Farmers’ Perceptions and Knowledge of Cattle Adaptation to Heat Stress and Tick Resistance in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

The objective of this study was to determine the perceptions and knowledge of farmers of heat stress and tick resistance in cattle. A cross-sectional survey was conducted and 110 farmers in four villages in the sour and sweet velds of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa were interviewed. The associations among area (municipality), gender, age, level of education, employment and religion were computed using Chi-square tests. The majority of the respondents had on average 4 bulls, 4 cows, 4 heifers, 4 calves, and 4 oxen. Milk was considered as the major (28.3%) reason for keeping cattle. Most farmers owned non-descript (72.6%), and Nguni (45.3%) cattle because of their heat tolerance (54.7%), tick resistance (54.7%), and milking ability (28.2%) traits. Excessive panting (56.6%) and disease transmission (76%) were regarded as the major effects of heat stress and tick infestation in cattle, respectively. About 50% of the respondents agreed that hair length influences tick resistance and 47.17% considered coat colour when acquiring cattle. In the sampled areas, ticks were prevalent in the summer season (93%), and 77.36% of the respondents use acaricides every fortnight. Gall sickness was reported to be a major problem in the cattle herds by 36.79% of the respondents. Our results showed that farmers in the two municipalities had knowledge of cattle adaptation to heat stress and tick resistance

Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza juncea var. sericea) for sustainable small ruminant production: feed, helminth suppressant and meat preservation capabilities

CITATION: Mahachi, L. N. et al. 2020. Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza juncea var. sericea) for sustainable small ruminant production: Feed, helminth suppressant and meat preservation capabilities. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 270. doi:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2020.114688The original publication is available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/animal-feed-science-and-technologySmall ruminants significantly contribute towards livelihood, food and nutrition security for people living in semiarid low-to-middle-income countries. However, their productivity is largely constrained by feed shortages, prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) and postharvest meat losses. The current review explores the possibility of using sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza juncea var. sericea) as a natural helminth suppressant, feed ingredient and meat preservative for improving small ruminant health, meat production and shelf life. Sericea lespedeza has moderate contents of crude protein, fibre, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and diverse composition of physiologically active substances such as condensed tannins, sterols and flavanols from which it derives nutritional, anti-bloat, helminth suppressant, antimicrobial and antioxidative properties. Overall, the present review demonstrates the potential of feeding sericea lespedeza to small ruminants as a sustainable means of controlling GIN and enhancing meat production and shelf life, while also reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, more research is required to determine optimal feeding strategies and doses for reducing GHG emissions while improving health, meat production and quality of small ruminants.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377840120305927?via%3DihubPublishers versio

Southern African indigenous fruits and their byproducts : prospects as food antioxidants

CITATION: Pfukwa, T. M., et al. 2020. Southern African indigenous fruits and their byproducts : prospects as food antioxidants. Journal of Functional Foods, 75:104220, doi:10.1016/j.jff.2020.104220.The original publication is available at https://www.sciencedirect.comPublication of this article was funded by the Stellenbosch University Open Access FundThe discourse regarding plant-based preservatives for food application has generally revolved around extracts from commercial fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices with indigenous fruits (IFs) on the periphery, with little investment into their valorisation. While being important food sources at community level, IFs and their byproducts are also incorporated into medicinal remedies, combating various diseases. Their ethnomedicinal usage indicates potent bioactive profile that alleviate effects of oxidative stress, which accompany disease in vivo. This is supported by in vitro antioxidant activity of the IFs and their byproducts. As such, the current review explores the potential of bioprospecting extracts from nine IFs and their byproducts as food antioxidants. Evidence presented shows that IFs have high content of bioactive compounds further translating to high antioxidant activity. Research gaps in information concerning in vitro bioactivity warrant further research to provide impetus for valorisation and food application of IFs.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464620304448Publisher's versio