Thesis (M. Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2017 / There is a gap in the literature about the role and relevance of Indigenous Knowledge and beef cattle welfare in many parts of the Limpopo province. This gap is relevant because many marginalised cattle owners use indigenous knowledge in their day to day management of beef cattle. The aim of the study is to investigate the use of IK methods on beef cattle husbandry in Tshebela village in the Capricorn district of the Limpopo province as a contribution to filling the void identified above. The objectives of the study were as follows:  -To investigate the IK methods used in beef cattle husbandry in the area of the study;  -To assess if beef farmers use IK to identify medicinal plants to cure beef cattle;  -To investigate farmers‘ perceptions and attitudes on the use of IKS on beef cattle husbandry in the area of study. A qualitative methodology that was used was primarily phenomenological in design. A purposive sampling technique was used and twenty seven (27) traditional beef farmers, two (2) local herbalists were recruited as participants. Data was collected through focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and observations. An interpretative phenomenological-based analysis was used to surface the role and relevance of indigenous knowledge in beef cattle husbandry. The findings suggest that indigenous knowledge is used by cattle owners alongside modern knowledge and that communal farming posed some challenges to the farmers.

Yes / Bioarchaeological evidence suggests that the site of Grimes Graves, Norfolk, characterised by the remains of several hundred Late Neolithic flint mineshafts, was a permanently settled community with a mixed farming economy during the Mid-Late Bronze Age (c. 1400 BC – c. 800 BC). The aim of this study was to investigate, through isotope ratio analysis (87Sr/86Sr, δ13C and δ18O), the origins and husbandry of Bronze Age cattle (Bos taurus) excavated from a mineshaft known as the “1972 shaft”. Strontium isotope ratios from the molar enamel of ten Grimes Graves cattle were compared with eight modern animals from the Chillingham Wild White cattle herd, Northumberland. The range of 87Sr/86Sr values for the modern cattle with known restricted mobility was low (0.00062) while the values for the Grimes Graves cattle varied much more widely (range = 0.00357) and suggest that at least five of the cattle were not born locally. Two of these animals were likely to have originated at a distance of ≥ 150 km. Intra-tooth δ13C profiles for eight of the Grimes Graves cattle show higher δ13C values compared to those of Early Bronze Age cattle from central England. Most of these profiles also display pronounced shifts in δ13C during the period of enamel formation. One possible interpretation is that the cattle were subject to dietary change resulting from movement between habitats with different vegetation δ13C values. More comparative data, both archaeological and modern, is required to validate this interpretation. The multi-isotope approach employed in this study suggests that certain cattle husbandry and/or landscape management practices may have been widely adopted throughout central Britain during the Mid-Late Bronze Age. / AHRC Studentship

Yes / The Early Bronze Age barrows at Irthlingborough and Gayhurst in central England are notable for the large number of cattle (Bos taurus) remains associated with their human Beaker burials. Previous work using strontium isotope analysis has indicated that most of the cattle analysed, and one aurochs (Bos primigenius), were of local origin (Towers et al. 2010). In this study, stable isotope analysis of enamel and bone was carried out to investigate whether the mature cattle had experienced similar husbandry practices, climate and environment. Bulk carbon, nitrogen and sulphur isotope analysis of collagen suggested most were consuming similar sources of plant protein from environments probably local to the sites and this was supported by high resolution intra-enamel carbon isotope profiles. Oxygen isotope profiles indicated the aurochs and most of the cattle experienced similar climatic regimes: the only exception being an animal with a non-local strontium isotope ratio. However, a comparison of seasonality profiles of the local animals using estimated tooth formation times showed that there was no consistency in season of birth: the animals appeared to have been born throughout the year. Cattle can breed throughout the year but it requires considerable human effort and intervention to successfully overwinter young stock; it is therefore unlikely to have been carried out without good reason and benefit if winters were harsh. One reason is to ensure a continuous supply of milk. Measuring oxygen isotope profiles to identify year-round calving may thus be a potential indicator of dairying economies.

