7 research outputs found
Evaluation of the proper use of medication available over the counter by subsistence and emerging farmers in Mbombela Municipality, South Africa
South Africa has two types of animal farming systems, being the commercial industry and subsistence farming in
more rural areas, with commercial farmers having more access to veterinary services. To cater for the absence of sufficient
veterinary service, the country allows farmers to access certain over the counter medications (stock remedies),
as a way to assist them to farm sustainably and profitably. However, with any drug use, their true benefits are only
realized following correct use. The aim of this study was to describe and assess the adequacy of the current use of
veterinary drugs by rural-based farmers. A scheduled structured questionnaire with close-ended questions and direct
observation was employed. The most important finding was the absence of proper training in the area, with 82.9%
not receiving any training related to livestock production or use/handling of stock remedies, highlighting the urgent
need for proper training. Of interest, a large proportion of the farmers (57.5%) left the care of their animals to herders.
Concerns were also noted in the application of withholding periods, transport of medication, disposal of medication,
calculation of drug doses, correct route of administration and carcass disposal with no difference in response
between farmers receiving training and those who didn’t. These finding not only indicates the importance of farmer
training, but shows that for such training to be effective, information should not only cover farming activities but
must include primary animal health care and an understanding of information contained in package leaflets. It would
also be important to ensure that herdsmen are also included in such training initiatives as they are the primary careers
of the animals.Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA) in the South Africa.https://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.comam2024Paraclinical SciencesProduction Animal StudiesSDG-02:Zero Hunge
Efficiency indices and indicators of poor performance among emerging small-scale pig farmers in the Limpopo Province, South Africa
Limpopo is a very important area for pig production in terms of animal populations and
contributions to transboundary animal disease spread. Emerging small-scale pig farmers
(ESSPF) are being encouraged to establish operations and spread in South Africa; however,
for these farmers to perform optimally, they need to understand the basics of animal
agriculture and contribute to enhancing biosecurity and efficient production systems. In the
present study, the limitations to efficient production amongst ESSPF were evaluated and
some improvements were suggested. It was found that the ESSPF are dominated by males
and include a large percentage of older persons. A total of 26.54% of these farmers have postmatriculation
qualifications. Undefined and indigenous breeds still dominate their animal
genetics. The animal health technicians are the preferred channels by which farmers report
diseases to the authorities (52.47%) and only one out of five (20.37%) will preferably report
a disease situation direct to a veterinarian. These farmers do not vaccinate their stock, and
knowledge of biosecurity is poor. Antimicrobials, especially tetracyclines, are abused. Animals
that are slaughtered within the community or sold at local sale points, pension pay stations
and auction markets are likely candidates for disease spread. It is recommended that the
younger generations are retained and incentivised in animal agriculture. Improved training
on management, health, biosecurity and better market access must be provided for the ESSPF,
whilst efforts should made to consolidate these farmers into small cooperatives. The current
government agricultural support system will need to be reworked to benefit the resource-poor
farmers. Collaborative efforts in disease reporting and management among veterinarians,
animal health technicians and extension officers will become necessary. Finally, the creation
of a progressive quality grading system for ESSPF should be planned by the industry and
this should be attached to a reward system that will encourage these farmers to target good
farming practice.Limpopo Department of Agriculture, The Department of Production Animal Studies and
the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Onderstepoort.http://www.ojvr.orgtm201
Spatio-temporal patterns and movement analysis of pigs from smallholder farms and implications for African swine fever spread, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Infectious and zoonotic disease outbreaks have been linked to increasing volumes of legal and
illegal trade. Spatio-temporal and trade network analyses have been used to evaluate the risks
associated with these challenges elsewhere, but few details are available for the pig sector in
South Africa. Regarding pig diseases, Limpopo province is important as the greater part of the
province falls within the African swine fever control area. Emerging small-scale pig farmers
in Limpopo perceived pig production as an important means of improving their livelihood
and an alternative investment. They engage in trading and marketing their products with a
potential risk to animal health, because the preferred markets often facilitate potential longdistance
spread and disease dispersal over broad geographic areas. In this study, we explored
the interconnectedness of smallholder pig farmers in Limpopo, determined the weaknesses and
critical control points, and projected interventions that policy makers can implement to reduce
the risks to pig health. The geo-coordinates of surveyed farms were used to draw maps, links
and networks. Predictive risks to pigs were determined through the analyses of trade networks,
and the relationship to previous outbreaks of African swine fever was postulated. Auction
points were identified as high-risk areas for the spread of animal diseases. Veterinary authorities
should prioritise focused surveillance and diagnostic efforts in Limpopo. Early disease detection
and prompt eradication should be targeted and messages promoting enhanced biosecurity
to smallholder farmers are advocated. The system may also benefit from the restructuring of
