NATURAL AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES Reducing goat kid mortality: Another UFH project benefits local communities Dr M. Slayi, Dr Leocadia Zhou, Dr Thobela Tyasi and Dr Ishmael Jaja he commitment of researchers to find ways of improving the from the University of Fort Hare survival rates of kids. Interventions to use their knowledge for the included fortnightly dipping to control T benefit of local communities was parasites, supplying food to pregnant demonstrated once again in a project and lactating does, providing shelters led by Dr Mhlangabezi Slayi of the and improving hygiene. Traditionally, Risk and Vulnerability Science Centre community members had relied (RVSC) in the Faculty of Science and on indigenous remedies to cure Agriculture. sickness. The project made veterinary Goats are owned by many small-scale assistance and medication available farmers in South Africa, with more when needed. than 50% of the total goat population In the first year of the project, 132 of the country being raised in rural of the 235 (56.17%) kids born in the areas of the Eastern Cape. For many villages studied died. By year two, families, rearing goats provides however, the impact of the project enormous socio-economic benefits, was such that the mortality rate was so high mortality rates amongst kid reduced to 22.38%, with only 62 of goats prevent them from optimising the 277 kids born in the year dying. what should be a major source of The reduction in the mortality rate income and well-being. was particularly significant in kids The two-year project led by Dr aged younger than 45 days. Slayi aimed not only to confirm the In their paper published in the identification of the major causes of prestigious international journal, goat mortality in community flocks Tropical Animal Health and (identified by farmers themselves in a Production, Dr Slayi and fellow team project conducted in 2014), but also members Dr Leocadia Zhou, Dr to work with community members Thobela Tyasi and Dr Ishmael Jaja 17 | University of Fort Hare