Thesis (M. Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2017 / There is a gap in the literature about the role and relevance of Indigenous Knowledge and beef cattle welfare in many parts of the Limpopo province. This gap is relevant because many marginalised cattle owners use indigenous knowledge in their day to day management of beef cattle. The aim of the study is to investigate the use of IK methods on beef cattle husbandry in Tshebela village in the Capricorn district of the Limpopo province as a contribution to filling the void identified above. The objectives of the study were as follows:  To investigate the IK methods used in beef cattle husbandry in the area of the study;  To assess if beef farmers use IK to identify medicinal plants to cure beef cattle;  To investigate farmers‘ perceptions and attitudes on the use of IKS on beef cattle husbandry in the area of study. A qualitative methodology that was used was primarily phenomenological in design. A purposive sampling technique was used and twenty seven (27) traditional beef farmers, two (2) local herbalists were recruited as participants. Data was collected through focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and observations. An interpretative phenomenological-based analysis was used to surface the role and relevance of indigenous knowledge in beef cattle husbandry. The findings suggest that indigenous knowledge is used by cattle owners alongside modern knowledge and that communal farming posed some challenges to the farmers

Einleitung: Das Auftreten von multiresistenten Bakterien in der Bevölkerung und in Kran-kenhäusern sowie in der Tierhaltung hat in den letzten Jahrzehnten stark zugenommen. Die weltweite Zunahme multiresistenter gramnegativer Bakterien, insbesondere Entero-bakterien wie Klebsiella (K.) pneumoniae und Escherichia (E.) coli, gibt Anlass zu wach-sender Besorgnis und ist Gegenstand zahlreicher Studien. Ziele der Untersuchungen: Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Studie sollte die Prävalenz von Extended-Spectrum-Beta-Lactamase (ESBL)-produzierenden Enterobakterien (ESBL-E) bei Milchkälbern untersucht und Risikofaktoren für deren Auftreten unter Verwendung von Daten zu Antibiotikaeinsatz, Betriebshygiene und Tiergesundheit identifiziert werden. Tiere, Material und Methoden: Zehn Betriebe mit einem Median von 781 Milchkühen (319-1701) nahmen an der Studie Teil. Die Betriebe wurden zweimal im Abstand von 7-11 Monaten besucht und Kotproben von jeweils 10 neugeborenen Kälbern gesammelt. Alle untersuchten Kälber waren jünger als zwei Wochen mit einem Durchschnittsalter von 6,8 (±3,9) Tagen. Die Kotproben wurden 1:10 verdünnt und im Doppelansatz auf Brilli-anceTM ESBL-Agar plattiert. Nach 24 Stunden bei 37 °C wurden die Kolonien gezählt und die Gesamtanzahl der koloniebildenden Einheiten (cfu)/ml berechnet. Die Bakterien-spezies wurde biochemisch identifiziert. Die ESBL-Produktion wurde mittels MICRONAUT-S β-Lactamase-Platten phänotypisch bestätigt. Zusätzlich wurden weitere Resistenztest mit der VITEK® 2 Technologie durchgeführt. Die Bestimmung der Phy-logruppen der E. coli-Isolate und das Screening auf bla-Gene wurde mittels PCR durch-geführt. Der Hygienestatus der Betriebe wurde mit Hilfe eines standardisierten Fragebo-gens erfasst und bewertet und Daten zu Tiergesundheit und Antibiotikaeinsatz wurden über Tier-Scoring und das Herdemanagementprogramm gesammelt. Ergebnisse: ESBL-E konnten in allen Betrieben und 96,5 % der Kotproben nachgewiesen werden. Der dominierende Anteil der ESBL-produzierenden Isolate waren E. coli (92,9 %), gefolgt von Enterobacter (E.) cloacae (5,1 %) und K. pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae (2,0 %). Die Mehrheit der E. coli-Isolate wurde eindeutig der Phylogruppe C zugeordnet (25,0 %), gefolgt von den Phylogruppen A (15,2 %) und E (14,1 %). Die CTX-M-Gruppe 1 wurde am häufigsten nachgewiesen (80,4 %). Neben der Resistenz gegenüber Penicillinen und Cephalosporinen war die Mehrheit der Isolate zusätzlich ge-genüber einer oder mehrerer weiterer Substanzklassen resistent, wobei ein hoher Anteil gegenüber Fluorchinolonen resistent war. 52,5 % der Isolate wurden außerdem als drei-fach multiresistente gramnegative Bakterien (3MRGN) gemäß der Kommission für Kran-kenhaushygiene und Infektionsprävention charakterisiert. Keines der Isolate war 4MRGN, d.h. keines zeigte eine Carbapenem-Resistenz. Penicilline wurden bei Kälbern in den meisten Betrieben am häufigsten verabreicht und stellten auf Herdenebene in al-len Betrieben die vorherrschende Substanzklasse dar. Insgesamt war die Anzahl der Kälber, die vor der Probenahme behandelt wurden, eher gering (11,7 %). Analysen der Daten zum Betriebsmanagement ergaben Schwächen bei der Biosicherheit und der Rei-nigung und Desinfektion. Neben Beta-Laktam-Antibiotika als den am häufigsten verwen-deten Antibiotika konnten keine weiteren Risikofaktoren identifiziert werden. Schlussfolgerungen: Die Prävalenz von ESBL-E in unserer Studie war außergewöhnlich hoch. Obwohl die Prävalenz mit zunehmendem Alter der Rinder nachgewiesenermaßen abnimmt, sollten unsere Ergebnisse Anlass zur Entwicklung von Strategien sein, die den Eintrag von ESBL-E in das Kälberaufzuchtsystem frühzeitig verhindern. Dies können beispielsweise der verantwortungsbewusste Einsatz antibiotischer Trockensteller und ei-ne sorgfältige Hygiene in Abkalbeboxen und Kälberställen sein. Weitere Untersuchungen sind erforderlich, um den/die Eintrittspunkt(e) von ESBL-E in die Kälberaufzucht zu defi-nieren.:1 Einleitung 2 Literaturübersicht 2.1 Antimikrobielle Resistenzen 2.1.1 Entstehung antimikrobieller Resistenzen 2.1.2 Resistenzmechanismen 2.1.3 Verbreitung von Resistenzen 2.2 Beta-Laktamantibiotika 2.2.1 Penicilline 2.2.2 Cephalosporine 2.2.3 Carbapeneme und Monobactame 2.2.4 ß-Laktamasehemmer 2.2.5 Bakterielle Resistenzmechanismen gegenüber Beta-Laktamen 2.3 Beta-Laktamasen 2.3.1 Klassifikation 2.3.2 Extended-Spectrum-Beta-Laktamasen 2.4 Vorkommen und Verteilung von ESBL bei Nutztieren und ihr zoonotisches Potenzial 2.5 Nachweis und Identifikation von ESBL 2.5.1 Phänotypischer Nachweis 2.5.2 Genotypische Identifikation 3 Veröffentlichung 4 Diskussion 5 Zusammenfassung 6 Summary 7 Literaturverzeichnis 8 Danksagung / Introduction: The occurrence of multidrug-resistant bacteria in the community and in hospi-tals as well as in animal husbandry has increased rapidly over the last decades. The in-creasing occurrence of multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria, especially enterobac-teria such as Klebsiella (K.) pneumoniae and Escherichia (E.) coli, is of growing concern and has been subject to many studies worldwide. Study aims: We studied the prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae in dairy calves as part of a routine health check protocol. In addition, data regarding antimicrobial use (AMU), farm hygiene, and farm manage-ment were collected in order to identify possible risks for ESBL occurrence. Animals, material and methods: Ten farms participated in the study with a median of 781 milking cows (319-1701). All calves investigated were younger than two weeks with an average age of 6.8 (±3.9) days. The farms were visited and samples were collected twice at an interval of 7-11 months. Faecal samples diluted 1:10, were plated onto