African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development最新文献

{"title":"Body image dissatisfaction, disordered eating attitudes and nutritional status among female undergraduate students in Lagos, Nigeria","authors":"FA Olatona, A. V. Onselen, Folu Olatona","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.127.23625","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.127.23625","url":null,"abstract":"Body image dissatisfaction (BID) is associated with the development of disordered eating attitudes, which can eventually lead to eating disorders. This study was conducted to assess body image dissatisfaction, disordered eating attitudes and nutritional status of female undergraduate students in Lagos as a baseline for an online intervention study. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Multistage sampling technique was employed to select 1009 from the intervention group (University of Lagos) and 1005 students from the control group (Lagos State University). Data were collected using semi-structured self-administered questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements were taken following standard procedures. Perceived body size was determined by using the Pulver’s Figure Rating Scale Silhouette. Disordered eating was assessed using the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26). Data were analysed using a statistical program IBM SPSS (version 25) with a significant level set at p ≤0.05. Chi-squared tests were used to detect differences in proportions for categorical variables. Fisher’s exact test was used where cell sizes were less than five, independent-samples t-tests were used to test for differences in the means of continuous variables. The mean age of the students was 20.7±2.0 years for intervention and 20.9±2.2 years control groups. The prevalence of body image dissatisfaction was 57.0% and 60.6% among intervention and control groups, respectively. The prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity were 13.5%, 18.3% and 7.2%, respectively for the intervention group and 13.3%, 19.5% and 8.0% respectively for the control group. The prevalence of disordered eating attitudes was 5.2% and 4.7% for intervention and control groups, respectively. Only the control group demonstrated a significant positive association between nutritional status and body image dissatisfaction as well as body image dissatisfaction and disordered eating. There was no statistically significant difference in nutritional status, body image dissatisfaction and disordered eating attitudes among the students in the intervention and control groups. Although the prevalence of BID and overweight/obesity was high, the rate of disordered eating was low. The study showed a significant positive association between BMI and body image dissatisfaction as well as body image dissatisfaction and disordered eating among undergraduates in Lagos. Body Image dissatisfaction, overweight/obesity are higher than reported in the past although the prevalence of disordered eating was low among university undergraduates in Lagos. Interventions that address these three parameters are needed among university undergraduates to prevent increase in disordered eating, eating disorders and other related health consequences. Key words: Nutritional Status, Underweight, Overweight, Obesity, Body Image Dissatisfaction, Disordered Eating","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"1997 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140416652","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nutrition and Foods","authors":"Ruth Oniang'o","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.127.ed120","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.127.ed120","url":null,"abstract":"“Why do you complain that you cannot afford meat? Why do you not just eat beans?”, by a well-meaning public figure to a gathering of people. It is ok if one is a vegetarian for whatever reason. You might be a vegetarian for religious or health reasons. You might even decide to eat a meatless diet on a whim. However, if your family is regular and not restricted in what they can eat, then suddenly fail to access a diverse diet, then one must think nutrition very seriously. Say a family has young children who have a good appetite and have been drinking milk, then all of a sudden milk is curtailed, advice cannot be “give them any other beverage”. Satiety-wise yes, but not nutrition-wise. So is meat a must in the diet? Yes, because of the unique essential nutrients it provides. And when we talk of meat we have to remember there are different types of meat. There is red meat from cattle, sheep, goats, and wild animals. Then there is white meat from poultry, fish, rabbits, and insects. Consumers delight in such meats for different reasons. Then the milk or eggs of these provide more or less the same nutrients. The human body requires certain essential nutrients, already determined scientifically as far as amounts needed. In most cases, it is a mixed diverse diet, which means both plant and animal sources. So, humans who consume only animal-source food, miss plant-source nutrients, and vice versa. For example, in Kenya, we have the Maasai who eat meat and drink blood and milk. But guess what? That is not all. They also take intestinal juices which help to digest the meat they consume, sometimes in raw form. We did some studies on Maasai eating patterns and found out that, their diet includes fruits, roots, and herbs from the wild. These provide vitamins and minerals to supplement what their meat-lacto diet provides. So, human beings need a mixed diet to be able to meet fully the body's nutritional requirements. Should you choose to, or find yourself eating only meats or vegetables, you