Dairy R&D in SA

The R & D priorities are lumped into three major sustainability focus areas, namely the Environment, Animal Health and Welfare and Food Safety & Security. The major attention within the focus areas is illustrated by the projects described below and their progress:

The Skimmelkrans dairy farm, located near George, in the Western Cape, is the Nestlé group’s pilot project for low-carbon emissions, following the announcement in 2020 to pursue a net-zero project there. Results to date from the Skimmelkrans Dairy pilot project include annual averages of 500 tons of manure processed, 14.5 million litres of water recycled and 6 000 tons of carbon sequestrated through soil work.

Probiotic yoghurt is a fermented dairy product with live beneficial bacteria, the common strains being Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.

Newborn calves are generally more susceptible to intestinal diseases, because of their immature and developing immune systems. In addition, the balance of intestinal microbes in calves is primitive, leading to diarrhoea and a series of diseases, if no proper management practices are incorporated into the production system. A number of enterobacteria can cause diarrhoea.

It is now certain that the fungus responsible for sporidesmin toxicity (facial eczema) in the affected areas, and probably in all of South African livestock, is Pseudopithomyces toxicarius. This fungus produces the liver toxin sporidesmin A. Until recently, the fungus has been misidentified, but through analysis of 152 fungal strains from international collections and the generation of over 900 DNA sequences, the correct identity and presence of P. toxicarius in the Eastern Cape ryegrass dominated pastures, has been confirmed.

Heat stress has been identified as one of the major challenges for livestock production. Global temperatures are steadily increasing, with South African temperatures increasing at nearly twice the global rate. Of the livestock used for food production, dairy cows are the most sensitive to thermal changes, which have detrimental effects on their health, welfare, and overall productivity.

The research work explores the facial eczema problem in dairy cattle in the Eastern Cape, with the focus on the fungus Pseudopithomyces chartarum which infests primarily ryegrass.

To address GHG mitigation, the authors cited have developed a farm-level system dynamics model, Dairy Environment Sustainability Tool (DESTiny) [https://assetresearch.org.za/on-farm-carbon-capture-and-storage-capacity/] that assesses emissions alongside carbon capture and storage on farms. The model will help determine whether farms act as net emitters or sequestrators of carbon.

Most health-conscious consumers know that yogurt, as a dairy-based beverage, can be a good source of probiotic bacteria.  Functional yogurt can therefore be used as delivery vehicle to the target consumer of probiotic bacterial strains selected on the basis of their prophylactic and bio-therapeutic potential to combat intestinal pathogens.

Faciolosis (liver fluke): Since the liver fluke is developing resistance to all available anthelmintics, including the preferred triclabendazole, farmers need to manage the snail co-host of the fluke which is required for the fluke to complete its life cycle.