Characterisation of the production and consumption of milk in the communal livestock production sector of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Kumbirai, Kaguru Tinashe
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Milk consumption -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Dairy farming -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/3066 , vital:28251
- Description: The study was conducted in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa with the objective of characterising milk production and consumption among the communal households. A pretested semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data through a single visit survey between June 2014 and May 2015. The study was undertaken in five randomly selected communal districts using a multi – stage area probability sampling method. Household sample size was calculated using a statistical methodology through a fixed formula based on a rural population size of 4410000, at a confidence level of 95 percent. A total of 500 households were selected with a sample size of 20 households in 5 communities within five different communal districts within the province. Half of the total sample size was used to represent the number of non-milk producing households (250) to get a true reflection on consumption profiles for nonproducers. Across the province the average communal family size was between 5-10 members with a monthly income of ZAR1340 per household. On average, pasture land size of the sampled households was 1 ha, with a range of 0.25-1.7 ha. The numbers of animals per species found in the studied province was highest for sheep (310) followed by cattle (227) and goat (87). Average livestock holding per household in the study area was 9.85 TLU (Tropical Livestock Unit). According to the respondents the predominant milking livestock numbers were between 1-3 animals milking per household. In the studied area traditional hand milking of livestock was the major milking practices at 12 percent in goats, 15 percent in sheep and 45 percent in cattle milk production. Consumption was the predominant reason for milk production recorded at 27 percent across the province. Milk production was 43 percent most preferred in cattle followed by 32 percent in goat and least at 29 percent in sheep across the province. In general, from the study it was noted that the majority (38 percent) of the respondents across the province indicated 0-5mins as the time it took to milk most milk producing livestock. The majority of the milking practices was done (37 percent) predominantly once a day, followed by 2 percent twice daily across the province. The daily milk production was on average (0.45±1.07) 2-5 litre in cattle, (4.86±0.814) 0-1litre in goats and (2.62±0.42) 0-1 litre sheep per producing house hold with in the province The monthly raw milk consumption in the province was (2.20± 1.42) 2-5 litres of cattle milk, (4.78±0.79) 2-5 litres of goat milk and (4.98±0.69) 2-5 litres of sheep milk per consuming household.
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Consumer perceptions and microbial quality of meat sold in the informal markets of Nkonkobe and Buffalo City municipalities in the Eastern province, South Africa
- Authors: Mazizi, Bulelani Elvis
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Meat -- Quality -- South Africa --Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15365 , vital:40401
- Description: The main objective of the study was to determine consumer perceptions and microbial quality of meat sold in the informal markets found in Nkonkobe and Buffalo City Municipalities in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. To determine consumer perceptions of the quality of the meat and meat products sold in the informal markets in Nkonkobe and Buffalo City Municipalities, a survey was conducted. A total of 160 consumers from two municipalities in the Eastern Cape (EC) Province of South Africa was randomly sampled and interviewed. A questionnaire was used to gather information about consumer perceptions of meat and meat products sold in the informal markets regarding their knowledge about safety, food-borne diseases, hygiene, and the quality of the meat among others. The study showed that Alice Town has a larger (66.25percent) proportion of consumers with knowledge about foodborne diseases while King Williams’s Town had a larger proportion (48.75percent) of respondents who had no knowledge about Food-borne diseases. However, a large proportion of consumers in King Williams’s Town considered vendor (82.5percent) and environmental hygiene (93.75percent) than in Alice Town. Consumers (83.75percent) in King Williams’s Town viewed the meat from street vendors to be of low quality while a small proportion (18.75percent) of consumers in Alice Town viewed it as the meat of good quality. Alice had a large proportion (61.25percent) of consumers, which had knowledge of the meat safety law than King Williams’s Town. More consumers from King Williams’s Town (31.25percent) agreed that government plays a role while Alice had a small proportion (26.25percent) which disagreed. The results also showed that consumer perceptions about the safety of meat and meat products are focused more on