As part of the onfarm
HACCP programs, cost-effective, accurate, and reproducible tests that can determine
the status of cows, milk and dairy environment are required (Reybroeck,
1996). For infections and residues of low prevalence, testing strategies that are highly
specific can help minimize false-positive results and excessive costs to the dairy
industry (Gardner, 1997). In the nearest future, on-farm procedures and in particular
implementation of HACCP (Troutt et al., 1995) that can monitor the presence of
emerging and reemerging human pathogens will definitely need to be established
(Cullor, 1997).