marketing and auction networks. Since geographic factors and networks can rapidly facilitate
pig disease dispersal over large areas, a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding the
complexities that exist around the animal disease epidemiology becomes mandatory.The Limpopo Department of Agriculture
as the provider of funds for this survey as part of a
postgraduate programme through the Human Resource Development Section.http://www.ojvr.orgam2015ab201
Spatio-temporal patterns and movement analysis of pigs from smallholder farms and implications for African swine fever spread, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Infectious and zoonotic disease outbreaks have been linked to increasing volumes of legal and
illegal trade. Spatio-temporal and trade network analyses have been used to evaluate the risks
associated with these challenges elsewhere, but few details are available for the pig sector in
South Africa. Regarding pig diseases, Limpopo province is important as the greater part of the
province falls within the African swine fever control area. Emerging small-scale pig farmers
in Limpopo perceived pig production as an important means of improving their livelihood
and an alternative investment. They engage in trading and marketing their products with a
potential risk to animal health, because the preferred markets often facilitate potential longdistance
spread and disease dispersal over broad geographic areas. In this study, we explored
the interconnectedness of smallholder pig farmers in Limpopo, determined the weaknesses and
critical control points, and projected interventions that policy makers can implement to reduce
the risks to pig health. The geo-coordinates of surveyed farms were used to draw maps, links
and networks. Predictive risks to pigs were determined through the analyses of trade networks,
and the relationship to previous outbreaks of African swine fever was postulated. Auction
points were identified as high-risk areas for the spread of animal diseases. Veterinary authorities
should prioritise focused surveillance and diagnostic efforts in Limpopo. Early disease detection
and prompt eradication should be targeted and messages promoting enhanced biosecurity
to smallholder farmers are advocated. The system may also benefit from the restructuring of
marketing and auction networks. Since geographic factors and networks can rapidly facilitate
pig disease dispersal over large areas, a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding the
complexities that exist around the animal disease epidemiology becomes mandatory.The Limpopo Department of Agriculture
as the provider of funds for this survey as part of a
postgraduate programme through the Human Resource Development Section.http://www.ojvr.orgam2015ab201
Overview of the perceived risk of transboundary pig diseases in South Africa
Pig production is one of the most important animal agricultural activities in South Africa,
and plays a definite role in providing food security for certain population groups in the
country. As with all animal production systems, it is subject to the risk of outbreak of
transboundary diseases. In the present overview, evaluations of the perceived risk of selected
transboundary animal diseases of pigs, as collated from the willing participants from the
provincial veterinary services of South Africa, are presented. A scenario tree revealed that
infected but undetected pigs were the greatest perceived threat. The provincial veterinary
services, according to participants in the study, face certain difficulties, including the
reporting of disease and the flow of disease information amongst farmers. Perceived strengths
in surveillance and disease monitoring include the swiftness of sample despatch to the
national testing laboratory, as well as the ease of flow of information between the provincial
and national agricultural authorities. The four factors were identified that were perceived to
most influence animal health-service delivery: transport, access, livestock policy and
resources. African swine fever was perceived to be the most important pig disease in South
Africa. Because the decentralisation of veterinary services in South Africa was identified as a
potential weakness, it is recommended that national and provincial veterinary services need
to work together and interdependently to achieve centrally controlled surveillance systems.
Regionally-coordinated surveillance activities for certain transboundary diseases were
identified as needing priority for the southern African region. It is proposed that an emergency
preparedness document be made available and regularly revised according to the potential
risks identified on a continuous basis for South Africa.http://www.jsava.co.zaam201
Overview of the perceived risk of transboundary pig diseases in South Africa
Pig production is one of the most important animal agricultural activities in South Africa,
and plays a definite role in providing food security for certain population groups in the
country. As with all animal production systems, it is subject to the risk of outbreak of
transboundary diseases. In the present overview, evaluations of the perceived risk of selected
transboundary animal diseases of pigs, as collated from the willing participants from the
provincial veterinary services of South Africa, are presented. A scenario tree revealed that
infected but undetected pigs were the greatest perceived threat. The provincial veterinary
services, according to participants in the study, face certain difficulties, including the
reporting of disease and the flow of disease information amongst farmers. Perceived strengths
in surveillance and disease monitoring include the swiftness of sample despatch to the
national testing laboratory, as well as the ease of flow of information between the provincial
and national agricultural authorities. The four factors were identified that were perceived to
most influence animal health-service delivery: transport, access, livestock policy and
resources. African swine fever was perceived to be the most important pig disease in South
Africa. Because the decentralisation of veterinary services in South Africa was identified as a
potential weakness, it is recommended that national and provincial veterinary services need
to work together and interdependently to achieve centrally controlled surveillance systems.
