An Overview of Disease-Free Buffalo Breeding Projects with Reference to the Different Systems Used in South Africa

Laubscher, Liesel L.; Hoffman, Louwrens C.

doi:10.3390/su4113124

Cited by 19 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Although the benign and non-pathogenic forms do not have any significant economic importance, their presence could interfere with the interpretation of results obtained in some diagnostic tests designed to diagnose the pathogenic T. parva . Diagnostic tests for T. parva include microscopic examination of blood smears for the presence of piroplasms and schizonts, and serological methods such as the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) which is routinely used in South Africa for T. parva antibody detection in “disease free” buffalo [ 13 , 14 ]. Molecular diagnostic methods detect specific parasite sequences in DNA extracts from blood or tissue samples.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tick-borne haemoparasites in African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) from two wildlife areas in Northern Botswana

et al. 2015

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BackgroundThe African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a host for many pathogens known to cause economically important diseases and is often considered an important reservoir for livestock diseases. Theileriosis, heartwater, babesiosis and anaplasmosis are considered the most important tick-borne diseases of livestock in sub-Saharan Africa, resulting in extensive economic losses to livestock farmers in endemic areas. Information on the distribution of tick-borne diseases and ticks is scarce in Northern Botswana. Nevertheless, this data is necessary for targeting surveillance and control measures in livestock production at national level.MethodsIn order to address this gap, we analyzed 120 blood samples from buffalo herds for the presence of common tick-borne haemoparasites causing disease in livestock, collected in two of the main wildlife areas of Northern Botswana: the Chobe National Park (CNP, n = 64) and the Okavango Delta (OD, n = 56).ResultsAnalysis of the reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization assay results revealed the presence of Theileria, Babesia, Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species, either as single or mixed infections. Among the Theileria spp. present, T. parva (60%) and T. mutans (37%) were the most prevalent. Other species of interest were Anaplasma marginale subsp. centrale (30%), A. marginale (20%), Babesia occultans (23%) and Ehrlichia ruminantium (6%). The indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) indicated 74% of samples to be positive for the presence of T. parva antibodies. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) detected the highest level of animals infected with T. parva (81% of the samples). The level of agreement between the tests for detection of T. parva positive animals was higher between qPCR and IFAT (kappa = 0.56), than between qPCR and RLB (kappa = 0.26) or the latter and IFAT (kappa = 0.15).ConclusionsThis is the first report of tick-borne haemoparasites in African buffalo from northern Botswana, where animals from the CNP showed higher levels of infection than those from OD. Considering the absence of fences separating wildlife and livestock in the CNP and the higher levels of some parasite species in buffalo from that area, surveillance of tick-borne diseases in livestock at the interface in the CNP should be prioritized.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tick-borne haemoparasites in African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) from two wildlife areas in Northern Botswana

et al. 2015

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“…These diseases are generally carried asymptomatically by buffalo, which act as biological reservoirs of transmission to cattle, thus posing particularly severe problems at wildlifedomestic interfaces (Miguel et al 2013; see Chapter 26 for more details). In Southern Africa, diseases transmitted from buffalo to cattle have contributed greatly to the eradication of buffalo from cattle production areas and to the confinement of buffalo to well-fenced areas, thus strongly limiting their movements and distribution range (Laubscher & Hoffman 2012). Due to their known or perceived role in the epidemiology of many infectious diseases, buffalo populations have been the target of control measures by veterinary services to protect cattle populations, crucial livelihood assets for most African national economies, but also for poor small-scale farmers living in the periphery of protected areas.…”

Section: Parasites and Diseases Savanna (Cape West And Central Africmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In South Africa, numerous disease-free buffalo breeding projects have been supported by the government since 1996, with the objective of restocking areas where buffalo populations were not viable anymore, or disappeared due to disease or exclusion by cattle farmers (Laubscher & Hoffman 2012). Disease-free animals were produced using calves taken at birth from captive mothers and fostered by surrogate disease-free dairy cows (mainly Jersey cows due to their good mothering abilities and high milk yield).…”

Section: Status In Captivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In 2008 disease-free buffalo were being sold for just over ZAR 160 000 (ZAR 1 ≈ $0.11), while in 2010 this price increased to over ZAR 325 000 per buffalo at the same farmers' auctions (Cloete 2011). In 2012, ZAR 20 million was paid for a buffalo cow and her bull calf, as well as a record price of ZAR 26 million for a buffalo bull (Laubscher & Hoffman 2012). The buffalo cow that fetched the 2012 record price had a horn spread of 109 cm, making it the biggest of any cow in captivity.…”

Section: Status In Captivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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African buffalo Syncerus caffer (Sparrman, 1779)

