This article provides guidance on selecting reference milk for on-farm Delvotest® testing. A reference sample is used to establish Control Time (CT) and help confirm that the test system is performing as expected.
What Is a Reference Sample?
A reference sample is milk from a healthy, untreated animal that is expected to produce a negative result. It provides the reference point used to establish Control Time.
Selecting a Reference Sample
For routine farm testing, the reference sample should be milk from a healthy animal that has not received antibiotic treatment. The milk should be representative of the milk normally tested on the farm.
Do not use milk from an animal that is receiving antibiotic treatment or is still within the applicable withdrawal period.
When collecting milk for use as a reference sample, follow the recommendations described in 🧩 Best Practices for Collecting Milk 🔗.
Using the Reference Sample
Run the reference sample alongside the milk samples being tested. As incubation progresses, use its colour development to determine when Control Time has been reached.
Always incubate and assess the reference sample under the same conditions as the other milk samples in the test run.
Next Steps
Once you have selected suitable reference milk, follow the procedure for establishing Control Time with Delvotest® ampoules.
⏭️ Next article: How to Establish Control Time Using Delvotest® Ampoules 🔗
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