45 research outputs found
Prevalence of antibiotic residues in pork in Kenya and the po-tential of using gross pathological lesions as a risk-based ap-proach to predict residues in meat
Get PDFThe human population is growing and urbanising. These factors are driving the demand for animal-sourced proteins. The rising demand is favouring livestock intensification, a process that frequently relies on antibiotics for growth promotion, treatment and prevention of diseases. Antibiotic use in livestock production requires strict adherence to the recommended withdrawal periods. In Kenya, the risk of residues in meat is particularly high due to lack of legislation requiring testing for antibiotic residues in meat destined for the local market. We examined pig carcass-es for gross pathological lesions and collected pork samples for antibiotic residue testing. Our aim was to determine if a risk-based approach to residue surveillance may be adopted by looking for an association be-tween lesions and presence of residues. Three hundred and eighty-seven pork samples were tested for antibiotic residues using the Premi®Test micro-inhibition kit. The prevalence of antibiotic residues was 41.26% (95% CI, 34.53 - 48.45%). Logistic regression model found no significant associations between gross pathological lesions and the presence of antibiotic residues. We recommend that the regulating authorities strongly consider routine testing of carcasses for antibiotic residues to protect meat consumers. Future studies should research on farming practices contributing to the high prevalence of residues
The Determinants of Stock Returns in the Emerging Market of Kenya: An Empirical Evidence
No full textThis study examined the sources of risk factors that determine stock returns in the emerging market of Kenya. The specific objectives were to determine the validity of the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) and then empirically test for factors that are priced in stock returns in Kenya.The factors examined are the excess market premium and selected macroeconomic factors including inflation, exchange rates, money supply and short term interest rates. The study utilizes monthly time series data for the period April 1996: December 2016. The CAPM, a multifactor approach and Fama and MacBeth (1973) two-step procedure are used for data analysis.The study finds that CAPM cannot be rejected and that the market premium is the most important factor in explaining stock return variability in Kenya. Therefore, the study concludes that unlike the recent evidence on the collapse of CAPM in advanced markets, the model can still be validly used for the Kenyan market.</jats:p
Supplementary material 3 from: Harrington LA, Green J, Muinde P, Macdonald DW, Auliya M, D'Cruze N (2020) Snakes and ladders: A review of ball python production in West Africa for the global pet market. Nature Conservation 41: 1-24. https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.41.51270
No full textMain importing countries: additional dat
Who let the dogs out? Exploring the spatial ecology of free‐roaming domestic dogs in western Kenya
Get PDFThe spatial ecology of free‐roaming dogs determines their role in the transmission of zoonoses. This study describes the geographic range of and identifies sites frequently visited by free‐roaming domestic dogs in western Kenya. Eight sites in Busia county, western Kenya, were selected. At each site, ten dog‐keeping households were recruited, a questionnaire was administered, and a GPS logger was fixed around the neck of one dog in each household. Loggers were programmed to capture the dog's position every minute, for five consecutive days. Individual summaries of GPS recordings were produced, and the daily distance traveled was calculated. 50% and 95% utilization distribution isopleths were produced, and the area within these isopleths was extracted to estimate the size of the core and extended Home Ranges (HRs), respectively. Linear regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with the movement parameters. The centroid points of the 10, 50, and 90% isopleths were reproduced, and the corresponding sites identified on the ground. Seventy‐three dogs were included in the final analyses. The median daily distance traveled was 13.5km, while the median core and extended HRs were 0.4 and 9.3 ha, respectively. Older dogs had a larger extended HR and traveled more daily, while the effect of sex on dog movement depended on their neutering status. Dogs spent most of their time at their household; other frequently visited sites included other household compounds, fields, and rubbish dumps. One of the centroids corresponded to a field located across the international Kenya–Uganda border, emphasizing the fluidity across the border in this ecosystem. Multiple dogs visited the same location, highlighting the heterogeneous contact networks between dogs, and between dogs and people. The field data presented are of value both in understanding domestic dog ecology and resource utilization, and in contextualizing infectious and parasitic disease transmission models
Antimicrobial Resistant Pathogens Detected in Raw Pork and Poultry Meat in Retailing Outlets in Kenya
No full textThere is increasing proof of bacterial resistance to antibiotics all over the world, and this puts the effectiveness of antimicrobials that have been essential in decreasing disease mortality and morbidity at stake. The WHO has labeled some classes of antimicrobials as vitally important to human health. Bacteria from animals are thought to be reservoirs of resistance genes that can be transferred to humans through the food chain. This study aimed to identify the resistance patterns of bacteria from pork and poultry meat samples purchased from leading retail outlets in Kenya. Of the 393 samples collected, 98.4% of pork and 96.6% of poultry were contaminated with high levels of bacteria. Among the 611 bacterial isolates recovered, 38.5% were multi-drug resistant. This resistance was noted for critically essential antimicrobials (according to the WHO) such as rifampicin (96%), ampicillin (35%), cefotaxime (9%), cefepime (6%), and ciprofloxacin (6%). Moreover, there was high resistance to key antimicrobials for veterinary medicine such as tetracycline (39%), sulfamethoxazole (33%), and trimethoprim (30%). It is essential to spread awareness about the judicious use of antibiotics and take preventive measures to reduce disease burden
Food Safety & Animal Welfare in the Pork Value Chain of Nairobi
No full textPork production and consumption in Kenya is increasing rapidly, with a projected 203% increase in production between 2000-2030[1]. Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, is an example of a rapidly changing urban environment where pork consumption is rising. Previous value-chain mapping undertaken through the ‘Urban Zoo’ project identified four major pork value chains in the vicinity of Nairobi. The pork supply to Nairobi is dominated (84%) by one large integrated company which sells the majority of its products to middle-high income consumers. The next largest pork supply to Nairobi is through a peri-urban abattoir slaughtering approximately 215 pigs/week, the vast majority (95%) of which are raised in urban and peri-urban farms in the surrounding area and which supplies retail and ‘pork joint’ outlets serving the middle-low income consumers in Nairobi.