hygiene, neglecting other important aspects such as vending infrastructure. However, most consumers do not have enough knowledge concerning meat safety. The second study determined the microbial quality of meat sold by street vendors based in Alice and Kind Williams Town in the Eastern Cape Province South Africa. A total of 48 fresh and uncooked meat samples (beef, pork, and mutton), 48 surface contact plates and 40 water samples was collected from 4 street vendors from each town for microbial analysis (n=48). After collection, all samples were subjected to Aerobic plate count (APC), Salmonella spp, Staphylococcus aureus (Staph) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). The results revealed that Salmonella spp tested negative across all the meat samples used in the study. However, no significant differences were found in the microbial quality of meat sold by street vendors in Alice and King Williams town. Furthermore, there were no significant differences (P>0.05) between the APC of raw beef (4.8 Log CFU/g), mutton (3.7 Log CFU/g) and pork (2.8 Log CFU/g) and also the cooked beef (1.5 Log CFU/g), mutton (1.3 Log CFU/g) and pork (1.9 Log CFU/g) samples. A similar trend was observed in the values of Staphylococcus aureus (Staph) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) counts in raw and cooked meat samples. However, a positive correlation between Aerobic plate counts (APC) and Staphylococcus aureus (Staph) (P<0.001) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) (P<0.01) was found in the study. It can, therefore, be concluded that there were no differences in the microbial counts of raw and cooked meat sold in the informal markets of Nkonkobe and Buffalo City Municipalities in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
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Effect of Moringa oleifera leaf meal on growth performance, faecal ammonia emissions, carcass characteristics and the quality of meat from broiler chickens
- Authors: Mxunyelwa, Avela,
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Moringa oleifera Meat -- Quality Broilers (Chickens)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15034 , vital:40154
- Description: The objective of the study was to determine growth performance, faecal ammonia gas emission, carcass characteristics and physico-chemical meat traits from broilers fed one of the four dietary treatments, containing 0percent, 1percent, 3percent or 5percent Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) (T1, T2, T3, and T4, respectively). Dietary treatments were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric for a starter (0-14 days), grower (15-21days) and finisher (22-35 days). A total of 160 day old Cobb 500 broiler chickens, initially weighing an average of 45g were randomly allocated to each of the dietary treatments, each with four replicates, in 16 pens. Feed and water were offered ad libitum. Feed intakes (FI), average daily gain (ADG), body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion efficiency (FCE) were measured weekly. At the end of the feeding trial, the feed was withdrawn from the birds for 12 hours with water available ad libitum and the birds were slaughtered using standard abattoir procedures. The breast muscle of each carcass was sampled for meat quality analysis. Organ and carcass weights differences were measured. Birds fed with T1 had the highest FI. Birds fed with T4 had the best FCE at day 14, 21 and 35. At day 7 and 35, there were no significant differences in FCE in all the treatments. At 0 to 35 days, faecal ammonia emission decreased (P<0.05) as MOLM concentration and age of birds increased. Moringa fed broilers had the highest body weights in all the periods despite the incorporation level in the diet. The results showed that inclusion of MOLM had a significant effect (P<0.05) on the heart, neck, and head weights but had no significant effect on liver, gizzard, intestine and feet. Broilers fed with T1 had heavier heart, neck and head weights compared to MOLM fed broilers. In terms of carcass traits, MOLM had a significant effect (P<0.05) on wings and thighs but had no significant effect (P>0.05) on breast and drumsticks. Moringa oleifera leaf meal had a significant effect on carcass weights, control diet had heavier weights (1185g ± 28.96) compared to chickens fed with MOLM diets (1121g±28.96, 1070g ± 28.96, 1030g± 28.96). Broilers fed with MOLM had higher values of lightness (L*) and (b*) values (P<0.05) at 45 minutes and 24 hours and no difference was observed in redness (a*) at 45 minutes and 24 hours. The L* values dropped at 24 hours for all the treatments and MOLM fed broilers had the lowest values (46.59 ± 0.76,46 ± 0.76,49 ± 0.76) compared to the control diet (50 ± 0.76). The pH levels were comparable after 24 hours; T2 had the highest pH values (5.95 ± 0.024) compared to other treatments (5.90 ± 0.024, 5.75 ± 0.024, 5.73 ± 0.024). The results of this study demonstrated that even though the FI was reduced in MOLM fed broilers, they efficiently consumed and used nutrients, as a result MOLM fed birds had higher weights and low ammonia concentration throughout the experiment, which may improve the house environment without affecting the quality of meat.
