Integrating Genomics and Farmer Training to Address Antimicrobial Resistance on Puerto Rico Dairy Farms

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a threat to animal health, milk quality, and farm livelihoods on dairy farms, particularly inPuerto Rico with many small dairy operations. This project will combine DNA sequencing of common bacteria that can cause intramammary infections that lead to mastitis with surveys of farm practices to discover which resistance genes and mobile elements are spreading on farms and how management choices influence that spread. We will translate those scientific findings to inform four short, bilingual training videos and simple quizzes that provide resources for farmers about detecting mastitis early, using antibiotics responsibly, the importance of working closely with a veterinarian when an animal is sick, and adopting strong antimicrobial stewardship practices. By linking genomic evidence to clear, culturally appropriate education, this project aims to reduce AMR risks, improve milk quality, and support the economic flow of dairy producers. The results of this project will be accessible to dairy producers in the mainland U.S. along with Puerto Rico due to the bilingual outputs of the educational materials.