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Sheep farming plays a significant role in generating economic opportunities and employment on a global scale. It is a vital support system for rural economies, mainly where agricultural alternatives are scarce, like farmers living in arid and semiarid areas. This article aims to investigate and promote sustainable communal sheep farming practices and examine the significance of the weaning percentage and how it determines the communal wool industry's success, economic viability, and sustainability. Additionally, the article will address the challenges these farmers face in sweet-, sourand mixed grass veld types. Furthermore, the article will explore the impact of lambing seasons and flock structures on ewe productivity and identify strategies to mitigate adverse effects in communal sheep flocks. Lastly, the article will discuss management practices in sheep production systems, considering their economic and environmental sustainability. The mean weaning percentage, a critical indicator of reproductive success and productivity, was 48.78%, reflecting substantial dispersion within a sample population of 9 603 sheep across 351 farmers' interviews. Pure breeding exhibits a 5.6% higher weaning percentage than crossbreeding. In cases where there was inbreeding, the weaning percentage was 11.3% lower than that of flocks using unrelated rams. Statistical analysis further underscores the substantial influence (p<0.001) of consistent dissemination of production and reproduction technical information, facilitated through governmental initiatives and stakeholder engagements, in driving these improvements. Best sheep and health management practices are paramount for enhancing the weaning percentage of sheep flocks. The quality of grazing and the utilisation of well-adapted breeding stock are pivotal factors. Statistical analysis reveals a significant impact (p<0.05) of rotational grazing with a herding effect (extensive grazing) compared to free grazing (continuous grazing) with minimal management. Integrating labourers into communal sheep enterprises profoundly influences various operations, notably sheep herding, where they safeguard animals, identify health issues, and guide flock movements to optimal grazing areas, enhancing nutrition and weaning percentages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In South Africa, recent government plans to change the institutional landscape of higher education have resulted in mergers of colleges into universities or technikons. The research reported in this article focuses solely on the impact of a "college-into-university'' incorporation as manifested in the personal, emotional and career experiences of these college staff members. It traces the changes in their perceptions and emotions during and after the incorporation process. It also identifies recurring themes and issues evident in the personal lives of those affected by this incorporation. A unique research methodology was engaged: The College staff who had been appointed to the university after the merger, identified seven critical themes and then designed and conducted 30 semi-structured interviews among themselves. This article thus documents the impact of incorporation into a university on the individual and collective lives of there searchers themselves. The data suggest that the emotional impact of incorporation was intense and that the uncertainty, especially, led to considerable trauma. The most important concern emanating from this joint research project is that while a certain degree of distress is unavoidable in any institutional merger, inattention to the management of human resources, emotions and aspirations could linger on, possibly having a negative effect on the ambitions for the transformation of the new entity.

