African Journal of Dairy Farming and Milk Production

African Journal of Dairy Farming and Milk Production ISSN 2375-1258 Vol. 3 (4), pp. 152-158, April, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full length Research Paper

Analysis of antibiotic residues in milk from smallholder farms in Kenya

Sara Ahlberg ^1,2, Hannu Korhonen ¹, Erja Lindfors ³, Erastus Kang’ethe ⁴

¹Natural Resources Institute Finland LUKE, 31600 Jokioinen, Finland.

²International Livestock Research Institute ILRI, P.O. Box 30709-00100 Nairobi, Kenya.

³Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira, Chemistry and Toxicology Department, Mustialankatu 3, FI-00790 Helsinki, Finland.

⁴University of Nairobi, Department of Public Health, Pharmacology and Toxicology, P.O. Box 20053-00625 Nairobi, Kenya.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Received 18 December, 2015; Accepted 18 February, 2016

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of antibiotic residues in Kenyan smallholder farm milk using screening tests, and to identify the antibiotic residue group. A total of 480 milk samples were analyzed. All samples were analyzed with the Delvotest® screening test. A Hundred and fourteen (24%) samples were positive, 71 (15%) unclear and 295 (61%) negative. Sixty-two samples were further tested with the group specific Trisensor test. Twenty four percent (15/62) were positive. This indicated that by estimation, 9% of all the 480 samples have been positive with the Trisensor test and 5% would have contained beta-lactams, 2.5 % sulfonamides and 0.6 % tetracyclines. Samples with a positive Trisensor test results were further analyzed with HPLC but no antibiotics could be identified. Seventy six percent of the Delvotest® positive samples were negative in Trisensor test. Microbiological inhibitor methods are demanding for the sample conditions and were found not to be best suited to the conditions encountered in smallholder farms in Kenya. The results indicate that antibiotic residues are found in milk produced on small scale farms in Kenya and suggest that training is needed on the use of veterinary drugs.

Keywords: Antibiotic residues, milk, Kenya, Delvotest®, Trisensor, screening tests, sulfonamides, tetracyclines, beta-lactams, HPLC.

African Journal of Dairy Farming and Milk Production ISSN: 2375-1258 Vol. 3 (1), pp. 116-119, January, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Review

Management and practices of ethno-veterinary health amongst livestock producers in Africa

Umar Nyako¹, Aminu Bala¹ and Lamorde Madaki Ardo²

¹Department of Animal Production and Health, the Federal Polytechnic, P. M. B.  35, Mubi, Adamawa State, Nigeria.

²Department of Animal Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, P. M. B.1526, Imo State, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. 

Accepted 22 October, 2015

Abstract

The objective of this review paper is to highlight the ethno-veterinary health management practices found amongst livestock producers in Africa. It is to also help livestock agents and farmers to integrate and promote the use of ethno-veterinary medicine in animal health care, focusing on livestock diseases and parasites in Africa. Plants are the most commonly used ingredients in the preparation of ethno-veterinary medicines. All plant parts, including leaves, bark, fruits, flowers, seeds and roots are used in medicinal preparations. Edible earth from termite and anthills is also used in ethno-veterinary preparations. Limestone and minerals are commonly used in decoctions and concoctions. Part sand products of animals, such as skin sand hides, bones, milk, butter, castor oil, cod liver oil, fish oil, snake oil and even urine and dung are ingredients of ethno-veterinary medicines. Honey, vegetable oils, butter and salt are used for their healing and preservative properties. Spiritual forces maybe invoked by prayers during rituals. Rituals are important in the interaction between African livestock keepers and their animals. To ensure that the herd thrives, animal husbandry is strictly ritualized. Many different rituals are performed, such as invoking the gods through dance or the sacrifice of an animal. Other rituals involve writing a phrase from the Koranona slate and washing it in a calabash. The liquid is then used to drench the sick animal. Ritual incantations and prayers are sometimes connected with particular plants and special ingredients. To keep animals healthy, traditional healing practices have been applied for centuries and have been passed down orally from generation to generation. Before the introduction of western medicine, all livestock keepers relied on these traditional practices. Ethno-veterinary medicine is accessible, easy to prepare and administer, cheaper and forms part of our traditional culture. It is a good attempt on traditional African practices of treatment of animal diseases and parasites. However, we can skip those which are harmful methods like hot iron branding; snake oil leading to killing or loss of snakes and also be discouraged. Researchers, healers and livestock keepers can together experiment the practices / evaluate them after careful selection of few best practices and test them at field level and then disseminate with more confidence. Extracting roots or barks of trees /plants can also be discouraged to preserve the wealth of plants or only sustainable harvesting practiced. This approach will prevent loss of knowledge on EVM and promote low cost solutions locally.

Key words: Ethno-veterinary, ritual, livestock health management, Africa.

Key words: Ethiopia, cattle, production, reproduction.

African Journal of Dairy Farming and Milk Production ISSN 2375-1258 Vol. 3 (2), pp. 141-148, February, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Assessment of on-farm milk handling practices in Mbarara District Southwestern Uganda

Rapheal Wangalwa¹*, Casim Umba Tolo¹ Grace Rugunda Kagoro¹ and Joseph Wafula Matofari²

¹Department of Biology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 1410, Mbarara, Uganda.

²Department of Dairy and Food Science and Technology, Egerton University, P. O Box 536 Egerton, 20115 Kenya.

Corresponding author E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]. Tel. +256-785870724; Fax: +256-4854-20782.

Accepted January 30, 2016

Abstract

Milk quality has been markedly linked to milk handling practices. In this paper we report on existing milk handling practices in Mbarara district, western Uganda assessed through a cross-sectional survey. A total of 347 dairy farmer households were randomly selected. Results indicated that the main types of milking containers used were plastic (74.6%). The main source of water used during milking was from springs (39.5%). A high proportion (51.9%) of the milking persons did not use any sanitizer when washing hands prior to milking. 58.5% of the farmers washed the udder prior to milking and 22.2% had clean milking area. Only 22.5% of the farmers tested the milk for mastitis and 79.3% of the farmers did not carry out post-milking treatment. Majority (70.3%) of the farmers preserved unsold milk, mainly by boiling. The study also showed a significant positive association between training in milk handling and cleanness of the milking area and milking containers (Somers’ d = 0.492 and 0.500, p = 0.00 and 0.00, respectively). We concluded that training dairy farmers in proper milk handling practices could improve milk quality and possibly alleviate milk post-harvest losses that occur as a result of poor handling.

Key words: Dairy farming, milk handling, post-harvest losses, south-western, Uganda.