitis cases do you see monthly?
- Who would be responsible for performing cultures?
- Do you have or can you obtain an incubator?
- Are you committed to following treatment protocols based on results?
- What is your current antibiotic treatment protocol for mastitis?
- Have your staff received training in aseptic milk sampling?
- What are your goals for antibiotic reduction?
- Do you have veterinary support for implementing the program?