Research Publications/Outputs

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Browsing Research Publications/Outputs by browse.metadata.impactarea "Aquaculture and Veterinary"

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    Evaluation of minerals, trace elements, and antinutritional factors in selected legume fodder species (Fabaceae) with the potential to improve cattle nutrition and gastrointestinal health
    (2024-08) Lebeloane, MM; Famuyide, Ibukun M; Elgorashi, EE; McGaw, LJ; Kgosana, KG
    The study aimed to investigate the nutritional composition, trace elements and anti-nutritional factors of fodder species belonging to the family Fabaceae potentially used as an alternative feed for cattle. The proximate composition, particularly dry matter, moisture, fats, crude proteins (CP), carbohydrates, crude fibre (CF), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF), were analysed, thereby, nonfibre carbohydrate (NFC) and gross energy (GE) were calculated. Thirty-three trace elements were determined from chemically digested dried plant material using ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry) and ICP-OES (ICP-Optical Emission Spectrophotometry). The tannin levels, a known antinutritional factor, were estimated using Folin–Ciocalteu method. The methods were validated by the relative standard deviation (RSD) values and acceptable recovery percentage, linearity, limit of quantification (LoQ), and limit of detection (LoD). The proximate composition analysis estimated levels of dry matter (> 90 %), ash (3.77–26.98 %), crude proteins (8.22–22.19 %), carbohydrates (54.00–86.79 %), crude fibre (10.54–40.10 %), NDF (22.26–59.20 %) and GE (< 100 Kcal kg−1 DM) in leguminous species. Essential elements were detected in recommended levels including Zn (21.20–50.30 mg/kg), Co (0.06–0.045 mg kg), Cr (0.5–5.08 mg kg−1), Mn (9.02–197 mg kg−1), Mg (0.10–0.52 mg kg−1), Fe (42.40–812 mg kg−1) and Na (72.00–1721 mg kg−1). The concentration of toxic elements was below critical levels and tannin occurred at a safe level (< 50 mgTAE kg−1) for ruminant consumption. Therefore, the selected fodder can effectively contribute to cattle dietary requirements for smallscale farmers in Onderstepoort, Gauteng Province, South Africa.
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    Immunogenic profile of a plant-produced nonavalent African horse sickness viral protein 2 (VP2) vaccine in IFNAR-/-mice
    (2024-04) O’Kennedy, Martha M; Roth, Robyn; Ebersohn, K; Du Plessis, LH; Mamputha, Sipho; Rutkowska, Daria A; Du Preez, Ilse; Verschoor, JA; Lemmer, Yolandy
    A safe, highly immunogenic multivalent vaccine to protect against all nine serotypes of African horse sickness virus (AHSV), will revolutionise the AHS vaccine industry in endemic countries and beyond. Plant-produced AHS virus-like particles (VLPs) and soluble viral protein 2 (VP2) vaccine candidates were developed that have the potential to protect against all nine serotypes but can equally well be formulated as mono- and bi-valent formulations for localised outbreaks of specific serotypes. In the first interferon a/ß receptor knock-out (IFNAR-/-) mice trial conducted, a nine-serotype (nonavalent) vaccine administered as two pentavalent (5 µg per serotype) vaccines (VLP/VP2 combination or exclusively VP2), were directly compared to the commercially available AHS live attenuated vaccine. In a follow up trial, mice were vaccinated with an adjuvanted nine-serotype multivalent VP2 vaccine in a prime boost strategy and resulted in the desired neutralising antibody titres of 1:320, previously demonstrated to confer protective immunity in IFNAR-/- mice. In addition, the plant-produced VP2 vaccine performed favourably when compared to the commercial vaccine. Here we provide compelling data for a nonavalent VP2-based vaccine candidate, with the VP2 from each serotype being antigenically distinguishable based on LC-MS/MS and ELISA data. This is the first preclinical trial demonstrating the ability of an adjuvanted nonavalent cocktail of soluble, plant-expressed AHS VP2 proteins administered in a prime-boost strategy eliciting high antibody titres against all 9 AHSV serotypes. Furthermore, elevated T helper cells 2 (Th2) and Th1, indicative of humoral and cell-mediated memory T cell immune responses, respectively, were detected in mouse serum collected 14 days after the multivalent prime-boost vaccination. Both Th2 and Th1 may play a role to confer protective immunity. These preclinical immunogenicity studies paved the way to test the safety and protective efficacy of the plant-produced nonavalent VP2 vaccine candidate in the target animals, horses.