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Time to save farmers from pinch of high cost of livestock feeds
Farmers and animal feed manufacturers are struggling to keep their businesses running thanks to high cost of feed and raw materials. Already, a number of livestock farmers have been forced to close down their enterprises or scale down their operations to keep afloat. But what is the long-term sol...Read more -
TB (Bovine Tuberculosis)
Tuberculosis (TB) in cattle is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis. M. bovis is killed by sunlight, but is resistant to desiccation and can survive in a wide range of acids and alkalis. It is also able to remain viable for long periods in moist and warm soil. In cattle faeces, it will sur...Read more -
Study Links Rising Human Illnesses to Industrial Livestock Production
Research findings released today by World Animal Protection has laid bare the most damaging human health impacts linked to industrial livestock production systems, including emergence of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), increased zoonotic pathogens and rising human illnesses from consumption of li...Read more -
New evidence about when, where, and how chickens were domesticated
New research transforms our understanding of the circumstances and timing of the domestication of chickens, their spread across Asia into the west, and reveals the changing way in which they were perceived in societies over the past 3,500 years. Experts have found that an association with rice fa...Read more -
Lamb prices are rising in South Africa because of the wet weather conditions
The torrential downpours in much of the country in recent weeks have sent prices for lamb higher, as sheep struggle to fatten up. The incessant rains have made grass too moist for sheep consumption, which has hampered their ability to put on the desired market weight, Dr Johnny van der Merwe said...Read more -
Keeping cows cool heat abatement on a budget
According to John Tyson, an agricultural engineer with Penn State, when trying to address heat abatement in a dairy there is always a budget. Sometimes that budget is financial, meaning only X amount of dollars can be spent to buy Y amount of resources. Other times it is an electric budget, meani...Read more -
Handling bulls safely
According to the U.S. Department of Labor Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries and the Surveillance of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses databases, bulls caused 48% of cattle-related fatalities. Bulls account for only 2% of cattle nationwide. They are large, filled with adrenaline and testoste...Read more -
Genetic finding could help beat fatal African cattle infection
A section of DNA found to protect native African cattle against East Coast fever could safeguard breeds introduced to the region. A key region of DNA has been identified that enables some cattle to survive a potentially devastating infection, raising the prospect of breeding livestock that do not...Read more -
Farmer Groups Venture Into Commercial Animal Feeds
Following rising demand in commercial animal feed, farmers’ groups in Kirinyaga which have hitherto been making dairy feeds have ventured into full commercial feed production. Two of the groups which were supported by the County government of Kirinyaga are now manufacturing poultry feeds to tap i...Read more -
Dutch company eyes empowering livestock owners in Ethiopia
Pikoline / Schippers Group, a company specialized in improving hygiene in livestock farms and operates in more than 40 countries around the world, eyes to empower livestock owners in Ethiopia. Mr. Jeroen A. Beijer, a Commercial Director of the company is in Ethiopia to discuss with Ethiopian Gov...Read more -
Dairy cows flourish on natural pasture
The romanticised picture of the idyllic dairy farm, with contented cows resting on pastures dotted with clover in bloom, plays itself out on Dalewood farm near Stellenbosch in the Western Cape. “I want to see my cows chewing the cud,” says Rob Visser, owner of Dalewood Fromage. “That’s when I kno...Read more -
CQUni leads new sensor-based livestock traceability trials
Researchers from CQUniversity’s Precision Livestock Management team are investigating how on-animal sensors (aka smart tags) can be used to improve traceability of livestock through the red meat value chain. The project is funded through the Traceability Grants Program with the Commonwealth Depar...Read more -
AU Animal Resources Seed Centres of Excellence to Boost Climate Change Adaptation
Africa is gearing up to mitigate the impact of climate change and global warming on animal health and production by establishing animal resources seed centres of excellence that will conserve indegenious livestock genetic materials. The centres of excellence will be an improvement of existing reg...Read more -
Africa appeals for global support to curb sheep, goats plague
Africa needs US$526 million to eradicate a sheep and goats plague that is fast spreading across the continent threatening livelihoods especially among smallholder farmers in rural areas. This amount could go up to US$1 billion if current efforts to wipe out the disease from the continent goes bey...Read more -
Study in Ethiopian chickens identifies key genetic markers for health and productivity
Birds from two distinct chicken populations in Ethiopia share several genetic regions linked to key health and productivity traits, according to new research. Scientists hope that the findings, published in the journal Frontiers in Genetics, will help to support the development of healthier, more...Read more -
Researchers discover genetic cause of sometimes deadly esophageal disorder in dogs
German shepherds are predisposed to congenital idiopathic megaesophagus (CIM), an inherited disorder where a puppy develops an enlarged esophagus that fails to move food into their stomachs. Puppies with the condition regurgitate their food and fail to thrive, often leading to euthanasia. While G...Read more -
Plant-based diets can pose a risk to bone health if adequate calcium and vitamin D intakes are not ensured
In a study conducted at the University of Helsinki, partial replacement of animal protein with plant protein in the diet altered bone metabolism and decreased calcium and vitamin D intakes. In a study conducted at the University of Helsinki, 136 adults adhered to one of three study diets for 12 w...Read more -
Pirbright collaboration proves Rift Valley fever vaccine safe in pregnant animals
Collaborative research involving scientists from The Pirbright Institute has shown that a new vaccine, ChAdOx1 RVF, is effective at protecting pregnant sheep and goats from Rift Valley fever (RVF), a debilitating disease that can also be transmitted to humans. This work will also help progress th...Read more -
Oil supplements in feed improve the nutritional quality of milk
The nutritional quality of milk improved when fish oil or both fish and plant oil were added to the feed of lactating cows according to a study carried out at the University of Helsinki. Adding oil to feed also had an impact on ruminal lipid metabolism, changing the metabolism of fatty acids in t...Read more -
New research reveals the complexity of improving rangeland management in Africa
The world is a wickedly complex place, especially when people have a need to share limited resources. Herding communities in northern Namibia, for instance, are afflicted by poverty, drought and degraded landscapes. International groups want to help — development agencies have made several ...Read more -
New research documents domestic cattle genetics in modern bison herds
A new study published in the journal Scientific Reports has revealed the strongest evidence to date that all bison in North America carry multiple small, but clearly identifiable, regions of DNA that originated from domestic cattle. In the study, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Med...Read more -
New data from broiler benchmarking platform shows scope to improve intestinal health
Latest data from Elanco’s Health Tracking System (HTSi) shows an overall drop in broiler intestinal health, highlighting a crucial opportunity for producers to improve feed efficiency and bird performance. The 2021 HTSi report, launched at Pig and Poultry Fair, analysed animal health data from 5,...Read more -
Monitor 10 mastitis control points for best milk quality
Mastitis is the most common and costly disease affecting dairy cows, ranking within the top two reasons for early removal of cows within US dairy herds. This disease affects cow welfare and causes significant economic losses through decreased milk yield, reduced milk quality, early removal of cow...Read more -
Live vaccines are key to Salmonella-control programs — here’s why
Modified-live vaccines (MLVs) against paratyphoid Salmonella serotypes help reduce colonization and excretion of wild strains of the bacterium. The vaccines also lessen the impact of heterologous strains in young poultry, which have immature immune systems. That’s the conclusion of a review paper...Read more
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