Investment opportunities in Zambia's agriculture and energy sector.

Nigerian multi-billionaire Aliko Dangote who was in Zambia for a one-day visit, Saturday afternoon paid a courtesy call on President Edgar Lungu to express his gratitude for the enabling environment that the country continues to offer investors at every level. During the courtesy call, Mr. Dangote expressed interest to consolidate his existing investments in Zambia and explore opportunities in the energy and agriculture sectors.continue more

USDA: Avian flu discovery reinforces need for vigilance.

USDA veterinarian urges poultry producers to not neglect biosecurity, keep close eye on birds With the recent detection of H5N2 avian influenza in a hunter-harvested duck in Montana, USDA Chief Veterinarian Jack Shere is urging poultry producers to be highly vigilant. The strain of avian influenza detected in Montana is genomically similar to the strain that was prevalent during the 2015 outbreak that was the responsible for the loss of millions of egg laying hens and turkeys in the United States, Shere said in a recent interview with USDA Radio News. continue

Kansas State researchers investigate the threat of influenza from amphibians.

Equine flu. Canine flu. Now do we have to worry about the frog flu, too?If you needed another reason to wash your hands after handling a frog other than warding off salmonellosis, researchers at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine have a new set of zoonoses to concern you that could be acquired from our amphibian friends—viral disease. Yongming Sang, PhD, is leading a project investigating the role of inferons in amphibians and how it might translate to viral transmission to people. The first publication of their work, featured in Nature’s Scientific Reports, discusses intronless interferons in amphibians, all signaling the need to more closely observe these vertebrates. "Amphibians have a previously unknown complexity within their antimicrobial interferon system, which is highly and differentially responsive to influenza infections,” says Sang in a release from Kansas State. “This suggests the need to study the possible role of wild amphibians as overlooked reservoirs/end hosts for influenza and other zoonotic pathogenic infections." continue

Fipronil toxicosis in rabbits.

Fipronil is a phenylpyrazole insecticide used to control a variety of insects such as ants, beetles, cockroaches, fleas, ticks and termites. It comes in a variety of formulations: topical, spray, dust and bait. This article focuses on the topical spot-on product labeled for use in dogs and cats. When this product initially debuted, published, extralabel dosing recommendations for fipronil were used successfully in rabbits but subsequently, extralabel administration in rabbits has become contraindicated due to toxicity concerns continue

Cage-free eggs are three times more expensive in Mexico.

Raising chicken the old traditional method is making waves as many more farms are opting for free-range /cage free systems. A food franchise late last year added their vote to cage free birds and antibiotic free farming. The escalation of alternative eggs in Mexico, whether they are organic, free-range or cage-free, seems unstoppable. Just a year ago, there were a few brands. Today, there is a great variety. From the marketing point of view, it has opened the range of supply, consumers can use their judgment and they have a variety to choose from, and companies are given the opportunity to differentiate themselves and have other brands. Not to mention that there are more profit margins as well. continue

Edible insects for man.

Animal protein is sourced from different creatures nowadays, a select group have been craving for a shift to insects for protein needs.The argument is that they produce no emission thus preventing changes in the environment.Insect farming require less space for rearing than other animals and are cheap to raise. Insects can be raised anywhere,thus its suitable for urban agriculture and its not labor intensive. Thinking of a lean startup idea, with rapid turn over then INSECT FARMING is a good option. The plus for this type of farming is that man and animals can feed on the products to satisfy their protein needs. The inclusion of insects in animal feed is on the rise and many more are looking at the option see and in man many more are moving to this type of farming because of climate changes see

Water relief for 8,000 thirsty elephants neglected by Zimbabwe.

Drought-inducing El Niño settled over southern Africa in 2016, leaving the animals of Hwange national park in Zimbabwe faced desperate water shortages. During a heatwave in October, conservation worker Prince Sansole spotted an elephant partially submerged in a muddy pool. His movements initially looked no different from the water games routinely played by the giant creatures. Only a closer look revealed that the young bull was in trouble, struggling to get up. His limp trunk kept dropping back into the water, unable to catch a fresh breath. A postmortem later revealed that the elephant had succumbed to heat stroke on arrival at Chamabonda waterhole, after days of searching in vain for water amid the heat and sand.But thanks to an emergency effort by a local conservation group, water is now reaching at least 8,000 elephants and up to 10,000 other animals. Alerted by the predictions of drought, the Victoria Falls-based Bhejane Trust started drilling and setting up solar-powered boreholes in the park in May last year.continue