Develop and commercialize Penside Mastitis Diagnostic Kit
Mastitis is a constraint to dairy production and may account for up to 70%–80% of the total losses in milk production. Clinical mastitis can be easily detected and treated unlike sub clinical mastitis, where the milk is usually visibly normal, but the concentration of milk somatic cell count (SCC) is increased, and normally pathogens are identified from milk samples processed for bacteriological testing. However, the current diagnostic approaches require technical expertise thus the need for an easy to use and affordable mastitis diagnostic technology that can be used by farmers. ASAL APRP in partnership with Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology developed a prototype kit and produced 1000 strips that were used in field validation trials. The registration process has been initiated and a dossier drafted and presented to Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI). Independent field evaluation of the kit was carried out by the Directorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVS) to enable registration by Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). In order for the pH-based mastitis kit to be availed for on-farm use it must be registered by VMD. It is also crucial to protect this innovation by patenting the kit with KIPI. The following sub- activities are proposed:
- Kit production and capacity building
- Develop user information, kit packaging design and costing
- Kit patenting and registration for use in cattle by KIPI and VMD