The animal healthcare practices of most communal farmers involve the use of both conventional and ethnoveterinary medicines. This study presents information on the animal healthcare practices of stock farmers in Hertzog, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. It also presents the findings on the social, economic and political aspects surrounding animal healthcare. The research applied two theories namely structuration theory and the Context, Practice and Belief (CPB) framework. Interviews and participant observation were used to collect data. The communal farmers widely used conventional medicines however, proper administration methods were not followed. Ethnoveterinary medicines were used to prevent and treat disease, even by the younger stock farmers. The stock farmers used ethnoveterinary medicines mainly because of the lack of finance to purchase the conventional medicines, even though the latter was preferred. The stock farmers actively participated in state programmes but felt that they needed more state veterinarian visits and state provided medications because they could not afford private veterinarians and conventional medicines. Therefore, this study attempts to contribute to an understanding of the use of ethnoveterinary medicine and communal farmers’ animal healthcare practices.

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This study assessed the use of indigenous acaricides in Tsholotsho, Zimbabwe. An observational study design plus laboratory analysis were used in this study. Data on demographic profiles and tick control practices in 21 villages was collected using a questionnaire. Seven hundred and fifty nine (n=759) ticks were collected from cattle using systematic sampling at 15 dip tanks. Marula efficacy was assessed using pregnancy, repellence and mortality tests. Farmers used several tick control remedies (physical removal, chemicals, and plant and animal extracts), some of which have potential to harm the health of the public. Marula caused significant decrease in mass among pregnant ticks (p<0.05), had a significant kill percentage (p< 0.05), and also repelled, killed and hindered egg laying. The active ingredients in marula formulations should be investigated. The extra-label use of conventional acaricide, and the use of compounds with potential to harm the public health needs to be regulated. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Agriculture)

MSCAGR ( Plant Production) / Many high valued tree species of medicinal significance in the Limpopo Province, South Africa exhibit seed dormancy, and also contain aromatic oils which inhibit rooting of their stem cuttings. These plant species are under pressure due to human over-exploitation. The main objective of this study was to investigate effects of rooting hormones on the rooting ability that will help in domesticating some of the selected high valued medicinal plants, Elaeodendron transvaalense (bushveld saffron), Brackenridgea zanguebarica (yellow peeling plane), and Warburgia salutaris (pepper-bark tree). Stem cuttings of these plant species were prepared and treated with various concentrations (500, 1000 and 2000 ppm) of IBA, IAA and NAA in different growth media (Natural soil, farm soil and hygromix) at a nursery house. 180 experimental units were sown and arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), each treatment replicated five times and then monitored for a period of three months. Data were only obtained from Brackenridgea zanguebarica as other species dried up two weeks after sprouting. The two variables measured from the experiments were sprouted stems and number of leaves. The data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance and least significant difference (LSD) at 5% probability level was used to compare treatment using STATISTICA software analysis package. The hormone, hormone concentration, growth media and their interactions had effect on sprouted stems and number of leaves produced on Brackenridgea zanguebarica cuttings, with no record of rooting ability. IBA (500 ppm and 1000 ppm) and control (without rooting hormone) showed high significant results with natural soil and farm soil in terms of leaf production compared to the hygromix, which is significantly lower from others. IBA at the various concentrations (500, 1000 and 2000 ppm) and the control gave the highest percentage sprouted stem on both natural soil and farm soil as compared with other hormones at the same / NRF