The Quality Milk Production Services (QMPS) program, with a total staff of thirty-five, performed over 170,000 cultures and other tests during the past year, along with over 2,600 farm visits and 7,500 telephone consultations. All of these services address milk quality issues that are of great significance to milk producers.

Research projects during the past year have included biosecurity and bovine mastitis, total quality management practices on dairy farms, evaluation of anti-bacterial therapy cure rates for bovine mastitis, and eleven other such initiatives.

QMPS serves the dairy industry of New York State by promoting the production of high quality milk through the control of mastitis, and the avoidance of antibiotic residues in milk through field and laboratory diagnostic evaluations and recommendations.

Program goals are achieved by providing expertise in diagnostic services, milking management evaluation, therapy recommendations, mastitis prevention, education, and research.

The program also provides current information on new mastitis control technology and is a source of information on new state and national programs to improve milk quality and food safety associated with mastitis and milk hygiene.

Four regional laboratories (in Ithaca, Cobleskill, Canton, and Warsaw) serve as an extension of the Animal Health Diagnostic Center, assisting in performing field and laboratory diagnostic evaluations of dairy problems, obtaining diagnosis, and promoting the control of other infectious diseases affecting the agricultural industry in New York State.