Bril-lianceTM ESBL agar in duplicates. After 24 hours at 37 °C, colonies were counted and to-tal colony forming units (cfu)/ml calculated. Bacteria species were identified biochemical-ly. ESBL-production was phenotypically confirmed using the MICRONAUT-S β-Lactamases system. Additionally, antimicrobial susceptibility was tested using VITEK® 2 technology. Phylotyping of E. coli isolates and screening for bla genes was performed by PCR. The hygienic status of the farms was recorded and rated using a standardized questionnaire developed for dairy cattle and data on animal health and antimicrobial treatment were collected through animal scoring and the herd management program. Results: ESBL-producing enterobacteria were detected on all farms and 96.5 % of calves investigated shed ESBL-positive bacteria. Of all ESBL-producing isolates, the majority were E. coli (92.9 %), followed by Enterobacter cloacae (5.1 %) and Klebsiella pneu-moniae subsp. pneumoniae (2.0 %). The majority of E. coli isolates was clearly assigned to phylogroup C (25.0 %), followed by phylogroups A (15.2 %) and E (14.1 %). CTX-M group 1 was most frequently detected (80.4 %). Besides resistance to penicillins and cephalosporins, the majority of isolates was also resistant to one or more antibiotic clas-ses, with a high proportion being resistant against fluoroqinolones. 52.5 % of isolates were further characterised as threefold multidrug resistant gram-negative bacteria (3MDR-GNB) according to the German Commission for Hospital Hygiene and Infection Prevention. None of the isolates were 4MDR-GNB, i.e. none revealed carbapenem-resistance. Penicillins were the most frequently administered antibiotics to calves on most farms and were the predominant substance class at herd level on all farms. Over-all, the number of calves treated prior to sampling was rather low (11.7 %). Analyses of data regarding the farm management identified weaknesses in biosecurity and cleaning and disinfection. Besides beta-lactam antibiotics being the most commonly used antibiot-ics no other risk factors could be identified. Conclusions: The prevalence of ESBL-carriers in dairy calves in our study was exceptional-ly high. Although ESBL-E-prevalence has been described to decrease with increasing age of cattle, our findings should be motivation to develop strategies to prevent the entry of ESBL-E into the calf rearing system at an early stage such as prudent use of antimi-crobials during drying off and diligent hygiene in calving pens and calf housing. Further investigation is needed, to define the entry point(s) of ESBL-E into calf rearing.:1 Einleitung 2 Literaturübersicht 2.1 Antimikrobielle Resistenzen 2.1.1 Entstehung antimikrobieller Resistenzen 2.1.2 Resistenzmechanismen 2.1.3 Verbreitung von Resistenzen 2.2 Beta-Laktamantibiotika 2.2.1 Penicilline 2.2.2 Cephalosporine 2.2.3 Carbapeneme und Monobactame 2.2.4 ß-Laktamasehemmer 2.2.5 Bakterielle Resistenzmechanismen gegenüber Beta-Laktamen 2.3 Beta-Laktamasen 2.3.1 Klassifikation 2.3.2 Extended-Spectrum-Beta-Laktamasen 2.4 Vorkommen und Verteilung von ESBL bei Nutztieren und ihr zoonotisches Potenzial 2.5 Nachweis und Identifikation von ESBL 2.5.1 Phänotypischer Nachweis 2.5.2 Genotypische Identifikation 3 Veröffentlichung 4 Diskussion 5 Zusammenfassung 6 Summary 7 Literaturverzeichnis 8 Danksagung

