What started life in Waimakariri, North Canterbury, has today become a technological and cultural shift in how mastitis is diagnosed, understood, and managed – worldwide. This is the story of DairySmart.

2021–2022 | 2021 – Grass roots to Mastitis Leadership
Founder, Chris Brook, launched DairySmart in 2021 after consistently finding the limitations of traditional mastitis diagnostics — slow turnaround times and poor visibility into the specific pathogens causing mastitis. The vision was clear: equip farmers with accurate, rapid, and actionable diagnostics so they could “know their bugs and use less drugs.”

In 2022, DairySmart and Rangiora Vet Centre completed pivotal validation trials, proving the reliability and efficacy of DairySmart’s culture-based testing model and reinforcing its scientific foundation. This early partnership bridged veterinary expertise with practical on-farm application, setting the stage for rapid adoption.

2023: Industry recognition and breakthrough innovation
Just two years after inception, DairySmart won the coveted Gold Technology and Innovation Award at the New Zealand Primary Industries Awards — a powerful affirmation from the country’s leading agritech authority. This accolade recognised DairySmart’s combination of microbiology, automation, machine learning, and its potential to redefine standard mastitis testing across dairy farms globally.

This award placed DairySmart in the spotlight not just for technological achievement, but for practical impact: enabling farmers and vets to understand mastitis at the pathogen level, rather than relying on indirect indicators like somatic cell count (SCC) that suggest inflammation but don’t identify the cause.

2024: Growing the team & scaling capability
With demand surging across New Zealand, DairySmart expanded to a team of six full-time by 2024 — bringing together expertise in veterinary science, microbiology and customer success. This expansion wasn’t just about headcount; it was about delivering scalable, hands-on support to farmers and vets alike.

Through education, field training, support and the latest technology, the company began transforming not just test results, but how farm teams think about mastitis.

2025: A global footprint & meaningful impact
By the end of 2025, DairySmart’s reach has expanded dramatically: in 16 countries worldwide, our technology is enabling thousands of dairy farmers to make better data-driven decisions around mastitis care and microbiological stewardship. This global expansion underscores the universal need for rapid, accurate diagnostics in modern dairy farming.

Why it matters: smarter decisions, healthier herds, and reduced antibiotic use
Mastitis is not just an animal health issue — it’s a major economic and antimicrobial stewardship challenge for the global dairy industry. By 2050 it’s estimated that 10 million humans will die from antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria. Studies consistently show that culture-based diagnostics are critical for identifying the actual pathogens driving infection, enabling targeted, evidence-based treatment decisions that improve outcomes and help reduce unnecessary antibiotic use.

Looking to tomorrow:
Today, DairySmart continues to innovate. Our AI-enhanced diagnostics continuously improve with every sample diagnosed and together with our partnerships with veterinary laboratories, we ensure confidence in every result.

But the story isn’t just about technology — it’s about impact: helping farmers protect animal welfare, reduce stress on farm and play our part in combatting global antimicrobial resistance — one culture plate at a time.