Regionally-coordinated surveillance activities for certain transboundary diseases were
identified as needing priority for the southern African region. It is proposed that an emergency
preparedness document be made available and regularly revised according to the potential
risks identified on a continuous basis for South Africa.http://www.jsava.co.zaam201
Reasons for poor production among the emerging small-scale pig farmers of the Limpopo Province of the Republic of South Africa
Emerging small-scale pig farmers in Limpopo province perceive pig production and
management as an important means of improving their livelihood and alternative
investment option for the future. Their performance has not been optimal due to the lack of
practical understanding of the basics of animal production, biosecurity and efficient
production system.
Thus, an attempt was made to evaluate the challenges and constrains of pig farm
production systems identified and reported by emerging small scale pig farmers (ESSPF) in
the province. In addition, the risk factors associated with pig movement by ESSPF by means
of spatio-temporal analysis was evaluated.
The study revealed that the average number of sows/farm was 7.4, while the number of
boars/farm was 1.7. On average, the number of days that the sows take to return to oestrus
from weaning was 42.9 days while the number of piglet s weaned/sow/year was 4.85 pigs.
Also the study showed that 98.77% of ESSPF don t vaccinate their breeding stock against
major pig diseases and only 2.47% ESSPF farmers had previously benefited from the
infrastructure programme of the department referred to as Comprehensive Agricultural
Support Programme (CASP). The majority of the respondents (82.61%) will prefer to sell
their pigs at local points and within communities and only 9.32% and 14.09% will sell at the
auctions or formal abattoir/supermarkets respectively.
It is therefore recommended CASP be evaluated to reach and impact more pig farmers
positively. Good animal husbandry and transfer of knowledge by the veterinary officials is
central to the growth of farmers and their productivity. The provision of regional slaughter
facilities will reduce the travelling costs to Bronkhorstspruit and Belfast, but also reduce the
likelihood of the disease spread within or outside the province.
The involvement of different stakeholders should be encouraged to ensure ESSPF are
trained, mentored, coached, with the aim of improving their livelihood, food security and
safety.Limpopo provinsie is n belangrike vark produseerende gebied met n groot populasie van
huishoudelike en wilde diere. Om die rede dien dit as n interfase tussen huishoudelike
diere, mense en wilde diere.Alhoewel opkomende varkboere in die provinsie die produksie
en bestuur as n belangrike verbetering in hul lewensbestaan asook alternatiewe finansiële
beleggingsopsies vir die toekoms beskou, is hul prestasie nie optimaal nie as gevolg van die
gebrek aan praktiese begrip van die basiese beginsels van diereproduksie, biosekuriteit en
doeltreffende produksie stelsels. Dus, is 'n poging aangewend om die uitdagings en
beperkings van varkplaas produksiestelsels te ïdentifiseer en die opkomende kleinskaalse
varkboere (ESSPF) in die provinsie te evalueer. Bykomend is die risikofaktore wat verband
hou met vark beweging deur ESSPF deur middel van tydruimtelike analise ontleed.
Die studie het getoon dat die gemiddelde aantal sôe per plaas was 7,4 terwyl die aantal bere
per plaas 1,7 was. Die sôe neem gemiddeld 42,9 dae om terug te keer na estrus vanaf
speen, terwyl die aantal varkies gespeen / sog / jaar is 4,85 varkies. Die studie het ook
getoon dat 98,77% van ESSPF nie hul teeldiere ent teen die hoof vark siektes en slegs 2,47%
ESSPF boere het voorheen voordeel getrek uit die program infrastruktuur van die
departement verwys na as omvattende landbou?ondersteuningsprogram (CASP). Die
meerderheid van die respondente (82,61%) verkies om hul varke by plaaslike punte binne
gemeenskappe te verkoop en slegs 9,32% en 14,09% onderskeidelik verkoop by veilings of
formele slagpale/ supermarkte.
Dit word dus aanbeveel dat CASP herevalueer om n positiewe impak te bereik by meer
varkboere. Goeie veeteelt en die oordrag van kennis deur die veeartseny?amptenare is
sentraal tot die groei van die boere en hul produktiwiteit. Die voorsiening van plaaslike
slaggeriewe sal die reiskoste na Bronkhorstspruit en Belfast (beide buite die provinsie en
tans gekiesde slagpale van die ESSPF) verminder, maar ook die waarskynlikheid van die
verspreiding van siektes binne of buite die provinsie verminder.
Die betrokkenheid van die verskillende belanghebbendes moet aangemoedig word om te
verseker ESSPF opgelei word, gementor, afgerig, met die doel om van die verbetering van
hul lewensbestaan, voedselsekuriteit en veiligheid.Dissertation (MMedVet)--University of Pretoria, 2015.tm2016Production Animal StudiesMMedVe