Agriculture / Cattle / Food Safety / Knowledge and Information / Livestock / Livestock Systems

The methane makers

The man behind one of the most influential reports on climate change, Lord Stern, has highlighted the impact meat production has on greenhouse gas emissions. Part of it comes through methane made by the animals as they digest food. So which farm animals expel the most methane? A diet that relies heavily on meat production … Continue reading

Cattle / East Africa / ILRI / Kenya / Livelihoods / Livestock / Livestock Systems / Research

In Kenya, better cows for better health

A parasite researcher in NYU is hoping totackle African Sleeping Sickness by creating genetically enhanced cows that cannot catch or transmit the disease. She’s been planning the project since 2006, when she attended a workshop in Nairobi. At the meeting, local farmers explained how they need cattle to survive. Most of them can’t afford to … Continue reading

Africa / Animal Diseases / Livestock / Namibia / Southern Africa

Foot and mouth disease not such a big deal—in Namibia

Farmers in nothern Namibia are kept from accessing international markets because of an irrational fear surrounding foot and mouth disease (FMD), said Dr Gavin Thomson, representative of the SADC FMD project in Botswana. Speaking at the 46th annual Livestock Producers’ Organisation (LPO) Congress, Thomson said foot and mouth disease is a manufactured plague. Read more: (Namibia … Continue reading

Africa / Animal Diseases / Cattle / East Africa / ECF / Livestock / Tanzania

Fighting East Coast Fever in cattle in Tanzania

Thousands of Tanzanian families could be saved from poverty thanks to a much-needed vaccine being mass-produced in a bid to protect cattle from the deadly East Coast fever. East Coast Fever is a tick-transmitted disease that kills one cow every 30 seconds with one million a year dying of the disease in Africa. Calves are … Continue reading

Africa / Agriculture / Animal Diseases / Cattle / East Africa / ECF / ILRI / Livestock / Tanzania

Firm takes private route to fight cattle deaths

A private charity has renewed the fight against cattle deaths with the introduction of a new distribution channel for vaccine in the Kenyan market. Commercialisation of the vaccine is targeted at combating East Coast Fever, a livestock disease that kills millions of animals every year. “We are exploring ways of transferring the production and distribution … Continue reading

Africa / Animal Diseases / Cattle / East Africa / ECF / ILRI / Livestock / Regions / Research / Vaccines

African cattle to be protected from killer disease

Millions of African families could be saved from destitution thanks to a much-needed vaccine that is being mass-produced in a drive to protect cattle against a deadly parasite. East Coast fever is a tick-transmitted disease that kills one cow every 30 seconds – with one million a year dying of the disease. Calves are particularly … Continue reading

Africa / Animal Diseases / East Africa / ECF / ILRI / Livestock / Tanzania / Vaccines

DFID funds mass production of East Coast fever vaccine

Millions of African families could be saved from destitution thanks to a much-needed vaccine that is being mass-produced in a drive to protect cattle against a deadly parasite. East Coast fever is a tick-transmitted disease that kills one cow every 30 seconds – with one million a year dying of the disease. Calves are particularly … Continue reading

Africa / Benin / Livestock / Markets / West Africa

USADF signs three grants to support livestock markets in Benin

The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) signed three grants to support livestock markets in Benin. The grants will benefit l’Association Locale de Gestion du Marché à Bétail Auto-Géré de Gogounou (ALGMB), l’Union Communale des Professionnels des Eleveurs de Ruminants d’Abomey (UCOPER Abomey), and l’Union Communale des Organisations Professionnelles des Eleveurs de Ruminants de Dogue … Continue reading

Africa / Agriculture / East Africa / ILRI / Livestock / Markets / Middle East / Research / Sheep / Small Ruminants / Sudan / Trade

Constraints in the market chains for export of Sudanese sheep and sheep meat to the Middle East

This report by Omar Hassan el Dirani of Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries, Sudan, Mohammad A Jabbar, ILRI former staff and Babiker Idris Babiker, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Khartoum,  on Constraints in the market chains for export of Sudanese sheep and sheep meat to the Middle East was released on 15 September, … Continue reading