Simple sample approaches Regular bulk tank analysis. If records are kept of animals entering milking string, the animals since the last bulk tank sample can be sampled. This approach usually will take care of these problems. Full scale samples Expensive. Take great care in sampling - rubber gloves, sanitized between cows or you will spread from sample bottle to sample bottle, and think you have an epidemic when you only have a couple of cows infected.
Epidemics usually happen by spreading from cow to cow using bottle mixes.
If you have an epidemic and use bottle mixes, review your pot herd records - these are your mycoplasma cows. What Not to Do in a Mycoplasma Crisis Panic. Rinse milkers with water. This usually changes milking routines and causes many other problems, and it is not effective anyway. Trouble Shooting a Herd with a High Bacteria Count High bacteria counts usually are caused by poor cleaning of milking equipment or improper cooling of the milk and herds with strep.