will most likely suffer certain nutritional deficiencies. Where you can affordably access good supplements, you better get a doctor's advice to start taking these before you develop nutrient deficiency symptoms. Most cultures seem to have diets where foods complement each other. More studies are needed on this topic. Meantime, let us continue to research and learn more. All these nutrients our body needs work in unison and when you study them carefully, you find out that they are interdependent, in that if you take too much of one or some, the functioning of the others is affected, likely to lead to negative effects on your health.","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"24 57","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140408843","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perspectives of rural farmer households on food security through a qualitative study in Indonesia","authors":"Y. Yusriadi, D. Junus, R. Wijayanti, H. Hasnawati, A. Cahaya","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.127.23510","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.127.23510","url":null,"abstract":"In developing countries, rural farmers contribute significantly to food production, but their households are still vulnerable to poverty, food insecurity, malnutrition, and stunting. Although quantitative studies have explored the factors that influence farmers' dietary diversity, the data can be improved by integrating farmers' experiences and perspectives on whether and how these factors affect their dietary diversity. Malnutrition and food insecurity are more prevalent in developing and underdeveloped nations like Africa and Southeast Asia. Due to increased work, this country usually sees a rise in stunting, malnutrition, and increased physical activity. Stunting has a higher prevalence than other nutritional disorders, such as malnutrition, according to Nutrition Status Monitoring (NSM) data over the last three years. The frequency of stunting in children under five has risen from 27% in 2016 to 29% in 2017. This will assist in designing and implementing interventions. Forty rural farmers in Bone Regency, Indonesia, became informants in targeted interviews as part of the qualitative study (20 male and 20 female farmers). According to the research results, both male and female informants were concerned about the availability and variety of food. They feel that household food production is essential to achieve food security. Food sales are affected by prices, household income, distance to markets, and the range of food available. Household food production, knowledge, nutrition, availability, use of information, time, and household income are significant determinants of the variety of food consumed. In farming households, gender influences and variations on the distribution and use of food collected and income are explored. Men have more time to engage in agricultural endeavors that promote dietary diversity. Based on these findings, efforts to increase dietary diversity should address current food security and production challenges, support increased farm incomes and market access, utilize designs that address gender issues, and include nutrition capacity building, diverse practices, and social behavior change strategies. Key words: rural farmers, food security, food diversity, nutrition, market access, Indonesia","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"1 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140410185","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Abundance, diversity and distribution of soil nematodes in Kangaita and Weru tea catchments of Kirinyaga and Tharaka Nithi counties, Kenya","authors":"IH Mogeni, N. Bitange, Mogeni Isaac Harrison","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.127.23950","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.127.23950","url":null,"abstract":"Nematodes are the most abundant animals on earth and play essential roles in ecosystem functioning hence their abundance and diversity affect soil health. Nematodes have been reported in tea fields in some parts of Kenya and previous studies indicate that they may be a cause for the decline of tea population in some tea fields in Kenya. Nematodes of Moloidogyne spp have also been reported to be responsible for death of tea plants in nursery conditions. A survey was carried out in Weru and Kangaita tea factories catchment areas in Tharaka Nithi and Kirinyaga counties respectively. The survey aimed to determine the abundance and diversity of nematodes in small holder tea farms. Kangaita represented the high elevation site while Weru represented the low elevation site. Soil samples were collected from smallholder tea farms from which nematodes were extracted, identified based on their morphological characteristics, and classified according to their feeding habits then quantified using standard protocols. Nematodes from 23 genera were recovered in the two study sites representing all the five feeding groups: plant feeders, fungal feeders, bacterial feeders, omnivores, and predatory nematodes. Of the 23 genera, 11 were plant feeders, 6 bacterial feeders, 3 fungal feeders 2 omnivores and 1 predatory nematode. Kangaita, being a high elevation site reported higher population density in most genera reported than Weru which is a low elevation site. This is a departure from most studies that have reported higher nematode population densities in low altitudes. This can be attributed to differences in climatic and soil conditions in the two study sites in the same season. Kangaita was cooler with deep, well-ventilated, and loose soils while Weru was hotter with mostly compacted, shallow, and poorer soils in the tea farms. There is need for