Sogar eine vegetarische Ernährung führt durch den Konsum von Milchprodukten zum Schlachten der nicht mehr produktiven oder ausselektierten Milchkühe sowie der männlichen Nachkommen. Eine Rinderhaltung ohne Schlachtung (ROS) wäre (für Lakto-Vegetarier) hier ein Ausweg. Es wurden narrative und semi-strukturierte Interviews mit Tierhaltern der 5 hier dargestellten Fallbeispiele mit qualitativen Methoden der interpretativen Sozialforschung (Grounded Theory, Biographieforschung und sequentielle Feinanalyse) erhoben und untersucht. Die 5 Fallbeispiele wurden anhand biographischer Entwicklungen, ihrer Ethik und ihrem Tierhaltungssystem sowie anhand ihrer Konventionen verglichen. Der Fallvergleich ergab 5 Grundsätze des Care-Systems einer ROS: 1. Universal, 2. Bedingungslos, 3. Das ganze Leben betreffend - „a lifetime of Care“, 4. Familisierend, 5. Präventiv. Das Agrar-System der Fallbeispiele wurde in drei Betriebsstile differenziert: Reine Sanctuaries (Lebens-/Gnadenhof), Landwirtschaftliche Sanctuaries und Vegetarische Rinderhaltung/Milcherzeugung. Das Care- und das Agrar-System ergeben zusammen ein Agrar-Care-System. Kernelemente des Agrar-Systems der 4 hier untersuchten europäischen Betriebe sind u.a. ein hohes durchschnittliches Abgangsalter der Kühe von 12,5 Jahren und der Ochsen von 10 Jahren, stabile Herden, insg. vielfältige Dungnutzung, eine weitgehend muttergebundene Kälberaufzucht und partielle Ochsenanspannung. Bei dem dritten Fallbeispiel beträgt die Dauer der Laktationen durchschnittlich 2,8 Jahre und es werden dabei 9.055 kg pro Laktation ermolken. Bei Kühen mit sehr langen Laktationen sinken vom ca. 4.-6. Jahr die Leistungen nicht mehr und sind persistent. Die Milchkühe sind für 3,4 Jahre (als Mittel der beiden melkenden Betriebe) „in Rente". Der kostendeckende Milcherlös liegt bei ca. 2,95 bis 3,05 EUR pro kg Milch. Eine gemolkene Kuh trägt dabei die Kosten von 0,63 Kühen „in Rente" sowie von 1,48 Ochsen. Milch und Dung wären hier Beiprodukte des Tierlebens. / Even a vegetarian nutrition, through consumption of milk products, leads to the slaughtering of dairy cows that are no longer productive or have been sorted out, and of their male offspring. A cattle husbandry without slaughtering (here ‘CWS’) could be a solution (for lacto-vegetarians). Narrative and semi-structured interviews with the heads of animal husbandry in a total of five cases have been carried out and reviewed using qualitative methods of interpretive social research (Grounded Theory, biography research and detailed sequential analysis). In a case comparison, the five cases have been compared to each other in terms of their biographical developments, their ethics and their animal husbandry systems and also in terms of their conventions. The following five principles for a care system in CWS were derived: Universality, Unconditionality, A lifetime of care, Familialisation and Prevention. The agri-system of the case studies has been differentiated into three styles of farming: Pure sanctuary, agricultural sanctuary and vegetarian cattle husbandry. The combination of the agri- and care-system becomes the agri-care-system. Core elements of the agricultural system of CWS and of the 4 European farms are: a high average dying age which is 12.5 years for cows and 10 years for oxen, novel dung products, mostly rearing calves with the dam and on some farms the use of oxen for traction. In regard to the third case study, the average duration of lactation is 2.8 years, generating about 9,055 kg milk per lactation cycle. The dairy cows "retire" for a period of 3.4 years as a mean of the two milking case studies. In cows with very long lactation cycles, the milk yield, instead of decreasing from the 4th to the 6th year, rather seems to be constant during this period. The cost-covering milk revenue would be about 2,95 up to 3,05 EUR per kg. Each milked cow carries the cost of ca. 0,63 "retired" cows and 1,48 oxen. Milk and dung are the by-product of the animal life.