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Monegi P, Mkhize NR, Masondo PT, Mbatha KR, Luseba D, Tjelele JT. Diet Mixing and Supplementation Present an Opportunity to Increase the Use of Encroaching Woody Plants by Goats. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3509. [PMID: 38003127 PMCID: PMC10668674 DOI: 10.3390/ani13223509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Along with the woody plant expansion that is predicted to continue at the expense of the grassy layer is the increasing societal demand for animal protein and livestock products. Unless concerted efforts by land users, ecologists, and animal scientists are made to increase the utilization of trees and shrubs as forage, it will be impossible to meet future demand for meat and meat products. We conducted two short-term pen experiments to determine the effects of (1) supplementation with polyethylene glycol (PEG-a polymer purported to bind and neutralize the negative effects of tannins), a high-protein source (soybean meal), and a high-energy source (yellow maize grain) and (2) diet mixing (single-species vs. multispecies diets) on the intake of condensed tannin-rich woody plants (i.e., Searsia lancea, S. pyroides, and Euclea crispa) by goats. While all three forage species were used in the diet mixing experiment (Exp. 2), only E. crispa was used in the supplementation experiment (Exp. 1). Supplementing goats with energy- and protein-rich sources significantly increased the intake of E. crispa (p < 0.05), 713.4 g ± 13.5 and 760 g ± 28.9, respectively, whereas those on the control diet maintained their intake at 540.32 g ± 11.2. Although PEG tended to increase the consumption of E. crispa by goats, the observed increase was not significant (p > 0.05) from that observed in other treatments. In the diet mixing experiment, goats offered a combination of all three forage species attained substantially higher dry matter intakes compared to the goats offered these species individually (p < 0.05). While longer-term field experiments are needed in the African savannas, we postulate from the current results that management strategies that provide animals with (1) a variety of species in the diet vs. monocultures and (2) a combination of nutrient-rich and tannin-rich species may improve the ability of goats to consume chemically defended woody plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piet Monegi
- Agricultural Research Council, Animal Production, Range and Forage Sciences, Irene, Pretoria 0062, South Africa
- Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, University of South Africa, Florida, Roodepoort 1709, South Africa;
| | - Ntuthuko Raphael Mkhize
- Agricultural Research Council, Animal Production, Range and Forage Sciences, Irene, Pretoria 0062, South Africa
- Animal and Poultry Science, School of Agriculture, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa
| | - Purity Thobekile Masondo
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Science, Tshwane University of Technology, Staatsartillerie Road, Pretoria West, Pretoria 0001, South Africa (D.L.)
| | - Khanyisile Rebecca Mbatha
- Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, University of South Africa, Florida, Roodepoort 1709, South Africa;
| | - Dibungi Luseba
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Science, Tshwane University of Technology, Staatsartillerie Road, Pretoria West, Pretoria 0001, South Africa (D.L.)
| | - Julius Tlou Tjelele
- Agricultural Research Council, Animal Production, Range and Forage Sciences, Irene, Pretoria 0062, South Africa
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Basit MA, Ijaz M, Khan JA, Ashraf K, Abbas RZ. Molecular Evidence and Hematological Profile of Bovines Naturally Infected with Ehrlichiosis in Southern Punjab, Pakistan. Acta Parasitol 2022; 67:72-78. [PMID: 34138414 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-021-00433-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Ehrlichiosis is one of the tick-borne diseases, which is not only neglected in Pakistan but only a few reports have been documented throughout the globe. The purpose of this study is to highlight and report the neglected pathogen from bovines in Pakistan. METHODS In this study, the pathogen was detected initially based on microscopy, followed by the molecular confirmation and phylogenetic analysis of the pathogen from bovines from south Punjab, Pakistan. The hematological parameters were also assessed in Ehrlichia positive and negative animals. The information of different disease determinants was analyzed by a logistic regression model on SPSS. RESULTS The study has reported an 11.98% (23/192) prevalence of Ehrlichiosis from bovines. The prevalence was slightly more in cattle (13.5%) as compared to the buffaloes (10.4%). The previous tick's history and tick control methods were proved to be the key factors with the occurrence of the disease. The isolates from Pakistan Ehrlichia spp. Pakistan/31, 36, and 8 clustered with the isolates from the USA, Nicaraguan, France, South Africa, and Uganda. Platelet count, hemoglobin level, and hematocrit were found significantly decreased in Ehrlichia affected animals when compared to the healthy bovines. CONCLUSION This is the first report of ehrlichiosis from bovines in Pakistan and will provide the roadmap for future research.
