Dairy R&D in SA

Frequent power outages in South Africa, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), disrupt critical dairy operations such as milking, cooling, feeding, and pasteurisation, thereby compromising the microbial, physical, and chemical quality of raw milk. This review evaluates the impact of load-shedding on milk quality in KZN, focusing on microbial growth dynamics, temperature fluctuations, and changes in milk composition.

Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) encompass food safety as well as a broad range of best practices associated with animal welfare, social responsibility, environmental sustainability, and risk management.

The bioactivity of fermented milk products has been attributed to bioactive metabolites, mainly short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and peptides generated during the fermentation process by starter and probiotic species.

Introduction: Methane produced by ruminants (also called enteric methane) is in the spotlight because of assumptions about its high global warming potential. This has resulted in perceptions and policies with profound effects on worldwide ruminant, especially cattle, keeping and production.

Fungi in dairy pastures in the Eastern Cape are known to adversely affect cattle health, but the diversity of fungal species has not been well-studied.

Motivation: (1) Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission and sequestration data of the dairy industry, in fact the whole livestock sector, are inadequate for reliable calculation and, (2) the methodology used in calculation by authorities are limiting and is predicted to be detrimental to future sustainability if not addressed.

Soil carbon is the primary measure of soil organic matter (SOM) and is a key indicator of soil health and quality.

Dairy production systems worldwide contribute significantly to anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for about 4% of global emissions which presumably poses both a climate change and sustainability risk.

Dairy farming is an important contributor to both South Africa’s economy and food security. However, dairy in South Africa, like elsewhere in the world, has come under scrutiny because of animal welfare concerns and contributions to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The South African dairy industry faces growing pressure to balance production efficiency with environmental, social, and economic sustainability goals. Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), implemented through the Dairy Standard Agency’s (DSA) Code of Practice for Producers, provide a structured framework to promote sustainable outcomes across various farming systems.