Browsing by Author "Msalya, G."

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Assessment of genetic variation among four populations of Small East African goats using microsatellite markers
(South African Society for Animal Science, 2017) Nguluma, A. S.; Zhao, Y.; Huang, Y.; Chen, L.; Msalya, G.; Lyimo, C.; Guangxin, E.; Chenyambuga, S. W.
The majority of goats in Tanzania belong to the Small East African (SEA) breed, which exhibits large phenotypic variation. This study aimed to determine the genetic structure of, and relationships among four populations (Sukuma, Gogo, Sonjo, and Pare) of the SEA breed that have not been studied adequately. A total of 120 individuals (24 from each population) were analysed at eight microsatellite loci. In addition, 24 goats of the South African Boer breed were used as reference. Observed heterozygosity (Ho) ranged from 0.583 ± 0.04 for Sukuma to 0.659 ± 0.030 for Gogo, while expected heterozygosity (He) ranged from 0.632 ± 0.16 for Sukuma to 0.716 ± 0.16 for Boer. Five loci deviated from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) across populations. The mean number of alleles ranged from 4.75 ± 1.58 for Pare to 6.88 ± 3.00 for Sukuma. The mean inbreeding coefficient (F IS ) ranged from 0.003 in Sonjo to 0.148 in Sukuma. The differentiation coefficient (F ST ) was highest (0.085) between Boer and Sukuma and lowest (0.008) between Gogo and Sonjo. The largest genetic distance (0.456) was found between Sukuma and Boer, while the smallest (0.031) was between Gogo and Sonjo populations. Pare, Gogo, and Sonjo populations, formed one cluster, while Sukuma and Boer populations formed two separate clusters. From the findings, it can be concluded that the SEA goats in this study showed high in population genetic variation, which implies that there is good scope for their further improvement through selection within populations. The Sukuma population, which has fairly high inbreeding, is moderately differentiated from Pare, Sonjo, and Gogo goat populations, which showed a high level of admixture. Conservation and improvement strategies of the goats should be designed with first priority being on Sukuma goats. ____________________________________________________________________________________
Integrated food safety and nutrition assessments in the dairy cattle value chain in Tanzania
(ELSEVIER, 2018) Häsler, B.; Msalya, G.; Garza, M.; Fornace, K.; Eltholth, M.; Kurwijila, L.; Rushton, J.; Grace, D.
The consumption of even small amounts of animal-source foods has the potential to improve nutrition, especially in vulnerable households. However, scaling up their production bears food safety risks that are often overlooked due to a disconnect between human nutrition and animal sciences. The aim of this scoping study in Tanzania was to identify opportunities for nutritional and food safety benefits from cow milk. Questionnaires were administered to 156 producers and 157 consumers in 10 villages in Lushoto and Mvomero districts. Farmers reported that veterinary medicines such as oxytetracyclines, penicillin and strep- tomycin were frequently given to cattle, and a majority did not discard milk during or after treatment. Less than half of the producers boiled milk, although sale of fermented milk, made by spontaneous fermentation of raw milk, was common. Cattle management was characterised by low levels of biosecurity, hygienic practices and disease control. A majority of consumers reported not to have enough food to meet their family needs. The Food Consumption Score was acceptable for all households, but significantly higher for households with dairy cattle. When making purchasing decisions, the appearance of milk and trust in the supplier were more important considerations than hygiene practices observed. A total of 26% of consumers reported to consume raw milk “usually” or “sometimes” and 54% of consumers reported to drink fermented milk “usually” or “sometimes”. Consumers had a positive attitude towards milk and concern for quality but most thought there was no risk of illness from milk consumption. The findings promote understanding of the complexity surrounding the local food environment and practices related to the production and consumption of dairy products and allow shaping recommendations for nutrition- sensitive livestock interventions.
Public-Private Partnership for Sustainable Production and Marketing of Goat’s Milk in Light of Climate Change
(Springer International Publishing AG, 2016) Msalya, G.; Lie, H.; Mfinanga, V.; Ringheim, A.S.; Sandvik, R.; Åsli, M.; Christophersen, O.A.; Haug, A.; Mushi, D.E.; Mwaseba, D.; Kifaro, G.C.; Eik, Lars Olav
In Tanzania, goat’s milk has a high market value due to its desirable nutritional profile and cultural recognition that it is beneficial to human health. A joint initiative between Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) that introduced dairy goats to Tanzania has resulted in approximately 400,000 goats in the region to this day, providing households and communities with milk and various other animal byproducts. In areas such as the highlands of Mgeta in the Morogoro region, where there was previously no production of milk, dairy goats have achieved an average milk production of 1.4 L of milk per animal per day. This led to a rise in milk consumption from 0 L per household per day in 1988 to 1.6 L per household per day in 2012. Although the joint initiative between SUA and the NMBU was suc- cessful in diversifying the diets and improving the livelihoods of the poor, farm group efforts to distribute surplus milk to larger and more distant markets has remained a challenge. Suboptimum feeding practices and low education levels in milk handling and entrepreneurship may explain this lack of progress. In order to expand milk distribution beyond the local market, the involvement of an established dairy company is required. This paper will look at collaborations between farmers, private-milk-processing enterprises such as Shambani Graduates Ltd. (SGL) and a research institution (SUA) to discuss the value of milk in human nutrition and the feasibility of a pro-poor value chain for climate-smart goat’s milk processing and dairy goat maintenance.
Tick burden and acquisition of immunity to Theileria parva by Tarime cattle in comparison to Sukuma cattle under different tick control regimes in the Lake Zone of Tanzania
(2016-03) Laisser, E. L. K.; Chenyambuga, S. W.; Karimuribo, E. D.; Msalya, G.; Kipanyula, M. J.; Mwilawa, A. J.; Mdegela, R. H.; Kusiluka, L. J. M.; Gwakisa, P. S.
This study was conducted to determine tick burden and immunological parameters of resistance to East Coast fever (ECF) in Tarime and Sukuma cattle. Tick load, packed cell volume (PCV), Theileria parva (T. parva) specific antibody percent positivity (PP), and prevalence of T. parva parasites were studied in relation to dipping regime, strains, and season. A total of 50 experimental cattle were included in this study. Tick load was determined by whole body counts, antibody percent positivity was determined by the polymorphic immunodominant molecule (PIM)-based T. parva enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and prevalence of T. parva parasites was detected by a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on the p104 gene. Dipping frequency on tick burden showed no statistically significant differences when cattle of either strain were dipped either once every 2 or 3 weeks in the dry and wet seasons. However, Tarime cattle had higher (p<0.05) tick count than Sukuma cattle and non dipped groups maintained high tick infestation throughout the experimental period. The PCV values were within the physiological range, although this parameter was lower in Tarime cattle (p<0.05). All cattle regardless of strain were seropositive, although Tarime cattle maintained higher PP compared to Sukuma by 15%. Conversely, the prevalence of T. parva parasites was lower in Tarime (38%) compared to Sukuma cattle (38.5%), but the difference was not significant (p>0.05). During the study period, 20% (5/25) of Sukuma cattle contracted ECF, but none of the Tarime cattle showed clinical signs for the disease. The differences between the two strains shown in terms of PP and T. parva parasite prevalence may indicate the ability of individual cattle to resist tick infestation and ECF infection under natural challenge. Higher antibody levels but lower parasite prevalence attained by Tarime cattle, suggests inherent ability of Tarime cattle to resist clinical development of ECF infection, but to remain as T. parva carriers.