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Adelabu OA, Iweriebor BC, Okoh AI, Obi LC. Phylogenetic profiling for zoonotic Ehrlichia spp. from ixodid ticks in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Transbound Emerg Dis 2019; 67:1247-1256. [PMID: 31880098 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are obligate hematophagous parasite of vertebrate that transmit a range of pathogenic microorganisms that can cause diseases in livestock and humans. The range of tick-borne disease causative agents infecting domestic animals and humans has recently increased. Several significant zoonotic tick-borne diseases such as ehrlichiosis among others are on the increase worldwide. This study was designed to investigate the occurrence of zoonotic Ehrlichia spp. from samples collected from livestock in selected communities in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Tick samples were manually collected from domesticated animals in selected homesteads. The ticks were morphologically identified to species and tested for Ehrlichia infection via polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using genus-specific disulphide bond formation protein (dsbA) gene primers. This was followed by sequence analysis of amplicons and phylogeny. Of the 1,200 ticks collected, Amblyomma hebraeum was most prevalent (n = 335; 27.9%), followed by Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (n = 274; 22.8%), Rhipicephalus decoloratus; (n = 224; 18.7%) and Rhipicephalus eversti eversti (n = 200, 16.7%). Ehrlichia DNA was detected in 19/1,200 (1.6%) of the screened DNA samples. A homology search of the generated sequences revealed a high percentage of identity between 95% and 98% with other homologous dsbA gene sequences of other Ehrlichia species in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the obtained sequences clustered unambiguously with other Ehrlichia sequences from different geographical regions of the world. We concluded that Ehrlichial pathogens are vectored by the ticks collected from domesticated animals in the study areas, thus suggesting concern for public health, as some of the recovered pathogens are zoonotic in nature and could pose serious public health risk through human exposure to tick bites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olusesan Adeyemi Adelabu
- SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa.,Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group (AEMREG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
| | | | - Anthony Ifeanyi Okoh
- SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa.,Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group (AEMREG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
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Peter SG, Gakuya DW, Maingi N, Mulei CM. Prevalence and risk factors associated with Ehrlichia infections in smallholder dairy cattle in Nairobi City County, Kenya. Vet World 2019; 12:1599-1607. [PMID: 31849422 PMCID: PMC6868257 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2019.1599-1607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Ehrlichiosis caused by Ehrlichia ruminantium is a tick-borne disease of great economic importance in cattle production worldwide. Despite its economic impact, limited knowledge is available on its epidemiology in Africa, including Kenya. Suspected cases of E. ruminantium infections have been reported in the recent past to the University of Nairobi's Veterinary Hospital, prompting the need to investigate their possible re-emergence. Therefore, this study was aimed at determining the prevalence of E. ruminantium among smallholder dairy cattle in Nairobi City County and to assess potential risk factors. This knowledge may guide the development of appropriate control strategies of ehrlichiosis, subsequently reducing associated losses. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 107 smallholder dairy farms from Nairobi City County were recruited for the study. Blood samples were collected from 314 apparently healthy dairy cattle, and Giemsa-stained blood smears were screened under the microscope for Ehrlichia species. A commercial antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit was then used to confirm the presence of the infections in serum samples. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data on management practices that may be potential risk factors. A univariate and mixed-effects logistic regression was then used to determine significant risk factors. RESULTS On microscopy, 79.3% (249/314) of the sampled animals had Ehrlichia-like inclusion bodies in white blood cells, though only 18.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 14.2-23.0) of these were confirmed to be E. ruminantium on ELISA. A farm-level prevalence of 35.5% (95% CI 27.0-45.3) was reported. Female-headed households (p=0.013), farms in Langata region (p=0.027), cleaning of cowsheds fortnightly (p=0.019), and roofing of cowshed (p=0.022) were factors significantly associated with E. ruminantium infections. CONCLUSION There is a relatively high prevalence of E. ruminantium infections in apparently healthy cattle in smallholder dairy farms in this area, warranting control measures. It is critical to improve animal welfare-related factors, such as cowshed cleaning and roofing, as well as the strategic location of farms, especially, since reservoirs may reduce infection levels in the farms, in relation to wildlife. However, since Ehrlichia-like inclusion bodies other than those of E. ruminantium were observed in this study, there is a need to investigate further these factors and the possibility of other Ehrlichia species infecting cattle in the study area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shepelo Getrude Peter
