Zambia Agribusiness Society

Ticks can be identified by direct examination without the use of microscopes or hand lens. Those filled with blood are easier to identify because they are large and also reddish from the consumed blood. To find ticks on your livestock, comb the hairs or feathers to expose and examine the skin directly. Ticks may have preferred attachment sites that protect them to a certain degree from being dislodged by animal grooming. Areas around the head, in the ears, on the shoulders and other parts of the body can harbour attached ticks. On cattle, ticks can be found in highly vascularized areas of the skin (i.e., tail, udder). Unattached ticks can be recovered from the host by combing and examining the comb. It is important to identify the types of ticks attacking your livestock. This is because some ticks carry agents that transmit deadly infections that may wipe out your stock. Find someone knowledgeable or use biological reference manuals for easy identification. Livestock extension office

Pilot roll-out of biopesticide, Fawligen, in South Sudan. Partnership project between CABI and AgBiTech, CIMMYT, FAO, USAID and the South Sudan Ministry of Agriculture. Photo Credit: CABI CABI has briefed the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on a successful project to deploy a safe-to-use and environmentally friendly biopesticide in the fight against the  fall armyworm  (FAW) pest in South Sudan. Dr Ivan Rwomushana , senior scientist of Invasive Species Management based at  CABI’s centre in Nairobi, Kenya , told the FAO and more than 150 scientists how 500 smallholder farmers have already seen 63% yield increases — worth $609/ha — from using Fawligen, a product called based on a baculovirus. The technical webinar, entitled ‘Pesticide and Biopesticide in Fall armyworm Control: Protecting Health of Plants, People and the Planet,’ heard how smallholder farmers — instead of deploying synthetic pesticides that can pose serious risks to human health as well

Okra is rich in a plethora of vitamins like vitamin K, C, A, E, B6 and B9. In addition to this, it has a high content of fibre, calcium, magnesium, and potassium that provides great health benefits to the human body. Benefits of Okra: 1.     Works against cancers. 2.     Relaxes blood vessels and arteries. 3.     Works against high blood pressure. 4.     Controls/cures diabetes. 5.     Good source of probiotics. 6.     Works against asthma. 7.     Aids in improving digestion/combats constipation. 8.     Protects eyes against cataract and macular degeneration. 9.     Aids in weight loss. 10. Helps control hunger as it's full of soluble fibre that makes you feel full so quickly. 11. Stabilises cholesterol levels. 12. Prevents neural tube defects in pregnancy. 13. Keeps one from getting tired. Seeds delay fatigue. 14. Maintains a beautiful skin. 15. Applied as facemask for a smooth and radiant look. 16. Use as a good hair treatment. 17. Protec

Weeds have serious impacts on agricultural production. It is estimated that in general weeds cause 5% loss in agricultural production in most of the developed countries, 10% loss in less developed countries and 25% loss in least developed countries. In Zambia, yield losses due to weeds are more than those from pests and diseases. Yield losses due to weeds vary with the crops. Every crop is exposed to severe competition from weeds. Most of these weeds are self-sown and they provide competition caused by their faster rate of growth in the initial stages of crop growth. In some crops, the yields are reduced by more than 50% due to weed infestation. 1. Reduced Yield: Weeds compete with crop plants for nutrients, soil moisture, space and sunlight. 2. Poor Crop Quality: Weed seeds contaminate crop yield resulting in poor quality and rejection in the market. 3. Weeds Harbour Pests and Diseases: Weeds harbour organisms, and some are food sources for pests resulting in their increased popula

Last summer my time was spent walking the corn and soybean fields of Southeast Iowa searching for weeds and pests that did not belong in the field. But why was I needed as a crop scout? Farmers’ livelihoods depend on their crops. Weeds and pests can easily overtake the field if not carefully controlled. It was my responsibility as a crop scout to identify the weeds and other possible concerns in the field and inform the farmer. So what are  crop scouts  looking for in the field? First they look for any abnormalities in the plant. When plants are off-coloured, chewed, stunted or dead, that could indicate issues that the farmer needs to be aware of. The causes could be soil, pest, or nutrient related, but it is important to determine the cause of the problem so it can be solved quickly. The purpose of scouting is to give a representative assessment of the entire field. While scouting, it is important to look at multiple areas of the field. It depends on the size of the field for how

