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Dairy R&D in SA

by Heinz Meissner

Click on any of the publications below to read more about the specific topic:


  • MUN AND CLIMATE EFFECTS ON REPRODUCTION

    Discipline: Reproduction Keywords: MUN, urea, reproduction, season, subtropics

  • ALTERNATIVES TO KIKUYU-RYEGRASS FOR DAIRY PASTURE SYSTEMS IN THE SOUTH-EASTERN CAPE.

    Discipline: pastures; Keywords: kikuyu-ryegrass pastures, stocking rates, weedy species, Plantain, clover, Lucerne, Tall Fescue, monoculture, mixed species.

  • A MODEL TO CALCULATE GHG EMISSIONS TO MEET SUSTAINABILITY GOALS.

    Discipline: environment; Keywords: GHG, emission reduction, net zero, carbon sequestration, systems dynamic model, dairy production systems. 

    Sustainability of the SA Dairy Industry has been a focus point of Milk SA for some time. This is supported in a dynamic strategic and commitment report, entitled: ‘Sustainability in the SA dairy Industry: A Status and Progress Report’. The report is structured according to the FAO-IDF Dairy ®Declaration of Rotterdam (DDoR) and the Dairy Sustainability Framework (DSF), which endorses the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and provides guidelines for sustainable development. One of the central topics is carbon dioxide (CO2) emission reduction in the dairy sector, with commitment intentions towards achieving ‘net zero’ sooner rather than later.

  • DIURNAL VARIATION IN ENZYMATIC DIGESTION OF STARCH AND FIBRE.

    Discipline: digestion; Keywords:  diurnal variation, enzymatic activity, digestibility, rumen fluid, dairy cows

  • HEAT STRESS IN DAIRY COWS.

    Discipline: stress; Keywords: dairy cows, heat stress, physiology, rectal temperature, temperature-humidity index.

  • ARTISANAL CHEESE MAKING IN SOUTH AFRICA.

    Discipline: cheese; Keywords: cheese quality, fermented products, nutritional qualities, raw milk.

  • BIOFILM FORMATION AND ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE PATTERNS OF STREPTOCOCCUS UBERIS SPECIES.

    Discipline: mastitis; Keywords: Streptococcus uberis, SCC, clinical mastitis, biofilm, AMR, antimicrobials, susceptibility.

  • PASTURE YIELD AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECT OF NITROGEN FERTILIZATION.

    Discipline: pasture, grazing; Keywords: Pasture yield optimization, nitrogen use efficiency; nitrogen fertilization, farm-N-balance, carbon footprint.                                                                                                                                  

  • MASTITIS RESEARCH IN SOUTH AFRICA: THE COST TO THE DAIRY FARMER.

    Discipline: mastitis; Keywords: economic loss, SCC, TMR and pasture-based systems, failure cost, preventive cost.



    Mastitis results in large economic loss to both farmer and processor. In addition it has welfare implications for the cow and antimicrobial resistance concerns. Therefore, describing and analysing the measures used to prevent the disease and to minimize the losses remain important. For example, somatic cell count (SCC) directly affects revenue from the sale of milk and in one of the investigations the revenue loss was studied.   

  • AN ANALYSIS OF THE GLOBAL RELEVANCE AND IMPACT OF CATTLE.

    Discipline: management; economics; Keywords: cattle, world trade, methane emission, photosynthesis, carbon sequestration, grazing capacity, cover crops