further research on the effect of elevation and farming practices on the distribution, abundance, and diversity of nematodes in tea fields. Key words: Nematodes, abundance, soil health, tea fields, elevation, diversity, feeding group","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"13 13","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140410214","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chicken dumping in South Africa and the long-term effects on local commercial chicken farming industry: a review","authors":"MJ Madibana, CH Fouche, F. Manyeula, M. J. Madibana","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.127.23290","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.127.23290","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of this article is to highlight the effects of chicken dumping trade on South African local commercial chicken farming industry. The high cost of farming in South African has risen and this has created a fertile ground for overseas countries where chicken production costs are low to intensify their exports to South Africa for their excess chicken products at a lower price. South African chicken farmers are already facing domestic challenges which includes high-cost feed, high cost of importing chicken lines and resources to produce the meat chicken. A local single fertilised Ross 308 / Cobb 500 Fertile egg cost at least R2.50 ($0.12), whereas international, local breeders source these genetic lines at over a $1 an egg. Locally, there is persistent drought, chicken diseases, high electricity cost and electricity shortages (load shedding). These challenges inevitably raise costs of chicken production in South Africa whereas the US, Brazil and EU countries farming industries are highly subsidised and experience no high electricity costs or load shedding. In perspective, imported chicken from Brazil cost R9 per kg as compared to locally produced chicken at R25 per kg. To mitigate the chicken dumping trade, the South African government imposed legally sound chicken import tariffs of up to 62 %, however in August of 2022, the government suspended these tariffs due to rising food costs in the hope that the cheap dumped chicken would provide a relief to the financially stressed consumers. This move has raffled feathers within the local chicken farming sector which is struggling to sustain their farms due to stiff competition with the low-priced chicken, predominantly from Brazil and the US. More chicken farms in South Africa are shedding jobs. As of 2023, the poultry industry in South Africa employs an estimated total of 70,000 people, and others are questioning the sustainability of their enterprises going forward if the chicken dumping in the country is not controlled via stringent legislation that include appropriate dumping tariffs. This article suggests that both the chicken farming industry, the chicken importers and the government should hold regular dialogs to get common ground before the majority of local chicken farmers close shops due to chicken dumping. The regular engagements between the government and the chicken industry could avoid seemingly unilateral suspension of import tariffs. Subsidies that could absorb some of the operation cost, as is the case with US or Brazilian farmers should be introduced. Key words: Chicken dumping, chicken farming, sustainability, chicken production challenges","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"71 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140411501","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perspectives of rural farming households on home gardens as an agroforestry for food security: a qualitative study in Indonesia","authors":"Y. Yusriadi, A. Cahaya, Mcb Umanailo, SZ Bin Tahir","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.127.23365","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.127.23365","url":null,"abstract":"In developing countries, rural farmers contribute significantly to food production, but their households are still vulnerable to poverty, food insecurity, and malnutrition. Food security is a concept that refers to the ability of a country or region to ensure the availability, accessibility, and utilization of sufficient and nutritious food for its entire population, both in normal situations and under crisis conditions such as natural disasters or political instability. Food security is critical as it is directly related to national security, public health, and sustainable development. To improve food security, governments and international agencies often focus on policies such as increased food production, diversification of food sources, sustainable management of natural resources, and food assistance programs for vulnerable populations. The practice of agroforestry in home gardens offers a variety of readily available, cost-effective, and nutritious food options, which plays a significant role in enhancing the food security of agricultural families. Agroforestry, an integrated land management system combining food crops, trees, and sometimes livestock, offers a potential solution to improve food security. By growing various crops, farmers are not solely dependent on a single source of food, which reduces the risk of crop failure. Agroforestry systems increase resilience to climate change by reducing the impact of natural disasters, such as floods and droughts. Trees can act as wind barriers, reduce soil erosion, and aid in water conservation. This qualitative research with a systematic exploratory approach and grounded analysis examines how agroforestry contributes to farmers' food security by conducting in-depth interviews with farmers in North Luwu, Indonesia. The study identified home garden categories of