Detection of bovine mastitis by bromothymol blue pH indicator test

A simple bromothymol blue indicator test was evaluated for farm diagnosis of mastitis. The test required highly absorbent blotting paper impregnated with four spots of bromothymol blue. Indicator color scores (1 to 4) for quarter foremilks increased with somatic cell count and pH, although variability within each color score was large. Sensitivity of the bromothymol blue test ranged from 51 to 56% and specificity from 89 to 90% for most reference criteria used to classify normal and abnormal milk. Predictability of a positive test ranged from 49 to 52% (false positives 51 to 48%) and predictability of a negative test from 90 to 97% (false negatives 10 to 3%) for the same criteria. Overall the bromothymol blue test incorrectly diagnosed 11 to 20% of 3772 quarters. By classifying color score 2 as negative, predictability of a positive result was 70 to 75% and sensitivity was 26 to 30%. The test can be used by dairy producers to screen herds with a relatively high incidence of mastitis or used in combination with cow cell counts to locate abnormal quarters. The bromothymol blue test was less sensitive than the California Mastitis Test but offered several practical advantages for use on farm.