Cornélis¹,

Melletti²,

Körte³

et al. 2014

Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour of Wild Cattle

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Small populations of Cape buffalo still survive in some areas of southeast Angola bordering Zambia and Namibia. In South Africa, Cape buffalo have been reintroduced to some areas from which they were formerly extirpated. They are currently widely distributed in Kruger National Park and smaller populations persist in KwaZulu-Natal (Winterbach 1998) and in many private reserves. The current population in Swaziland was also reintroduced after extirpation. West African savanna buffalo (S. c. brachyceros) This subspecies still occurs locally in western countries within the Sahelo-Sudanian band (savannas and gallery forests), including southeastern Senegal, northern Ivory Coast, southern Burkina Faso, Ghana, northern Benin, extreme south of Niger, Nigeria (very locally), northern Cameroon and a small part in the Central African Republic (East 1998). Central African savanna buffalo (S. c. aequinoctialis) This subspecies still locally populates Central African countries within the Sahelo-Sudanian band (savannahs and gallery forests): southeast Chad, northern Central African Republic (East of Chari River), northern Democratic Republic of Congo, southeast Sudan and western Ethiopia (Ansell 1972; East 1998). The subspecies is now extinct in Eritrea. Forest buffalo (S. c. nanus) This subspecies occurs in two disjoint distribution ranges in West and Central Africa, respectively in the relict coastal rainforest belt and in the large basin of the Congo River. The distribution ranges are mainly located in areas with an annual rainfall of more than 1500 mm, in transition areas between dense tropical forests and savanna ecosystems, for instance in Gabon and Uganda (East 1999). In West Africa, forest buffalo is distributed from Guinea-Bissau to southwestern Ghana. In Central Africa, forest buffalo persist in south Nigeria, south Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea (extinct on Bioko Island), south and southwest Central African Republic, western Uganda,

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“…Under normal circumstances, buffaloes do not show any overt clinical signs of the disease, even in its acute stages. Only a few, isolated, naturally FMD‐free buffalo populations exist in South Africa (Esterhuysen et al., ), while in some cases animals have been intentionally bred free of the virus, mainly as part of commercial enterprises (Laubscher and Hoffman, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Description of Events Where African Buffaloes (Syncerus caffer) Strayed from the Endemic Foot-and-Mouth Disease Zone in South Africa, 1998-2008

Schalkwyk

Knobel

Clercq

et al. 2014

Transbound Emerg Dis

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African buffaloes (Syncerus caffer) are reservoir hosts of Southern African Territories (SAT) foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus strains. In South Africa, infected buffaloes are found in the FMD-infected zone comprising the Kruger National Park (KNP) and its adjoining reserves. When these buffaloes stray into livestock areas, they pose a risk of FMD transmission to livestock. We assessed 645 records of stray buffalo events (3124 animals) from the FMD infected zone during 1998-2008 for (i) their temporal distribution, (ii) group size, (iii) age and gender composition, (iv) distance from the infected zone fence and (v) outcome reported for each event. A maximum entropy model was developed to evaluate spatial predictors of stray buffalo events and assess current disease control zones. Out of all buffaloes recorded straying, 38.5% escaped from the FMD infected zone during 2000/2001, following floods that caused extensive damage to wildlife fences. Escape patterns were not apparently influenced by season. The median size of stray groups was a single animal (IQR [1-2]). Adult animals predominated, comprising 90.4% (620/686) of the animals for which age was recorded. Of the 315 events with accurate spatial information, 204 (64.8%) were recorded within 1 km from the FMD infected zone. During late winter/spring (June-October), stray buffaloes were found significantly closer to the FMD infected zone (median = 0.3 km, IQR [0.1-0.6]). Less than 13% (40/315) of stray groups reached the FMD protection zone without vaccination, posing a higher risk of spreading FMD to these more susceptible livestock. Model outputs suggest that distance from the FMD infected zone, urban areas and permanent water sources contributed almost 85% to the spatial probability of stray buffalo events. Areas with a high probability for stray buffalo events were well covered by current disease control zones, although FMD risk mitigation could be improved by expanding the vaccination zone in certain areas.

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An Overview of Disease-Free Buffalo Breeding Projects with Reference to the Different Systems Used in South Africa

Cited by 19 publications

References 21 publications

Tick-borne haemoparasites in African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) from two wildlife areas in Northern Botswana

Tick-borne haemoparasites in African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) from two wildlife areas in Northern Botswana

African buffalo Syncerus caffer (Sparrman, 1779)

Description of Events Where African Buffaloes (Syncerus caffer) Strayed from the Endemic Foot-and-Mouth Disease Zone in South Africa, 1998-2008

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