Research

The QMPS research team conducts epidemiological studies aimed at furthering the dairy industry’s understanding of mastitis. More importantly, we use this knowledge and act as a contract research organization (CRO), specializing in bovine clinical field studies.

Our goal is to improve milk quality on the farm by offering contract services to product development companies, ultimately resulting in more effective and diverse products for use by producers and veterinarians. For more information, please contact us.

Trial Design

Designing a valid study is the most important step in conducting a meaningful trial that will be accepted by regulatory authorities, veterinarians and producers. QMPS has qualifications and experience to support the design of a diverse array of projects.

  • Biometrical design
  • Sample size calculation
  • Randomization
  • Protocol writing
  • Case report form development
  • Implementation consulting

Trial Conduct

Implementing a well-designed field trial requires access to a diverse pool of trial sites, knowledge of on-farm practices, and the ability to work with trial sites to modify practices. QMPS ‘s four regions are staffed with four veterinarians and eight field technicians who visit farms daily. This provides both access to trial sites and the knowledge needed for proper trial implementation.

  • IACUC/informed consent
  • Treatment administration
  • Sample/data collection
  • Equipment checking (NMC)

Project Management

Coordination of resources and schedules in order to meet project scope requirements takes effective communication, controlled processes, and problem-solving expertise. QMPS has certified Project Management Professionals (PMP), who apply Kerzner’s project management methodology to complete projects on time and within budget.

  • Site qualification
  • Scheduling/cost control
  • Scope monitoring/control
  • Communication records
  • Field site monitoring

Data Management/Statistics

A well-conducted field study means little without quality data and a valid analysis. QMPS has expertise to support the entire process from data capture to inference and interpretation of results.

  • Database design
  • Record management
  • Data entry
  • Data verification/cleaning
  • Descriptive analysis
  • Inferential statistical analysis including multi-level modeling
  • Statistical report writing

Reporting

Organization of trial records and interpretation of results are essential for efficient review of data packages by regulatory authorities and accurate communication of results to the industry. QMPS has the expertise to provide a range of report types with varying levels of interpretation and complexity.

  • Raw data packages
  • Laboratory results
  • Databases/statistical reports
  • Internal sponsor reports
  • Peer-reviewed publications
  • Posters/presentations

Trade Publications

  • Nydam DV, Royster E, Godden S, Gorden PJ, Ruegg P. Which antibiotic should I use to treat a cow with mastitis? Can susceptibility testing help me decide? Hoard’s Dairyman. December 2018
  • Vasquez A. Making Pathogen-based Mastitis Treatment Protocols Work for Many Dairies. The Manager. November 2018
  • Watters R, Wieland M, Virkler P. Milking 4x brings advantages and pitfalls. Hoard’s Dairyman. October 2018
  • Ospina PA, Heuwieser W. Training can improve more than just milk quality. Progressive Dairyman. October 2018. Issue 16. P 98-99.
  • Watters R, Virkler P. Monitoring the parlor without electronic records. Progressive Dairyman. September 2018
  • Alanis V, Tomzai T, Ospina PA, Nydam DV. These eight farms shed light on mastitis. Hoard’s Dairyman. September 2018 p. 554
  • Moroni P, Curone G, Welcome F. Reduced exposure limits Klebsiella infections. Hoard’s Dairyman. August 2018
  • Ospina PA, Alanis V, Nydam DV, Santisteban C. Each bedding type comes with its own issues. Hoard’s Dairyman. July 2018 p. 416
  • Watters R, Zurakowski M. Milk quality: Make it pay. Progressive Dairyman. July 2018 p. 72
  • Nydam DV. Why think about selective dry cow therapy now? Hoard’s Dairyman. May 2018 p. 351
  • Watters R, Wieland M, Virkler P. Make daily milking center maintenance checks part of milk quality routine. Progressive Dairyman. April 2018
  • Gioia G, Callan B, Welcome F, Moroni P, Virkler P. Take Mycoplasma infections very seriously. Hoard’s Dairyman. April 2018, p. 290
  • Virkler P. Jake discovered the true value of milk quality. Hoard’s Dairyman. March 2018
  • Watters R, Welcome F. Manage the count by identifying the bacteria. Hoard’s Dairyman. February 2018.
  • Rauch B, Watters R, Welcome F, Nydam DV. Not all sand is created equal. Hoard’s Dairyman. January 2018 p. 64
  • Virkler P. Manage teat dip products to prevent dry teat skin. Progressive Dairyman. January 2018
  • Watters, R. A fresh look at the five-point mastitis control plan. Progressive Dairyman. January 2018 p. 41