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Fatty acid composition, colour stability and lipid oxidation of mince produced from fresh and frozen/thawed fallow deer meat
- Authors: Chido, Chakanya
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Lipids -- Oxidation Meat -- Preservation Mincemeat
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2479 , vital:27874
- Description: The aim of the study was to determine the fatty acid composition, colour stability and lipid oxidation of fresh mince produced from fallow deer and to evaluate the effect of frozen storage duration on the retail display shelf life of the mince. A total of 31 fallow deer carcasses were used in the study. After cooling for 24hrs, the carcasses were deboned, external fat from the fore and hindquarter muscles removed and individually vacuum packed. For the first trial, seven fallow deer carcasses were used. Meat from the hind and fore-quarters of each carcass was divided into two equal batches per animal. One batch was minced (through a 5 mm die) and packed into oxygen permeable overwraps and refrigerated at 4°C for a period of eight days under retail display conditions. The second batch was vacuum packed and frozen at -20°C for 2 months at the end of which mince was also produced and monitored over an eight-day period under the same conditions that were used for the fresh mince. Colour, pH, lipid and myoglobin stability was determined. Proximate and fatty acid composition was also determined. No differences (P>0.05) were noted between proximate composition of fresh and frozen/thawed minced meat. The lipid content of fallow deer was 2.4 percent (±0.04). Total n3 fatty acids differed (P<0.05) between treatments and decreased with increased storage and display day. There were significant (P<0.05) treatment and time interactions on all measured colour parameters, TBARS and myoglobin forms. Fresh mince was lighter and had higher redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) values than mince from two months frozen stored meat. Hue angle for fresh mince remained stable throughout display whereas it increased for frozen/thawed mince. Fresh mince had lower TBARS values than frozen/thawed mince. Minced meat produced from frozen/thawed deer meat had higher surface met-myoglobin and total met-myoglobin percentages. Surface and total oxy-myoglobin percentage was higher in fresh mince. The first trial clearly showed colour and lipid stability differences between fresh mince and mince from frozen/thawed meat. It also showed that fresh mince has a longer retail display life than mince produced from frozen/thawed meat (six days and four days, respectively). In the second trial, the effects of frozen storage duration on colour and lipid stability were investigated. Twenty-four fallow deer were used. Twelve were harvested in June (6male 6female) and the other twelve in August (6 male 6female) of the same year.Twenty four hours after harvesting, the fore and hindquarter muscles of the carcasses were deboned, vacuum packed and kept at -20°C until October (i.e. 2months and 4months frozen storage period). Upon thawing, the meat was processed into mince following the same procedure used for the first trialand displayed for a fiveday period under retail display conditions. Frozen duration and gender had no effect (P>0.05) on the proximate composition of fallow deer meat. The total amount of saturated fatty acids (SFA) increased and total amount of poly unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) decreased as frozen duration and display day increased (P<0.05). Frozen duration affected (P<0.01) lipid oxidation and percentage oxy-myoglobin. Mince pH and all colour parameters (L*, a*, b*,hue and chroma) differed (P<0.05) between treatments on day zero and three. Display day was a significant factor (P<0.05) on all measured parameters. By day three all parameters except pH showed signs of extended oxidation and discolouration as evidenced by reduced redness, decreased colour intensity and high TBARS values. This study showed that prolonged frozen storage negatively affects the colour and lipid stability of meat and increases oxidation of PUFAs during frozen storage. However, the study also suggests that although frozen/thawed meat has a shorter retail display shelf life; the proximate composition of the meat remains unchanged.
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Management factors influencing lamb survival from birth to weaning in two ecologically different resource-limited communal farming systems
- Authors: Lungu, Nobuhle
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Lambs Communal rangelands Lambs--Feeding and feeds
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , Animal Science
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11806 , vital:39108
- Description: The objective of the study was to determine the management factors influencing lamb survival from birth to weaning in two ecologically different resource-limited communal farming systems. An annual flock monitoring study in the sourveld and sweetveld regions was preceded by a household check-all-that-apply (CATA). Lamb management practices and constraints faced in raising lambs in the two regions were determined using the check-all-that-apply technique. The results showed that the majority of the households were male headed (75.70percent) and consisted of the elderly (˃50 years, 79.44percent) who were not employed (82.24percent) and had attended primary school (67.29percent). Wool production was ranked the most important reason for keeping sheep in the two regions. The CATA revealed that the management systems between the two regions differed significantly (p˂0.05) in terms of assisting sheep at lambing, attending to twin births and dipping of mature lambs. Farmers‘ age was associated with the type of management performed (p ˂0.05). None of the farmers in the two regions performed navel dipping. Some of the reported constraints in the sweetveld were theft, diarrhoea and drought while predators and cold weather were the major constraints in the sourveld. The CATA identified vaccination and dipping as the major missing practices in both regions. The study showed differences in the use and choice of CATA terms which suggests that a ―one-size-fits-all‖ approach to solving poor management and sheep production constraints is not applicable. In the monitoring study, the results showed that veld type had no significant effect on the birth weights (2.0±0.09 kg) of the lambs. Type of birth had a significant effect (p<0.05) on the birth weights of the lambs. Single born lambs were 0.41kg heavier (p<0.05) than twin lambs. Single born lambs, however, showed an improvement in weights at 90 and 120 days where they had slightly higher weights than single born lambs. Male lambs were significantly (p<0.05) heavier (2.3±0.12 kg) than the female lambs (1.7±0.06 kg) at birth. The lamb birth were highest (P<0.05) in the hot-dry season. Lambs born in the cold-dry season were the lightest (1.63±0.13 kg). Lambs born in the post- rainy and hot-wet season were not significantly different (P<0.05). Weaning weights were not affected by veld type, birth type and sex, but were affected by season of birth. The lambs born in the hot-dry season had the highest weaning weights. The sourveld had a total pre-weaning mortality of 10.6percent while the sweetveld had a total pre-weaning mortality of 14.2percent. Animal housing from both veld types was poorly designed in terms of security against stock theft, drainage, hygiene, overhead shelter from the rain as well as access to feed and water. It was concluded that lamb management practices in the two regions were not the same. Performance of lambs before weaning differed according to veld type which played a role in feed availability during different seasons.
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