agroforestry and then evaluated the role of agroforestry food production in terms of securing the food needs of households. The study discovered that restructure food bolsters across various income brackets by promoting healthier eating habits. Additionally, food production enhances the sustainability of food supplies for households and the health and prosperity of agriculturalists. The primary obstacles to producing food at the household level were identified as secure access to appropriate land and the possession of adequate farming expertise. Key words: agroforestry, farmer, rural, food security, household, home garden, Indonesia","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"22 46","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140409570","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sustainable rice farming in Indonesia","authors":"AY Ismail, MF Nainggolan, SA Andayani, AY Isyanto","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.127.23490","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.127.23490","url":null,"abstract":"Rice is the main food in Indonesia, so increase in rice production must be achieved in a sustainable manner to maintain food security. The research case study is rice farming in Pancur Batu sub-district. The research method uses mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) with quantitative dominance. The Objective of this study was to determine the implementation of sustainable rice farming in the Pancur Batu sub-district. The research tools used to evaluate the Sustainability Model in rice farming are Multi-Dimensional Scaling Analysis (MDS) with Rapid Appraisal Technique for Fisheries (RAPFISH) program analysis. indicators and criteria for the sustainability of rice farming are divided into ecological, economic and social dimensions, then input into the Rapid Appraisal Technique for Fisheries (RAPFISH) program. The results of the research showed that the social dimension had the highest sustainability index, namely 75.13 which indicates that the social dimension in the research location is quite sustainable, the ecological dimension with a sustainability index of 54.44 indicates that the ecological dimension is quite sustainable, and the lowest dimension value was the economic dimension with a sustainability index value of 43.58. This sustainability index value indicates that economic dimension of rice farming in the research location is not sustainable. The sustainability status of rice farming in the study area is multidimensional with an index value of 72. This index value indicates that the sustainability of rice farming in the study area is quite sustainable. The conclusion from this study was that the most sensitive and influential attributes for rice farming in the study area were: first, the ecological dimensions: (a) water availability, (b) pest attack rate, (c) land conversion rate; the economic dimension: (a) The price level of production inputs (fertilizers and pesticides), (b) The level of labor wages, (c) The level of availability of production inputs and social dimension which is counseling. Key words: Sustainability, Rice Farming, Social Dimension, Economic Dimension, Ecological Dimensions, RAPFISHS","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140415477","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of digital image processing method for roasted coffee bean quality identification: a systematic literature review","authors":"EA Yuanita, RS Karomah, Imam Santoso","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.126.23410","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.126.23410","url":null,"abstract":"In coffee processing, there are several important stages, one of which is roasting. The roasting process is an important determinant of coffee quality. Determination of coffee quality can be done using digital image processing methods to produce parameters and quality classifications precisely, make images of better quality so that photos and moving images can be easily understood. This analysis uses a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) for the identification, evaluation, and interpretation of all available research results on the topics discussed. The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze the main quality parameters and the best digital image processing methods used in classifying the quality of roasted coffee beans. From the results of the analysis of 31 journals, it is known that the parameters for evaluating the quality of roasted coffee are color parameters, texture parameters, and shape parameters. The color parameters consist of Red Green Blue (RGB), Grayscale, Hue Saturation Intensity (HSI), and L*a*b* features. The texture parameters consist of energy, entropy, homogeneity, and contrast. As for the feature shape parameters, they are area, circumference, diameter, and percentage of roundness. Results of the analysis show that the main parameter that plays an important role in assessing the quality of roasting coffee is the color parameter. This can be seen from the function of the color parameter in quality identification based on the image of the roasted coffee beans. The quality parameters used are image capture, image resolution, training data, testing data, iterations, and accuracy values. In addition, the resulting image processing methods used for quality classification include Backpropagation (BP), Learning Vector Quantization (LVQ), and K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN). Based on results of the analysis, the best method for classifying the quality of roasting results is Backpropagation, and it is known that the accuracy value of this method has a high range of values. Key words: Backpropagation, K-Nearest