B-complex vitamins must be supplemented on a regular basis. They offer livestock better immune response to diseases. They are needed in energy metabolism. Vitamin B-complex is essential in times of stress such as vaccinations, moving from location to location, deworming and in times of diseases challenge. Better yet, some products of vitamin B-complex contains minerals such as Selenium. Importance of Selenium in Cattle, Sheep and Goats Normal growth and fertility Helps prevent mastitis and calf scours Important in metabolism Deficiency in selenium may cause: Suboptimal milk production Suboptimal fertility in cattle Premature, weak calves, prenatal death and abortions. Go ahead grab a bottle of Vitamin B-complex supplement for your animals.

Ticks are bloodsuckers that also transmit serious diseases. Ticks can cause anaemia and loss of production. They thrive in tall grasses and brush filled areas, which is why most areas are experiencing  heartwater   at the moment. Ticks are picked as animals walk through pastures. Common ticks 1. Bont tick - Amblyomma - heartwater transmitting ticks, may also cause tick paralysis 2. Blue tick – Boophilus - Anaplasmosis transmitting ticks. This disease is characterized by weight loss, difficulty in breathing, abortion and death. Prevention 1. Cutting vegetation short around shelter areas. 2. Dipping all animals 3. Treating herd dogs for ticks and fleas. 4. Quarantine new addition of your herd for 3 weeks or more. 5. Physically inspect all animals on regular basis. How to inspect animals for tick infestation 1. Inspect ticks around eyes, ears, and head around horns, udder and other areas particularly exposed ones. 2. Run fingers through the animal, especially go

The disease is common across the country due to presence of Amblyomma tick also known as South African bont tick. The rickettsia that causes heartwater disease cannot survive outside a living host for more than an hour at room temperature, that's why it is transmitted through ticks. This brings us to why tick control is very important. Heartwater is a very deadly disease, but it can be prevented and it can also be cured at early stages. Symptoms of heartwater disease 1. Fever followed by 2. In appetence 3. Diarrhoea mostly in cattle 4. Dyspnoea 5. Then tremor of superficial muscles 6. Final stage; lateral recumbency, pedalling, chewing movements and finally Death. Prevention Tick control: Animals moved into endemic areas may be protected by prophylactic treatment with tetracycline. NB : Antibiotic treatment is not always successful in later stages. Advice : Buy a thermometer, always check your animals’ temperatures when you suspect they are ill. Norma

Caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, is the most common and destructive disease of the cabbage family worldwide. The bacterium is introduced to fields on infected seeds or transplants. Once present, it may survive on decomposing crop residue for up to two years, or indefinitely on weeds in the crucifer family. The black rot pathogen develops fastest during warm, moist weather. The disease is spread quickly between plants in a row by splashing rain and gains entry through water pores at leaf margins or through wounds. Early symptoms appear as wedge-shaped chlorotic (yellow) patches along the edge of the leaf that point toward the midrib. Veins in the discoloured area darken as the interveinal tissue dies and becomes brown and brittle. Eventually the bacteria enter the vascular system of the plant and the disease becomes systemic, producing leaf drop and head rot. A crosswise cut of the stem, leaf petiole or veins will reveal a darkened ring of vascular tissue.

Pig rearing remains a lucrative business, but it is often disrupted by diseases. One of the diseases that attack pigs is the African swine fever (ASF) . The disease is characterised by loss of appetite; the skin under the ears, snout, legs and abdomen becomes dark blue, and the animals vomit and cough. The pigs may further bleed from the nose and rectum, have difficulties in breathing and they will diarrhoea. In short, African swine fever is the most deadly pig disease. The viral disease is highly contagious and affects domesticated and wild pigs and warthogs. It is transmitted mainly through direct contact with already infected pigs, their body fluids or their droppings, indirectly by ingestion of infected feedstuff especially garbage and by ticks that are vectors of the causing virus. Sadly, African swine fever has no treatment and can wipe out an entire pig farm. No vaccines have been developed but several biosecurity measures can be practised to minimise its spread. Watch