Editorial

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Editorial

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Editorial: How to respond to reviewers’ comments

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Growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of Nguni, Bonsmara and Angus steers raised on natural pasture

The objective of the current study was to compare tick loads, growth, carcass characteristics and meat quality of Nguni, Bonsmara and Angus steers raised on natural pasture. A total of 30, 7-month old steers each of Bonsmara and Angus, and 40 Nguni steers were kept at the University of Fort Hare Farm till slaughter at 18 months. Monthly weights of the steers were recorded. Carcasses were electrically stimulated. The m. longissimus thoracis et lumborum was sampled for the measurement of meat colour, pH, drip loss, sarcomere length (SL), water holding capacity (WHC), cooking losses, myofibrillar fragmentation length (MFL), Warner Bratzler shear force (WBSF), fatty acid profiles and sensory characteristics of the steers. Urine samples were collected at the slaughter line for the determination of stress hormone concentrations. The Nguni had the lowest tick load (P 0.05) among all the breeds, except that Nguni meat was darker (L*) (P 0.05) concentrations while the Nguni had the lowest (P > 0.05) concentrations of stress hormones. There were significant (P 0.05). Cholesterol levels among the breeds were similar (P > 0.05). The Nguni had the best (P < 0.05) sensory characteristics, such as flavour and tenderness. It can be concluded that while the Nguni is a small framed breed, its meat quality is similar to that of Bonsmara and Angus and has the best meat taste when raised on natural pasture

Animal welfare in multipurpose cattle production Systems and its implications on beef quality

Animal welfare and its influence on beef production are major considerations in many developed countries. In the developing world, where food insecurity and poverty are prevalent, the welfare of animals receives low priority due to factors such as traditional customs and beliefs, lack of knowledge in animal handling and sub standard handling facilities. This is worsened by the fact that cattle are used for several purposes, such as meat production, milk production, draught power and traditional ceremonies. Research on animal welfare and how it relates to animal production have been done in the developed world. The objective of this study is to discuss indicators of animal welfare assessment, their impact on meat quality and applications to improve beef production in developing countries

Behavioural responses of four goat genotypes to successive handling at the farm

The objective of the current study is to compare the behavioural responses of Xhosa lob-eared, Nguni and Boer goats and their crosses to blood collection and rectal palpation. A total of 48, six- month old castrated male indigenous goats of the Xhosa lob-eared, Nguni and Boer goats and their crosses were kept at the University of Fort Hare Farm, South Africa for eight weeks. The goats were randomly assigned to four pen groups with each pen having three goats of the same breed among the 12 goats in each pen. Immediately after blood and faecal collection, behavioural measurements through vocalization scoring (VS), pen scoring (PS), crush scoring (CS), flight speed (FS) and flight time (FT) were recorded for each goat every forth-night for 8 weeks. The Nguni was the most temperamental (p &lt; 0.05) and the Boer goats were the most calm. There were significant increases in the behavioural scores of the four breeds during the successive weeks of handling. It can be concluded that the Boer goats had the calmest temperament, followed by the crossbreds, and lastly the Xhosa the Nguni were the most combative.Key words: Indigenous goats, crush score, flight speed, pen score, temperament, welfare

Refractive error among primary school children of Mopani District, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Ocular problems affect people of different ages across the world. The purpose of the study was to investigate the extent to which refractive error affects primary school children with the aim of determining its prevalence, risk factors, and associated experiences by educators in Mopani District Municipality, Limpopo Province, in order to propose strategies that could assist in the early detection and identification of refractive error. The mixed-methods approach was utilised to provide for the quantitative and qualitative optimization of both the data collection processes and resultant outcomes. Three Mopani primary schools were chosen as research sites. A self-administered questionnaire survey was utilised to obtain quantitative data from the 327 randomly selected children (and their parents) who eventually took part in the study. Ocular examination was done to determine the refractive status of the children. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 24. The interview-based qualitative aspect sought to explore the educators’ experiences in educating school children who manifest with ocular problems. Ten participants were selected by convenience sampling for participation in the interviews. The quantitative and qualitative data sets were integrated during discussion of the study findings. The findings showed that the prevalence of refractive error was 35.8% (n=117). The most prevalent type of refractive error was found to be myopia (16.2%; n=53), followed by hyperopia (10.1%; n=33), and astigmatism (9.5%; n=31). There was strong association between refractive error and type of school, child’s position in the family and near work activities. Weak evidence showed that refractive error increased with an increase in the parental education status. Refractive error and other sight related conditions affected teaching and learning in schools and there were observed challenges in the school health vision screening program. The effect of uncorrected refractive error on teaching and learning was a major problem which poses risks on the overall quality of the children’s lives. It is recommended that strategies described by this study be implemented by the relevant departments (DoH and DoBE) and stake holders. These strategies need to be evaluated to ensure feasibility and applicability.Health StudiesPh.D. (Public Health

"Eat dry beans, split peas, lentils and soya regularly": a food-based dietary guideline

The objective of this paper is to review recent scientific evidence to support the food-based dietary guideline (FBDG): “Eat dry beans, split peas, lentils and soya regularly”. In this review, legumes are synonymous with the term “pulses”, while soy beans are classified as “oilseeds”. The FBDG was originally introduced to address both under- and overnutrition in South Africa. The nutrient and non-nutrient content, results of recent epidemiological and intervention studies on health effects, recommended intakes and barriers to consumption are briefly reviewed. Legumes are rich and economical sources of good-quality protein, slow-release carbohydrates, dietary fibre (non-starch polysaccharides), various vitamins and minerals and non-nutritive components which may have several beneficial health effects. Pulses have a low energy, fat and sodium content. Therefore, legumes contribute to dietary adequacy, while protecting against noncommunicable diseases through many mechanisms. Evidence is presented that concerns about excessive flatulence from eating beans may be exaggerated, and that there is individual variation in response to different bean types. It is recommended that nutritionists should aggressively encourage consumers to consume more legumes. They should also be advised to evaluate different legume varieties to minimise undesirable symptoms. More research is needed to assess gastrointestinal responses between types of available and consumed legumes in South Africa. The FBDG should be tested in different population groups to determine how to maintain legumes as a traditional food. Increasing familiarity with legumes could help to increase the likelihood that they may be incorporated more regularly into the diet.Department of HE and Training approved lis