- Department of Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Daniel Waweru Gakuya
- Department of Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Ndichu Maingi
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Charles Matiku Mulei
- Department of Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nairobi, Kenya
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Ybañez AP, Arrabis OV, Alvarez DJM, Galon EMS, Jayag RMP, Delan ES, Ybañez RHD, Xuan X. Evaluation on the presence of Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Babesia spp. in goats ( Capra hircus) in Cebu, the Philippines. Vet World 2019; 12:774-777. [PMID: 31439992 PMCID: PMC6661488 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2019.774-777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tick-borne diseases are caused by a wide variety of viruses, pathogens, and diseases. Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Babesia spp. are among the most known tick-borne pathogens in Asia. In the Philippines, these pathogens were already reportedly present in dogs and large ruminants, but no study has been reported yet evaluating their presence in goats. AIM The present study aimed to evaluate the presence of Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Babesia spp. in goats in Cebu, the Philippines. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 100 blood samples from goats were collected in Cebu, the Philippines. Profile of sampled goats including age, body score, and sex was obtained. Peripheral blood smear examination and DNA extraction were performed. Nested polymerase chain reaction assay was used to evaluate the presence of Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Babesia spp. RESULTS None of the samples were found positive with Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Babesia spp. infection. CONCLUSION Tested goats were negative with Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Babesia spp. and calls for continuous surveillance of these pathogens due to the reported detection of these pathogens in other livestock animals in the area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian P. Ybañez
- College of Science and Regional Center for Molecular Diagnostics and Research, University of the Philippines Cebu, Gorordo Avenue, Lahug, Cebu City 6000, Philippines
- Institute of Molecular Parasitology and Vector-borne Diseases at Main Campus and College of Veterinary Medicine at Barili Campus, Cebu Technological University, Cor. M. J. Cuenco Ave. and R. Palma St., Cebu City 6000, Cebu, Philippines
| | - Orgil V. Arrabis
- College of Science and Regional Center for Molecular Diagnostics and Research, University of the Philippines Cebu, Gorordo Avenue, Lahug, Cebu City 6000, Philippines
| | - Dennis Justin M. Alvarez
- College of Science and Regional Center for Molecular Diagnostics and Research, University of the Philippines Cebu, Gorordo Avenue, Lahug, Cebu City 6000, Philippines
| | - Eloiza May S. Galon
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro City, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Rhea Mae P. Jayag
- College of Science and Regional Center for Molecular Diagnostics and Research, University of the Philippines Cebu, Gorordo Avenue, Lahug, Cebu City 6000, Philippines
- Institute of Molecular Parasitology and Vector-borne Diseases at Main Campus and College of Veterinary Medicine at Barili Campus, Cebu Technological University, Cor. M. J. Cuenco Ave. and R. Palma St., Cebu City 6000, Cebu, Philippines
| | - Elmie S. Delan
- College of Science and Regional Center for Molecular Diagnostics and Research, University of the Philippines Cebu, Gorordo Avenue, Lahug, Cebu City 6000, Philippines
- Institute of Molecular Parasitology and Vector-borne Diseases at Main Campus and College of Veterinary Medicine at Barili Campus, Cebu Technological University, Cor. M. J. Cuenco Ave. and R. Palma St., Cebu City 6000, Cebu, Philippines
| | - Rochelle Haidee D. Ybañez
- College of Science and Regional Center for Molecular Diagnostics and Research, University of the Philippines Cebu, Gorordo Avenue, Lahug, Cebu City 6000, Philippines
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro City, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro City, Hokkaido, Japan