Peer-Reviewed Publications

  • Vasquez A, Ganda E, Capel M, Eicker S, Virkler P, Bicalho R, Nydam DV. The microbiome of Escherichia coli and culture-negative nonsevere clinical mastitis: characterization and associations with linear score and milk production. J Dairy Sci. 2018 doi: 10.3168/jds.2018-15062 (accepted)
  • Wieland M, Nydam DV, lveby N, Wood P, Virkler PD. Short communication: Teat-end shape and udder level milking characteristics and their associations with machine milking induced changes on teat tissue condition. J Dairy Sci. 2018 doi: 10.3168/jds.2018-15057
  • Mann S, Sipka A, Leal-Yepes F, Nydam DV, Overton TR, Wakshlag JJ. Nutrient sensing kinase signaling in bovine immune cells is altered during the postpartum nutrient deficit: a possible role in transition cow inflammatory response. J Dairy Sci. 2018 doi: 10.3168/jds.2018-14549
    ++ Editor’s Choice manuscript
  • Filipe J, Curone G, Bronzo V , Pisoni G, Cremonesi P, Pollera C, Turin L, Vigo D, Roccabianca P, Caniatti M, Moroni P, Riva F. Pentraxin 3 is up-regulated in epithelial mammary cells during Staphylococcus aureus Intramammary infection in goat. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 2018 59: 8-16.
  • Tomazi T*, Ferreira GC, Orsi AM, Leonel J, Ospina PA, Nydam DV, Moroni P. Association of herd-level risk factors and incidence rate of clinical mastitis in 20 Brazilian herds. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 2018 (accepted)
  • Ollivett TL, Leslie KE, Duffield TF, Nydam DV, Hewson J, Caswell J, Kelton D. Field trial to evaluate the effect of an intranasal respiratory vaccine protocol on calf health, ultrasonographic lung consolidation, and growth in Holstein dairy calves. J Dairy Sci. 2018 Sep;101(9):8159-8168
  • Eraclio G, Ricci G, Moroni P, Santisteban C, Plumed-Ferrer C, Bennett J, Fortina MG. Sand bedding as a reservoir for Lactococcus garvieae dissemination in dairy farms. Can J Microbiol. 2018 Sep 18. doi: 10.1139/cjm-2018-0251.
  • Leal Yepes FA, Mann S, Heuwieser W, Nydam DV. Evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of two point-of-care β-hydroxybutyrate devices in stored bovine plasma at room temperature and at 37°C. J Dairy Sci. 2018 Jul;101(7):6455-6461
  • Wieland M, Virkler PD, Borkowski A, lveby N, Wood P, Nydam DV. An observational study investigating the association of ultrasonographically assessed machine milking induced changes in teat condition and teat-end shape in dairy cows. Animal. 2018 Jun 21:1-8
  • Monistero V, Graber HU, Pollera C, Cremonesi P, Castiglioni B, Bottini E, Ceballos-Marquez A, Lasso-Rojas L, Kroemker V, Wente N, Petzer IM, Santisteban C, Runyan J, Veiga Dos Santos M, Alves BG, Piccinini R, Bronzo V, Abbassi MS, Said MB, Moroni P. Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from Bovine Mastitis in Eight Countries: Genotypes, Detection of Genes Encoding Different Toxins and Other Virulence Genes. Toxins (Basel). 2018 Jun 17;10(6). pii: E247. doi: 10.3390/toxins10060247.
  • Vasquez A, Nydam DV, Foditsch C, Wieland M, Lynch R, Eicker S, Virkler PD. Use of a culture-independent on-farm algorithm to guide the use of selective dry cow antibiotic therapy. J Dairy Sci. 2018 Jun;101(6):5345-5361
  • Eraclio G, Ricci G, Quattrini M, Moroni P, Fortina MG. Detection of virulence-related genes in Lactococcus garvieae and their expression in response to different conditions. Folia Microbiol (Praha). 2018 May;63(3):291-298. doi: 10.1007/s12223-017-0566-z.
  • McCarthy MM, Overton TR, Mechor GD, Bauman DE, Jenkins TC, Nydam DV. Short communication: Field study to investigate the associations between herd level risk factors for milk fat depression and bulk tank milk fat percent in dairy herds feeding monensin. J Dairy Sci. 2018 Apr;101(4):3118-3125
  • Ledet MM, Vasquez AK, Rauner G, Bichoupan AA, Moroni P, Nydam DV, Van de Walle GR. The secretome from bovine mammosphere-derived cells (MDC) promotes angiogenesis, epithelial cell migration, and contains factors associated with defense and immunity. Sci Reports. 2018 Mar 29;8(1):5378
  • Hertl JA, Schukken YH, Tauer LW, Welcome FL, Gröhn YT. Does clinical mastitis in the first 100 days of lactation 1 predict increased mastitis occurrence and shorter herd life in dairy cows? J. Dairy Sci. 2018 Mar (3) 101:2309-2323. Doi.org/10.3168/jds.2017-12615.
  • Fry M, Yao B, Rios C, Mann, Sabine; Wong C, McArt JA, Nydam DV, Leal F, Viesselmann L, Geick A, Goldin K, Behling-Kelly E. Diagnostic performance of cytology for assessment of hepatic lipid content in dairy cattle. J Dairy Sci. 2018; Feb;101(2):1379-1387
  • Wieland M, Melvin JM, Nydam DV, Virkler PD, Heuwieser W. Technical note: Development and evaluation of a standard operating procedure for ultrasound-based measurements of teat canal dimensions in dairy cows. J Dairy Sci. 2018; Feb;101(2):1518-1523
  • Bertocchi L, Fusi F, Angelucci A, Bolzoni L, Pongolini S, Strano RM, Ginestreti J, Riuzzi G, Moroni P, Lorenzi V. Characterization of hazards, welfare promoters and animal-based measures for the welfare assessment of dairy cows: Elicitation of expert opinion. Prev Vet Med. 2018 Feb 1;150:8-18. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2017.11.023.
  • Curone G, Filipe J, Cremonesi P, Trevisi E, Amadori M, Pollera C, Castiglioni B, Turin L, Tedde V, Vigo D, Moroni P, Minuti A, Bronzo V, Addis MF, Riva F. What we have lost: Mastitis resistance in Holstein Friesians and in a local cattle breed. Res Vet Sci. 2018 Feb;116:88-98. doi: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2017.11.020.
  • Mann S, Urh C, Sauerwein H, Wakshlag JJ, Leal Yepes FA, Overton TR, Nydam DV. The association of adiponectin and leptin concentrations with prepartum dietary energy supply, parity, body condition, and hyperketonemia in transition dairy cows. J Dairy Sci. 2018; Jan;101(1):806-811