Researchers developed a microchip to detect cattle diseases and antibiotic residues
Routine cattle-health checks commonly involve veterinary supervision and blood tests. Samples are generally sent to analytical laboratories, and results may take several days. The microchip was developed to address that interval by producing a result at the point of testing.
Ralph Santos-Oliveira, the study’s coordinator, said the main advantage of the colorimetric microdevices was that “they do not depend on a professional with specialised training to use them and provide the result in real time, in about five minutes”. The test works in a similar way to a pregnancy-test kit: a sample is placed on the chip, and a reaction indicates the condition being investigated.
The diseases cited in the project include mastitis, brucellosis, tuberculosis, diarrhoea and parasitic sadness. Mastitis is identified as one of the main problems affecting dairy cattle and is associated with about 70% of losses, chiefly through lower milk production.
The device is also intended to identify antibiotic residues. Milk from a cow receiving antibiotic treatment cannot be sold, according to the material, creating product waste and reducing revenue. Rapid residue testing therefore represents a second proposed use for the technology alongside disease detection.
Santos-Oliveira said a faster result could help producers decide on treatment sooner and reduce the time and cost involved in diagnosis. The project forms part of the Research Networks in Nanotechnology Programme, established by FAPERJ in 2019. The researcher has also submitted the initiative to the foundation’s Agro do Futuro Programme.
The next step identified by the researcher is to register a patent. The material is already available to companies interested in commercialisation. The laboratory of Brazil’s Institute of Nuclear Engineering also plans to develop a version aimed at detecting diseases in horses. Interested companies could work with the technology for the market and seek approval from Anvisa, Brazil’s health-regulatory agency.
