THE USE OF ANTIMICROBIALS IN FOOD ANIMALS CONTINUES TO CAUSE CONCERN REGARDING DEVELOPMENT OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE (AMR). THERE IS LITTLE DATA ON AMR DEVELOPMENT IN SMALL RUMINANTS. DATA SUGGESTS THAT MOST DAIRY GOATS HAVE AN INTRAMAMMARY INFECTION AT DRY-OFF. WITHOUT TREATMENT, MOST OF THESE INFECTIONS PERSIST INTO THE FOLLOWING LACTATION. ALMOST NO EVIDENCE-BASED DATA EXISTS TO INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT OF EFFECTIVE ANTIBIOTIC STEWARDSHIP RECOMMENDATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS TOWARDS DAIRY GOATS. OUR GOAL IS TO IMPROVE GOAT MILK QUALITY THROUGH PRUDENT TREATMENT PROGRAMS THAT MAINTAIN FOOD SAFETY, AND TO DISSEMINATE AN EXTENSION PROGRAM TO STAKEHOLDERS. THE CENTRAL HYPOTHESIS IS THAT APPLICATION OF APPROACHES DEMONSTRATED TO BENEFIT ANTIMICROBIAL STEWARDSHIP AND MINIMIZE AMR DEVELOPMENT IN DAIRY CATTLE CAN BE EFFECTIVE IN GOATS. WE WILL ATTAIN THE OVERALL GOAL VIA THESE OBJECTIVES:1. DETERMINE THE ANTIMICROBIAL RESIDUE DEPLETION PROFILE IN MILK AND MEAT OF GOATS FOLLOWING ADMINISTRATION OF DRY COW INTRAMAMMARY ANTIMICROBIALS.2. UTILIZING A SELECTIVE APPROACH, DETERMINE THE EFFICACY OF DRY-OFF ANTIMICROBIAL PRODUCTS AGAINST INTRAMAMMARY INFECTIONS.3. DETERMINE WHETHER ADMINISTRATION OF DRY COW ANTIMICROBIALS RESULTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE IN DAIRY GOATS.4. DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE EXTENSION PROGRAM THAT DEMONSTRATES HOW ESTABLISHED MASTITIS PREVENTION STRATEGIES, COUPLED WITH A JUDICIOUS ANTIMICROBIAL APPROACH, CAN MINIMIZE ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE AND PRESERVE FOOD SAFETY. WE WILL OBTAIN OUR GOALS THROUGH A SEQUENTIAL SERIES OF TRIALS THAT FOLLOW THE ABOVE OBJECTIVES, CULMINATING WITH A COMPREHENSIVE, SUSTAINABLE EXTENSION PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES DAIRY GOAT PRODUCERS WITH RESOURCES FOR EFFICACIOUS ANTIMICROBIAL USE THAT MINIMIZES AMR AND PRESERVES FOOD SAFETY.