New Jersey-based PortaScience Inc. (PSI) recently was awarded a grant from Feed the Future Partnering for Innovation (FFPI) to commercialize a milk quality test for small farms in Africa.
FFPI is a program funded by U.S. Agency for International Development and implemented (USAID) by Fintrac Inc. The program is focused on finding and commercializing agricultural technology that can help farmers in developing countries. It serves as a bridge that brings new technologies to market, changing the way small farmers do business by improving productivity and income.PSI was selected from more than 120 companies worldwide because of its novel technology that enables farmers to test milk quality and improve animal health. With this funding, African farmers will receive education concerning mastitis in dairy cattle, plus the UdderCheck (UC) test to screen for this costly disease. UC is currently marketed under the PortaCheck (PC) brand.
UC is a simple milk dipstick that detects lactate dehydrogenase — an enzyme present in milk when cells are damaged during an udder infection. This new tool can help producers screen for mastitis, even at a subclinical level.
“Producers can now detect infection early and inexpensively to begin treatments that improve milk quality and animal health,” says PSI President Mike Gavin. “With a growing number of farmers owning dairy cows and the numerous changes in Africa’s agriculture, UdderCheck can help improve both the quality of milk and the productivity of the developing dairy industry.”
For more information, visit the PC website or call (866) 500-7722. PD
—From USAID and Fintrac news release