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Guo H, Adjou Moumouni PF, Thekisoe O, Gao Y, Liu M, Li J, Galon EM, Efstratiou A, Wang G, Jirapattharasate C, Ringo AE, Mtshali K, Inoue N, Suzuki H, Xuan X. Genetic characterization of tick-borne pathogens in ticks infesting cattle and sheep from three South African provinces. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 10:875-882. [PMID: 31010732 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are involved in the transmission of many public health and veterinary important pathogens. Although tick-borne pathogens are widely distributed in South Africa, information on tick-pathogen relationship needs to be updated particularly using modern molecular techniques. This study used PCR and sequencing to confirm the identity of the tick species collected from cattle and sheep from KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and Eastern Cape. Furthermore, presence of Babesia spp., Theileria spp., Anaplasma marginale, Rickettsia spp., Ehrlichia ruminantium and Coxiella burnetii was detected from tick DNA using species-specific PCR or nested PCRs. The study samples consisted of 390 adult ticks (male and female) which were pooled according to species, host animal and sampling site (three ticks per pool) for DNA extraction. The PCR results revealed that out of 130 tick DNA pools, 30 (23.1%) were positive for at least one pathogen. The most frequent pathogen was C. burnetii (9.2%), followed by Rickettsia spp. (7.7%), A. marginale (3.8%), T. mutans (3.1%), T. taurotragi (2.3%) and E. ruminantium (1.5%). The highest prevalence of pathogens was observed in ticks collected from cattle in Eastern Cape (16/42) and the lowest was in ticks obtained from sheep in Free State (1/21). Infected ticks were identified as Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (n = 13), R. appendiculatus (n = 3), R. decoloratus (n = 7) and Amblyomma hebraeum (n = 7). Coinfection with two pathogens was found in 21% of pathogen-positive pools. Analysis of Theileria taurotragi 18S rRNA, T. mutans 18S rRNA, C. burnetii htpB, Rickettsia spp. gltA, Rickettsia spp. ompA, E. ruminantium pCS20 and A. marginale Msp5 sequences showed that the pathogens detected in this study were genetically related to isolates previously reported in Africa. These findings provide important information on distribution of ticks and tick-borne pathogens of ruminants and will contribute in the formulation of future control strategies in South Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanping Guo
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Paul Franck Adjou Moumouni
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Oriel Thekisoe
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa
| | - Yang Gao
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Mingming Liu
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Jixu Li
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Eloiza May Galon
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Artemis Efstratiou
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Guanbo Wang
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Charoonluk Jirapattharasate
- Department of Preclinic and Applied Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, 999 Phutthamonthon Sai 4 Road Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhonpathom, 73170, Thailand
| | - Aaron Edmond Ringo
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Khethiwe Mtshali
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Noboru Inoue
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Suzuki
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan.
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Landscape genomics and pathway analysis to understand genetic adaptation of South African indigenous goat populations. Heredity (Edinb) 2018; 120:369-378. [PMID: 29422506 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-017-0044-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2017] [Revised: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In Africa, extensively raised livestock populations in most smallholder farming communities are exposed to harsh and heterogeneous climatic conditions and disease pathogens that they adapt to in order to survive. Majority of these livestock species, including goats, are of non-descript and uncharacterized breeds and their response to natural selection presented by heterogeneous environments is still unresolved. This study investigated genetic diversity and its association with environmental and geographic conditions in 194 South African indigenous goats from different geographic locations genotyped on the Illumina goat SNP50K panel. Population structure analysis revealed a homogeneous genetic cluster of the Tankwa goats, restricted to the Northern Cape province. Overall, the Boer, Kalahari Red, and Savanna showed a wide geographic spread of shared genetic components, whereas the village ecotypes revealed a longitudinal distribution. The relative importance of environmental factors on genetic variation of goat populations was assessed using redundancy analysis (RDA). Climatic and geographic variables explained 22% of the total variation while climatic variables alone accounted for 17% of the diversity. Geographic variables solitarily explained 1% of the total variation. The first axis (Model I) of the RDA analysis revealed 329 outlier SNPs. Landscape genomic approaches of spatial analysis method (SAM) identified a total of 843 (1.75%) SNPs, while latent factor mixed models (LFMM) identified 714 (1.48%) SNPs significantly associated with environmental variables. Significant markers were within genes involved in biological functions potentially important for environmental adaptation. Overall, the study suggested environmental factors to have some effect in shaping the genetic variation of South African indigenous goat populations. Loci observed to be significant and under selection may be responsible for the adaption of the goat populations to local production systems.
