The role of the laboratory in dairy practice

The operation of an in-house laboratory in a dairy practice is rewarding for several reasons. The quality of medicine practiced by members of the clinic improves greatly with the aid of laboratory analysis. Income is generated in proportion to the extensiveness of the laboratory workload. The veterinarian derives great satisfaction from giving high-quality medical care rather than guessing at the diagnosis. In-house laboratory testing has many advantages over mail-out sampling, from the standpoint of immediate results in emergency situations, income generation, client satisfaction, and making the practice more competitive. The whole idea of an in-house laboratory is to give the client rapid and accurate information at a reasonable cost and to provide financial remuneration to the veterinarian.