Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Livestock Research Institute Jan. 17, 2024
Taipei, Jan. 17 (CNA) The government-run Taiwan Livestock Research Institute (TLRI) on Wednesday encouraged domestic dairy producers to use a locally developed microbe detection technique to improve their quality control and maintain competitiveness.
In a statement released by the Ministry of Agriculture's research institute, TLRI Director General Huang Jeng-fang (黃振芳) was cited as saying that once a dairy product sample is received, the technique can test for 15 types of microbes within two and a half hours.
Huang noted that the import of liquid dairy products from New Zealand will receive zero-tariff treatment starting Jan. 1, 2025. Therefore "it is of great urgency" to enhance the safety and quality of domestic dairy products, he said.
The zero tariff measure is part of the Taiwan-New Zealand Economic Cooperation Agreement signed in 2013.
According to Huang, all the 15 indicative types of microbes affect product quality and stability, though domestic dairy products most commonly test positive for streptococcal and staphylococcus-related microbes.
He added that with the proposed detection method, a test report is provided as a reference and cows can be given medication according to the microbe(s) for which they test positive, allowing for timely treatment if they suffer from diseases such as mastitis.
Farms in need of the testing service can contact the TLRI's Northern Region Branch for more information, the institute said.
Currently, farms treat cows after milkers discover hard spots on their udders. By applying the domestically developed detection technique, cows in need can receive treatment more expeditiously, it added.
According to the TLRI, it has participated in the International Committee for Animal Recording Proficiency Test every March and September since 2017, and achieved 100 percent accuracy in microbe detection each year.
The institute also participated in a detection proficiency test in Taiwan, held by Super Laboratory Co., Ltd. last year, for the first time, and achieved good results, it said.
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