Background: Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia is still a common cause of severe disease in HIV-infected infants <5 months of age. Despite attention to the prevention of mother-to-child transmission programme in South Africa (SA), HIV testing remains incomplete and infants are still at risk. The management of Pneumocystis pneumonia requires ventilation strategies and combination antibiotics. Methods: A prospective but open intervention was performed on all HIV-exposed patients admitted with severe pneumonia to the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Steve Biko Academic Hospital, SA, during a 3-year period from January 2009 to December 2011. All patients were treated with ampicillin, amikacin, co-trimoxazole, prednisone and intravenous gancilovir. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was initiated in the PICU as soon as tuberculosis was excluded and HIV status confirmed with an HIV viral load (VL). Routine blood and tracheal specimens were cultured for bacteria and tested by direct fluorescent antigen testing for P. jiroveci. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) VL was tested. All infants were ventilated in a standard fashion and none were oscillated. Results: A total of 87 patients were admitted during the 3-year period. Of these, 29 patients were excluded from the study because they were HIV-unexposed. Ten patients died during the 3-year period. In a multivariate analysis of the presence or absence of P. jiroveci, HIV VL, CD4 count, timing of HAART initiation and CMV VL, no single factor was documented to influence mortality. Conclusion: Mortality from Pneumocystis pneumonia continues to decrease in this PICU. No single factor is responsible and yet all therapeutic strategies contribute to survival. A national policy and guideline is urgently required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response of Namaqua Afrikaner, Dorper and South African Mutton Merino lambs, of approximately four months of age, towards a human being situated between them and their flock mates was studied in an arena test. The objective of the study was to determine whether the unimproved Namaqua Afrikaner, with an arguably shorter history of selection, would react differently to humans in an arena test compared to commercial breeds. A total number of 305 animals, born in 2010 and 2011 and raised under extensive veld conditions, were assessed in a modified arena test when the lambs born in each year were approximately four months old. From the test results it was possible to calculate the following parameters of the behaviour of the sheep: (i) The mean distance from the human operator, (ii) the time a lamb spent in a specific zone situated either close to or far from the human, and (iii) the total number of boundaries crossed, which gives an indication of the total distance travelled by an individual lamb. Other data recorded were the number of bleats and the number of times an animal urinated or defecated. There were no significant sex and birth type differences for any of the behaviour traits. No conclusive breed differences were found for any of the traits describing the behaviour of the lambs, except for the number of bleats. Namaqua Afrikaner lambs bleated significantly (24.0 ± 1.2) more in the three minute testing period than Dorper (8.2 ± 0.9) and South African Mutton Merino lambs (11.9 ± 2.5). Further research is necessary to see if this slight indication of anxiety could be related to other traits such as lamb survival or product quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production performance of ewes was assessed in a terminal crossbreeding experiment involving five Merino and Merino-type dam lines and two terminal crossbreeding sire breeds. Dam lines were SA Mutton Merino (SAMM), SAMM rams crossed to Merino ewes (SAMM cross), Dohne Merino, as well as specialist Merino lines selected for clean fleece weight (FW+) and for an increased reproduction (Rep+). Dormer and Suffolk rams were used as sires. Dual-purpose ewes were heavier than Merinos on average and at the ultimate joining at 3.5 years. Average clean fleece weight for SAMM ewes was approximately half that of Merino ewes while clean fleece weights for Dohne and SAMM cross ewes were intermediate. Differences between progeny in slaughter age, marketing weight, dressing percentage and carcass weight could largely be attributed to the comparison of purebred Merino lines with dual-purpose lines. The slaughter age of lambs from the two Merino lines was between 14 and 21% higher than that of the dual-purpose lines. Lambs from purebred SA Mutton Merino (SAMM) dams also outperformed lambs from SAMM cross ewes for slaughter age, slaughter weight and carcass weight. Considerable variation was found between dam lines for reproduction parameters, but few significant differences were found. Lamb output, defined as total weight of lamb slaughtered per joining, averaged 42.7 kg for SAMM ewes, 44.2 kg for SAMM cross ewes, 39.3 kg for Dohne ewes, 32.9 kg for FW+ Merino ewes and 42.0 kg for Rep+ Merino ewes, but differences between lines only tended to be significant. Sire breed did not affect lamb performance or ewe productivity markedly. An economic simulation indicated large differences in gross income per small stock unit