A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted to assess milk producers' awareness of milk-borne zoonoses in selected smallholder and commercial dairy farms of Zimbabwe. The questionnaire was designed to obtain information on dairy breeds, milk production, dairy farmers' knowledge and awareness of zoonoses with particular emphasis on milk-borne zoonoses and farmers' behavioural practices that may lead to increased risk of milk-borne zoonoses transmission. A total of 119 dairy farmers were interviewed, and 41.5% were aware of milk-borne zoonoses with a significantly (P<0.01) higher percentage of commercial dairy farmers (65.0%) being aware compared to smallholder dairy farmers (36.7%). The behavioural practices of dairy farmers observed to increase the risk of milk-borne zoonoses transmission were; consumption of raw milk (68.1%), sale of raw milk to the local public (25.2%), lack of cooling facilities by smallholder farmers (98%), and no routine testing (84.9%) and medical check-ups (89.1%) for milk-borne zoonoses. General hygienic and disease control practices need to be integrated in the milk production process particularly at the smallholder level. Awareness, teaching and training programmes for smallholder dairy farmers can improve disease control in animals and reduce the public health risk of milk-borne zoonoses.

Despite their importance to rural livelihoods, the economic and environmental sustainability of contemporary communal pastoral systems of the Kalahari is increasingly being put under scrutiny. Using data collected from a survey of randomly selected pastoral households from two districts of Ghanzi and Kgalagadi South, Botswana, this paper outlines the major constraints affecting contemporary extensive pastoral systems. Because of the prevailing semi-arid climate, recurrent drought outbreaks were cited as a common challenge in both study areas together with lack of fenced grazing areas. Stock theft was also highlighted as a challenge, even though it was more pronounced in Kgalagadi South. In Ghanzi area, the other important challenges included loss of livestock due to predation, while stray animals, stock theft and loss of livestock due to road accidents were equally important. Kgalagadi South pastoral households experienced serious shortage of drinking water for their livestock, followed by inadequate grazing land and limited access to distant markets. The preceding, together with several other less prominent challenges revealed in this study, exert pressure on pastoral livelihoods. There is need, therefore, to address these perceived challenges and strengthen resilience through effective policy reviews to secure rural livelihoods.

In dairy, calves are the future replacement stock and need special attention including a good feed management system to attain better conversion efficiency and desired liveweight gains. The Department of Agricultural Research developed a calf starter meal (NEW) from locally available feed resources. The NEW meal was compared with existing meals: SBL and VAN during an on-station trial and, Deo Volente and Derust during an on-farm trial. Thirty-three and 25 pre-weaned Friesian calves with an average initial weight of 38.3 ± 2.5kg and 37.3 ± 1.9kg were randomly allocated to the different diets during the on-station and on-farm trials, respectively. Consumption of the NEW calf meal was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than that of SBL and VAN diets, significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of Derust diet and comparable to Deo Volente diet (p > 0.05). The feed conversion ratio of the NEW diet was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than diets for the on-station trial and comparable to diets for the on-farm trials (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in body weight gains across the diets. The NEW diet had a lower cost per body weight gain of a calf and a better efficiency of feed utilization compared to all the other diets. The attributes of the NEW diet were rated highly during the on-farm trials. In conclusion, the NEW meal compared relatively well with the other commercial diets used by dairy farmers. The NEW diet is made of locally available resources; cheaper and hence, it can be used to feed dairy calves.