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

High Rates of Hepatitis C Virus Reinfection and Spontaneous Clearance of Reinfection in People Who Inject Drugs: A Prospective Cohort Study

Hepatitis C virus reinfection and spontaneous clearance of reinfection were examined in a highly characterisedcohort of 188 people who inject drugs over a five-year period. Nine confirmed reinfections and 17 possiblereinfections were identified (confirmed reinfections were those genetically distinct from the previous infection andpossible reinfections were used to define instances where genetic differences between infections could not beassessed due to lack of availability of hepatitis C virus sequence data). The incidence of confirmed reinfection was28.8 per 100 person-years (PY), 95%CI: 15.0-55.4; the combined incidence of confirmed and possible reinfectionwas 24.6 per 100 PY (95%CI: 16.8-36.1). The hazard of hepatitis C reinfection was approximately double that ofprimary hepatitis C infection; it did not reach statistical significance in confirmed reinfections alone (hazard ratio [HR]:2.45, 95%CI: 0.87-6.86, p=0.089), but did in confirmed and possible hepatitis C reinfections combined (HR: 1.93,95%CI: 1.01-3.69, p=0.047) and after adjustment for the number of recent injecting partners and duration of injecting.In multivariable analysis, shorter duration of injection (HR: 0.91; 95%CI: 0.83-0.98; p=0.019) and multiple recentinjecting partners (HR: 3.12; 95%CI: 1.08-9.00, p=0.035) were independent predictors of possible and confirmedreinfection. Time to spontaneous clearance was shorter in confirmed reinfection (HR: 5.34, 95%CI: 1.67-17.03,p=0.005) and confirmed and possible reinfection (HR: 3.10, 95%CI: 1.10-8.76, p-value=0.033) than primary infection.Nonetheless, 50% of confirmed reinfections and 41% of confirmed or possible reinfections did not spontaneouslyclear.Conclusions: Hepatitis C reinfection and spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C reinfection were observed at highrates, suggesting partial acquired natural immunity to hepatitis C virus. Public health campaigns about the risks ofhepatitis C reinfection are required

WSES guidelines for management of Clostridium difficile infection in surgical patients

In the last two decades there have been dramatic changes in the epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), with increases in incidence and severity of disease in many countries worldwide. The incidence of CDI has also increased in surgical patients. Optimization of management of C difficile, has therefore become increasingly urgent. An international multidisciplinary panel of experts prepared evidenced-based World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) guidelines for management of CDI in surgical patients.Peer reviewe

The Almighty knows us

Unaccompanied Zulu church choral hymn

The great one knows us

An unaccompanied hymn

Aspects of the reproductive biology of Oreochromis macrochir (Boulenger) and Oreochromis niloticus (L.) (Cichlidae) in Lake Chivero, Zimbabwe

Oreochromis niloticus and O. macrochir are alien species introduced into Lake Chivero, Zimbabwe with the former becoming the more successful of the two.  Their reproductive biology was investigated to determine if it could account for this difference.  Both species bred primarily during summer (August to April) although some male O. niloticus with active gonads were found throughout the year.  Males of O. macrochir tended to show some breeding activity over a longer period than females but were inactive during winter.  The length at maturity of males was similar in both species but females of O. niloticus matured at a smaller size (19.8cm) than females of O. machrochir (22.3cm).  The mean relative fecundity of O. niloticus was significantly higher than that of O. macrochir.  This might be one of the few factors that might account for its relative success in the lake.Keywords : Breeding, Fecundity, Competition, Seasonality, Maturity

Biofuel availability and domestic use patterns in Kenya

The annual domestic consumption levels and patterns of various common biofuels in Kenya were surveyed. The main fuelwood sources were farmland trees, indigenous forests, woodlands and timber off-cuts from plantations. In 1997, about 15.4 million tonnes of firewood (air-dried) were consumed and an equivalent of 17.1 million tonnes round wood wet weight (w/w) was converted to charcoal. In the same year, 1.4 million tonnes of a variety of crop residues were also consumed as domestic fuel. Biofuel availability was the major factor influencing the reported annual spatial species use and consumption patterns. Competing demand for the commonly-used tree species (mainly eucalyptus trees) for commercial and other purposes accounts, to a large extent, for the reported dwindling amounts. Communities in various regions have responded by gradually shifting to other available types including those in gazetted forests. Such a response strategy has implications on the long-term spatial and temporal biofuel use patterns