Pork consumption has been associated with risk of exposure to Taenia solium , Salmonella spp., and Toxoplasma gondii amongst other pathogens[2]. The WHO Foodborne disease reference group (FERG) has indicated that T. solium is responsible for one of the greatest burdens of all foodborne diseases [3] and the burden of foodborne disease is felt most heavily in low & middle income countries such as Kenya [4].
A preliminary survey, utilising a commercial antigen ELISA, estimated an apparent Taenia spp. prevalence of 8.7% in pigs slaughtered at this key abattoir, indicating just one of the potential hazards present in pork consumed in Nairobi [5]. The ag-ELISA used, however, has demonstrated cross-reactivity with the non-zoonotic tapeworm T. hydategena and confirmatory tests are therefore required to determine the infection status of animals entering the pork value chain [6]. Other research groups have identified a high (13.8%) prevalence of Salmonella spp. in pork produced in Nairobi [7], but as yet we do not have any data on the presence and prevalence of other foodborne hazards including T. gondii and antimicrobial residues, which may be an important driver to antimicrobial resistance in consumers.
While undertaking food-safety hazard identification we are provided an opportunity to also undertake an assessment of animal welfare. Not only is it a moral imperative for us to ensure the welfare of the livestock that we rely on is protected, poor animal welfare can lead to economic losses (through trimming, condemnation or downgrading of carcasses) and increase the likelihood of carcasses being contaminated with potentially pathogenic bacteria, i.e. through broken skin such as tail biting lesions.
Five hundred and twenty-nine pigs were sampled between 5th January and 5th March 2021 at a large, non-integrated abbattoir in Nariobi, Kenya. Observational data and biological samples were collected. Meat samples were tested for ultimate pH, colour, drip-loss % and presence of antimicrobial residues using the Premi-test microinhibition test. Sera was tested using a commercial indirect multi-species ELISA from ID Vet Innovative Diagnostic, Montpellier, France to determine the presence of Toxoplasma specific IgG and partial carcass dissection (masseters, heart, tounge) undertaken to detect presence of T. solium cysticercosis
Snakes and ladders: a review of ball python production in West Africa for the global pet market
No full textThe ball python (Python regius) is the most traded, CITES listed, live animal exported from Africa. Recent studies have raised concerns as to whether production methods in Africa are sustainable, humane and compliant with legislation. To aid future management we explored export patterns, using the CITES and U.S. LEMIS database, for live ball pythons from across their range in West Africa to identify the main exporters and the main markets supplied, and to assess associated trends, and compliance with nationally-established export quotas. We found that export to supply the global pet trade remains almost exclusively carried out by three range countries – Benin, Ghana, and Togo. The USA was the largest importer from all three countries, although Ghana appeared to be less dependent on the USA market than either Togo or Benin, exporting to a more diverse range of countries, particularly in Asia. Between 2003 and 2017 there was a decline in annual importer-reported exports from Benin and from Ghana, but not from Togo. Ghana appears to operate as a regional trade hub, re-exporting ball pythons imported from Benin and Togo, and exports more ball pythons reported as captive-bred. Trade records from all three countries exhibited a switch from predominantly wild-sourced to predominantly ranched individuals. However, at a range-wide level, differences in the use of source codes among exporting range states, and inconsistencies in reporting of trade among range states, as well as inconsistencies in the use of source codes between exporting and importing countries, represent areas of potential concern. We recommend a regional-level policy approach for this highly sought-after species, to safeguard ball pythons and local livelihoods
Prevalence of gross lesions and handling practices in pigs and their association with pork quality, Kiambu, Kenya.
