Pathogens Mastitis Collection

The Mastitis Pathogen Culture Collection is located at the Faculté de médecine vétérinaire à Saint-Hyacinthe in Quebec, the Mastitis Pathogen Culture Collection is a component of the Mastitis Network’s Core Research Platform. 

It provides access to the mastitis bacteria isolated from milk samples taken from cows’ quarters and bulk tanks on a national cohort of 93 dairy farms across Canada in 2007-2008.

One interesting and unique feature of this collection of bacteria strains is that each bacterium is linked to the data regarding its cow-host (type of infection, duration, clinical signs, treatments, parity, etc.), the on-farm mastitis management practices and also, for many of them, the cow’s DNA.

The Culture Collection currently holds nearly 17,000 bacterial isolates, which are accessible to Mastitis Network researchers and to collaborating researchers. These strains are also available to other Canadian or external researchers who can make a request. Indeed, a protocol regarding the transfer of information and confidential material has been developed, along with a policy on the distribution and use of the isolates. The Mastitis Network’s Scientific Committee is charged with analyzing the relevance of all requests to use the bacteria samples and to ensure that projects that use these samples are complementary to the Mastitis Network research.