between dam lines, warranting further research on the efficiency of terminal Merino-type dam lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carcass data of 114 19-month-old Merino sheep descended from two lines that were divergently selected for maternal multiple rearing ability (H and L lines, respectively) were used. In study A only ram progeny of the same age were slaughtered, while ewes and rams of the respective selection lines were included in study B. Study A: Mean slaughter weight of H line rams was 12% heavier than that of L line contemporaries. A corresponding difference of 13% was found for carcass weight. Carcass component weights, body measurements, retail cut weights and eye-muscle areas were higher in the H line than in the L line, barring a few exceptions. Adjustment for the higher slaughter weight resulted in most of the line differences being eliminated, but the difference in the loin retail cut remained in favour of the H line. Study B: Mean slaughter and carcass weights of H line animals were respectively 7% and 11% heavier than that of L line contemporaries. Adjustment for the higher slaughter weights of H line animals resulted in most of the differences in the retail cut weight being eliminated, but the hindquarters of H line animals remained heavier than that of L line contemporaries. Line did not affect the moisture, protein, lipid or ash content of the M. longissimus dorsi toracis in study B. The effect of gender on the retail cut weights and proximate analysis was consistent with results from the literature. Selection for multiple rearing ability did not result in any unfavourable responses in retail cut weights or meat chemical properties. Carcasses in the H line, in fact, yielded better in the highly priced loin and hindquarters areas, independently of slaughter weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The body composition, carcass characteristics and retail cuts of 61 Dormers (21 rams and 40 ewes) and 35 South African Mutton Merinos (SAMM) (17 rams and 18 ewes) were determined. A range of carcass measurements was recorded. Since there was no sex x breed interaction, only main effects of breed and sex were considered. There were no differences in slaughter weight between Dormer and SAMM sheep at 18 months of age. Dormers had a 2.7% point higher dressing percentage and a 6.2% higher carcass weight than the SAMM. The Dormer had a higher fat content (kidney fat, back-fat depth) than the SAMM. The eyemuscle area of the Dormers was 13% larger than that of the SAMM sheep. Rams were heavier than the ewes at slaughter. All the traits measured, indicated advantages in favour of rams. Only the saturated, monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids ratio differed significantly between the Dormer and SAMM sheep. Based on the fatty acid profile, SAMM meat is slightly healthier than that of Dormer sheep. The higher retail cut weights of Dormers suggested that they were superior to the SAMM as far as meat production was concerned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study details the production performance of ewes and lambs that originated from a terminal crossbreeding experiment that involved five Merino type dam lines and two terminal crossbreeding sire lines from 1999 to 2002. Ewe lines were SA Mutton Merino (SAMM), SAMM rams crossed to Merino ewes (SAMM cross), Dohne Merino, as well as specialist Merino lines selected for clean fleece weight (FW+) and for an increased reproduction rate (Rep+). Dormer and Suffolk rams were used as sire breeds on these ewes. Data include 777 birth and 605 weaning records of lambs and 562 production year records of ewes. At birth the progeny of SAMM ewes were heavier than those of the other ewe lines, while FW+ ewes produced smaller lambs at birth than SAMM cross and Rep+ ewes. Lamb survival was not significantly affected by ewe line or sire breed. The progeny of the dual-purpose ewe lines (SAMM, SAMM cross and Dohne Merino) were heavier than those of Merino ewes (FW+ and Rep+) at weaning. No sire breed difference was found for birth or weaning weight. The joining weights of dual-purpose ewe lines were higher than those of Merinos. Although considerable variation was found between ewe lines in terms of lamb output (number or weight of lamb weaned per ewe joined), the only significant difference was for weight of lamb weaned between SAMM cross and FW+ Merino ewes. Means for weight of lamb weaned per joining (in kg) were 37.3 for SAMM ewes, 39.6 for SAMM cross ewes, 35.5 for Dohne Merino ewes, 28.9 for FW+ ewes and 34.6 for Rep+ ewes. No differences in ewe reproduction were found between ewes joined to Dormer or Suffolk rams. The clean wool production of SAMM ewes amounted to 46% of that recorded in FW+ ewes. Corresponding percentages were 68% for SAMM cross ewes, 74% for Dohne Merino ewes and 90% for Rep+ ewes. The wool of SAMM ewes was slightly coarser in diameter than those of SAMM cross and FW+ ewes, which in turn was coarser than those of Rep+ and Dohne Merino ewes. The economic... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides a perspective on the concept of bianisotropy in the context of electromagnetics. Constitutive relations for fields; Constraints and conditions on the parameters describing a material medium; Terminologies.