Get PDFPre-slaughter handling of pigs has been documented to affect the quality of meat though no studies have investigated this relationship in the Kenyan context. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of gross lesions and practices related to sub-optimal welfare in pigs presented for slaughter while analyzing the relationship between occurrence of these lesions and meat quality. A cross-sectional study was conducted at a medium scale, non-integrated pig abattoir supplying to the Nairobi market, with a capacity to slaughter approximately 40 pigs a day. Data on welfare-associated lesions and handling practices were obtained from 529 pig carcasses and traders respectively. 387 pork samples were collected, and their quality evaluated by measuring their pH, meat color and drip loss. These three parameters were used to classify pork into four recognized categories namely: Red, Firm, Non-exudative (RFN), Pale Soft Exudative (PSE), Dark Firm Dry (DFD) and Red Soft Exudative (RSE). Almost all pigs were inefficiently stunned as evidenced by the presence of consciousness post-stunning. The majority of pigs (82.97%) having one or more welfare-associated gross lesions. Other animal welfare malpractices observed were high loading density and inadequate rest periods between transport and slaughter. A quarter of the pork samples were of sub-optimal quality including: RSE (11.36%), PSE (2.58%) and DFD (2.58%). Multinomial logistic regression revealed that pork originating from pigs transported at a high loading density had increased odds of being classified as DFD (OR 13.41, 95% CI 2.59-69.46). The findings indicate the need to educate stakeholders in the pork value chains on improved pig handling before and during slaughter to enhance pig welfare pre-slaughter and pork quality post-slaughter. Animal welfare legislation enforcement and implementation was observed to be insufficient. There is a need to educate key stakeholders on its importance of being put into practice both from economic and welfare perspectives
The broiler meat system in Nairobi, Kenya: using a value chain framework to understand animal and product flows, governance and sanitary risks
Get PDFLivestock food systems play key subsistence and income generation roles in low to middle income countries and are important networks for zoonotic disease transmission. The aim of this study was to use a value chain framework to characterize the broiler chicken meat system of Nairobi, its governance and sanitary risks.
A total of 4 focus groups and 8 key informant interviews were used to collect cross-sectional data from: small-scale broiler farmers in selected Nairobi peri-urban and informal settlement areas; medium to large integrated broiler production companies; traders and meat inspectors in live chicken and chicken meat markets in Nairobi. Qualitative data were collected on types of people operating in the system, their interactions, sanitary measures in place, sourcing and selling of broiler chickens and products. Framework analysis was used to identify governance themes and risky sanitary practices present in the system.
One large company was identified to supply 60% of Nairobi’s day-old chicks to farmers, mainly through agrovet shops. Broiler meat products from integrated companies were sold in high-end retailers whereas their low value products were channelled through independent traders to consumers in informal settlements. Peri-urban small-scale farmers reported to slaughter the broilers on the farm and to sell carcasses to retailers (hotels and butcheries mainly) through brokers (80%), while farmers in the informal settlement reported to sell their broilers live to retailers (butcheries, hotels and hawkers mainly) directly. Broiler heads and legs were sold in informal settlements via roadside vendors.
Sanitary risks identified were related to lack of biosecurity, cold chain and access to water, poor hygiene practices, lack of inspection at farm slaughter and limited health inspection in markets.
Large companies dominated the governance of the broiler system through the control of day-old chick production. Overall government control was described as relatively weak leading to minimal official regulatory enforcement. Large companies and brokers were identified as dominant groups in market information dissemination and price setting. Lack of farmer association was found to be system-wide and to limit market access. Other system barriers included lack of space and expertise, leading to poor infrastructure and limited ability to implement effective hygienic measures.
This study highlights significant structural differences between different broiler chains and inequalities in product quality and market access across the system. It provides a foundation for food safety assessments, disease control programmes and informs policy-making for the inclusive growth of this fast-evolving sector
Urban Livestock Keeping in the City of Nairobi: Diversity of Production Systems, Supply Chains, and Their Disease Management and Risks
Get PDFUrban livestock keeping in developing cities have an important role in food security and livelihoods but can also pose a significant threat to the environment and health of urban dwellers. The aim of this study was to identify the different livestock systems in Nairobi, their supply chains, and their management and food safety risks. Seven focus group discussions with livestock production officers in charge of each major Nairobi sub-county were conducted. Data were collected on the type of systems existing for each livestock species and their supply chains, disease management, food safety risks, and general husbandry and gender factors. Supply chain flow diagrams and thematic analysis of the data was done. Results of the study show a large variability of livestock keeping in Nairobi. The majority were small scale with: <5 dairy cows, 1–6 dairy goats, <10 small ruminants, <20 pigs, 200–500 broilers, 300–500 layers, <10 indigenous chickens, or <20 rabbits. Beef keeping was mainly described as a “by the way” system or done by traders to fatten animals for 3 month. Supply chain analysis indicated that most dairy farmers sold milk directly to consumers due to “lack of trust” of these in traders. Broiler and pig farmers sold mainly to traders but are dependent on few large dominating companies for their replacement or distribution of products. Selling directly to retailers or consumers (including own consumption), with backyard slaughtering, were important chains for small-scale pig, sheep and goat, and indigenous chicken keepers. Important disease risk practices identified were associated with consumption of dead and sick animals, with underground network of brokers operating for ruminant products. Qualified trained health managers were used mainly by dairy farmers, and large commercial poultry and pig farmers, while use of unqualified health managers or no treatment were common in small-scale farming. Control of urban livestock keepers was reported difficult due to their “feeling of being outlaws,” “lack of trust” in government, “inaccessibility” in informal settlements, “lack of government funding,” or “understaffing.” Findings are useful for designing policies to help to control urban livestock production and minimize its associated health and environment risks