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First report of Ehrlichia infection in goats, China. Microb Pathog 2017; 110:275-278. [PMID: 28705746 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2017.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Revised: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Ehrlichiosis is an emerging infectious disease of domestic animals which is transmitted by ticks. This disease has been reported earlier in most parts of China in dogs, cattle and humans, but there is no published data regarding this disease in goats. The present study provided the evidence of Ehrlichia infection in goats in Wuhan, China on the basis of clinical signs, gross lesions, serum-biochemical, histopathological and PCR. Twenty four goats were presented to the veterinary hospital of Huazhong Agricultural University during July, 2016. The goats were diagnosed for Ehrlichia in monocytic and granulocytic forms by blood smear examination. Further confirmation was done by PCR examination, while histopathological examination revealed degeneration and inflammation in different tissues. The biochemical criterion and blood samples analysis showed significant (P < 0.05) changes. The present study reported that goats are naturally exposed to Ehrlichia infection. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first clinical report of Ehrlichia infection in goats infested with infected ticks.
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Mdladla K, Dzomba EF, Muchadeyi FC. The potential of landscape genomics approach in the characterization of adaptive genetic diversity in indigenous goat genetic resources: A South African perspective. Small Rumin Res 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2017.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Mdladla K, Dzomba EF, Muchadeyi FC. Characterization of the village goat production systems in the rural communities of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and North West Provinces of South Africa. Trop Anim Health Prod 2017; 49:515-527. [PMID: 28150112 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-017-1223-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Expansion of goat improvement programs requires exploration of the factors that influence the production system and breeding initiatives. Characterization of goat breeds or populations is crucial in providing information on prevalent goat types and their attributes and may suffice as a guideline on conservation, development, and selection for improved productivity. This study investigated the existing village goat production system and phenotypic diversity of the different village populations from four South African provinces. The study further investigated the use of phenotypic attributes to classify goats to breeds or populations. Data was collected from 142 households in 26 villages of the Eastern Cape (n = 2 villages), KwaZulu-Natal (n = 6 villages), Limpopo (n = 13 villages), and North West (n = 5 villages) provinces through a survey. Individual interviews and focus group discussions revealed that the mean goat herd size per household was least in Limpopo at 13.2 ± 12.40 and highest in Eastern Cape (34.18 ± 28.36). Flocks had more (p < 0.05) adults than kids, and the distribution of breeding animals was biased towards does and less bucks. Goats were kept mainly for meat, for selling, and for ritual ceremonies. The goat production system was mainly scavenging. Goat health was a major challenge across households and villages. Qualitative traits such coat, horn, ears, and wattle characteristics were recorded for populations of village goats (n = 319) and a feral Tankwa breed (n = 50). The dominant coat pattern was plain (74.53%) with black as the most common coat color (31.98%). Across breeds, a majority (88.08%) of the goats had horns, and 7.59% had wattles while 56.64% had beard. Adult goats (<3 years; n = 398) were further analyzed for five quantitative traits of chest girth, height, length, and pin bone and there were significant (p < 0.05) breed differences in all. A stepwise discriminatory procedure was used to rank the quantitative traits according to their discriminatory power to separate breeds or populations. Significant traits were then subjected to canonical discriminant analysis for principle component analysis. Based on the quantitative traits, the Tankwa, Xhosa, and Tswana goats formed their own cluster separated from commercial meat type breeds and the Venda and Zulu ecotypes. The discriminant function analysis correctly classified 90.41% of the Zulu goats and 82.93% of the Xhosa village populations. None of the Savanna goats were correctly classified. The study demonstrated diversity in village goat populations and production systems, which would allow for within population selection in genetic improvement programs. The heterogeneity in the phenotypic traits in the village goats is reflective of the role of village production systems in the maintenance of animal diversity in local populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khanyisile Mdladla
- Agricultural Research Council, Biotechnology Platform, Private Bag X5, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa.,Discipline of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa
| | - Edgar Farai Dzomba
- Discipline of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa
| | - Farai Catherine Muchadeyi
- Agricultural Research Council, Biotechnology Platform, Private Bag X5, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa.
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