Neighbour, Learning Vector Quantization, Coffee Bean Roasting, Image Processing","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140489222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Socio-cultural norms in the local food system and potential implications for women’s dietary quality in rural northern Ghana","authors":"S. Zakariah-Akoto, M. Armar-Klemesu, A. Ankomah, K. Torpey, R. Aryeetey","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.126.23305","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.126.23305","url":null,"abstract":"Women’s activities within the local food system are linked to their dietary quality. Their ability to consume a nutritious diet may be influenced by socio-cultural norms; often, the influence of these norms has not been adequately studied. This study examined how socio-cultural norms linked with rural food systems can potentially exert adverse effects on women’s diets. The study was conducted in two rural communities, Yilkpene and Kpachilo, in Northern Ghana, between May and July 2016. Both selected study communities were chosen because they had similar population sizes, dietary patterns, and access to social services. Using a qualitative approach, sixteen key informant interviews with community and institutional leaders, 11 focus group discussions comprising 87 community members, and forty 24-hour dietary recall interviews with women of reproductive age were used to explore the nature of the local food system linked with socio-cultural norms. Transcribed interviews were coded and analyzed, thematically, using pre-determined and emerging themes. A total of 143 women and men participated in the study with women dominating the sample. The components of the food system in both communities were constructed, primarily, around men. Quantities, quality, and varieties of produce, its distribution, and intra-household allocation were dominated by male perceptions and practices that determine access and ownership of productive resources, and pre-determined roles and responsibilities of household members. Men dominated production of economic crops (cereals, and legumes); women produced vegetables, and limited quantities of legumes and cereals, mainly for home consumption. Men controlled allocation of cereals for household meal preparation; more expensive complementary ingredients were provided by women. Although women prepared household meals, men received the ‘lion’s share’ of nutrient-dense components. Forty-five percent of women could not meet minimum dietary diversity of at least five food groups in their diets. The local food system in Northern Ghana is dominated by gender-driven socio-cultural norms, which constitutes a potential barrier to women achieving dietary adequacy. Interventions should deliberately address these culturally-established barriers, especially in contexts where subsistence farming is the main source of livelihood. Key words: Food system, Socio-cultural norms, Barriers, Women, dietary quality","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"53 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140487190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of diurnal and seasonal patterns of feeding behaviour of cows and calves at Neudamm farm in Namibia","authors":"CB Simataa, I. Mapaure, Charlene Simataa","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.126.22500","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.126.22500","url":null,"abstract":"This paper aims to compare the seasonal and diurnal feeding behaviour of cows and calves at Neudamm Farm in central Namibia. Seasonal bite rates of cows, diurnal bites of cows and calves, and diet composition and preference were assessed and compared. Ten cows and ten calves were followed and observed from a distance, in the morning and in the afternoon. The observations were done on the same cows during the wet and dry seasons while calves were only observed during the wet season. The number of bites taken by each animal within a continuous period of 5 minutes was recorded. Herbaceous plant inventory was done in the foraging area using a step-point method. Each herbaceous plant intercepted was assessed for evidence of grazing and its life form was recorded. Bite rates were compared between morning and afternoon, and between seasons using a two-sample t-test. Preference for life forms and species were tested using a Chi-Square test. The morning bite rate of 38 bites/minute of cows during the wet season was significantly higher than that of the morning dry season of 34.9 bites/minute. This is attributed to the high abundance of nutritious forage resources during the wet season when animals did not have to do much searching compared to the dry season. Afternoon bite rates of cows did not significantly differ between seasons. Morning bite rates were significantly lower in the mornings than in the afternoons in winter. This was because cold morning temperatures slowed down animal feeding rates but increased with the progression of the day. Bite rates of calves did not significantly differ between morning and afternoon during the wet season because they were still learning to forage while being dependent on the mothers for milk. Cattle preferred Schmidtia pappophoroides, Eragrostis trichophora, Heteropogon contortus and Eragrostis nindensis due to their palatability and high grazing value. Nidorella resedifolia, despite being very abundant, was avoided because it contains a toxic alkaloid. Key words: Bite rate, cows, calves, diet preference, herbaceous composition, Namibia, Neudamm farm","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"45 32","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140487670","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}