• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.603-621
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• 2017

The current review focuses on characterization and conservation efforts vital for the development of breeding programmes for indigenous beef cattle genetic resources in Southern Africa. Indigenous African cattle breeds were identified and characterized using information from refereed journals, conference papers and research reports. Results of this current review reviewed that smallholder beef cattle production in Southern Africa is extensive and dominated by indigenous beef cattle strains adaptable to the local environment. The breeds include Nguni, Mashona, Tuli, Malawi Zebu, Bovino de Tete, Angoni, Landim, Barotse, Twsana and Ankole. These breeds have important functions ranging from provision of food and income to socio-economic, cultural and ecological roles. They also have adaptive traits ranging from drought tolerant, resistance to ticks and tick borne diseases, heat tolerance and resistance to trypanosomosis. Stakeholders in the conservation of beef cattle were also identified and they included farmers, national government, research institutes and universities as well as breeding companies and societies in Southern Africa. Research efforts made to evaluate threats and opportunities of indigenous beef cattle production systems, assess the contribution of indigenous cattle to household food security and income, genetically and phenotypically characterize and conserve indigenous breeds, and develop breeding programs for smallholder beef production are highlighted. Although smallholder beef cattle production in the smallholder farming systems contributes substantially to household food security and income, their productivity is hindered by several constraints that include high prevalence of diseases and parasites, limited feed availability and poor marketing. The majority of the African cattle populations remain largely uncharacterized although most of the indigenous cattle breeds have been identified.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.911-921
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• 2015

At least 150 indigenous African cattle breeds have been named, but the majority of African cattle populations remain largely uncharacterized. As cattle breeds and populations in Africa adapted to various local environmental conditions, they acquired unique features. We know now that the history of African cattle was particularly complex and while several of its episodes remain debated, there is no doubt that African cattle population evolved dramatically over time. Today, we find a mosaic of genetically diverse population from the purest Bos taurus to the nearly pure Bos indicus. African cattle are now found all across the continent, with the exception of the Sahara and the river Congo basin. They are found on the rift valley highlands as well as below sea level in the Afar depression. These unique livestock genetic resources are in danger to disappear rapidly following uncontrolled crossbreeding and breed replacements with exotic breeds. Breeding improvement programs of African indigenous livestock remain too few while paradoxically the demand of livestock products is continually increasing. Many African indigenous breeds are endangered now, and their unique adaptive traits may be lost forever. This paper reviews the unique known characteristics of indigenous African cattle populations while describing the opportunities, the necessity and urgency to understand and utilize these resources to respond to the needs of the people of the continent and to the benefit of African farmers.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.53-62
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• 2004

The present study was carried out to investigate the prevalence of Neospora caninum infection in Korean indigenous cattle and calves of abnormal deliveries and focus on correlation between malformation and N caninum infection. To determine the prevalence of antibodies to N caninum, sera of 473 Korean indigenous cattle from slaughter house were tested for N caninum antibodies using indirect fluorescence assay. Of the 473 cattle sera, 9.5% (45/473) showed positive against N caninum. Regional seropositive rates of the samples were 16.7% (5/85), 11.0% (11/100), 8.8% (21/240) and 5.9% (5/85) at Kyonggi, Gyeongbuk, Daegu and Kyongnam province, respectively. In female, seropositive rates were 17.5% (25/143) and 6.1% (20/330) in male. During the period from march 2000 to August 2001, 55 abnormal deliveries of Korean indigenous cattle including abortion, stillbirth and congenital malformation were examined by histopathological, immunohistochemical and serological methods for evidence of N caninum infection. Of the 55 abnormal deliveries, only 5 calves showed positive reaction against N caninum in serological test. In microscopical observation, gliosis and nonsuppurative myositis were observed. However, Neospora-like organisms were not detected by either periodic acid-schiff (PAS) reaction or immunohistochemical technique. Taken together all these data, this study indicate that N caninum infection was widespread in breeding farms of Korean native cattle, but correlation between malformation and N caninum infection was not recognized.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.200-201
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• 2008

A case of cutaneous fibroma was diagnosed in the skin of the right hindlimb of a Korean indigenous cattle in Kyungpook province, Korea. Grossly, the protruding skin nodules consisted of a solitary mass $(1.5{\times}1.5{\sim}3.0{\times}3.0cm)$ above large grapelike warty nodules $(11.0{\times}11.0cm)$ on the leg. These masses were firm and rubbery, and the cut surface was gray to white. Histopathologically, the benign neoplastic nodules consisted of spindle-type fibroblasts with collagen. Melanoma, sarcoma, and fibropapilloma were excluded because there was no sign of melanin, muscle type cells, or epidermal proliferation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a cutaneous fibroma in a Korean indigenous cattle in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.387-392
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• 2005

This study was attempted to investigate the properties of brucellosis in Korean indigenous cattle at the Yeongwol and Pyeongchang county. Brucella spp was differentiated and identified from cotyledons, amniotic fluids and supramammary lymph nodes which confirmed with clinical, serological, epidemiological evidences (69 cases) from January to June, 2004. Isolation frequency of this causative agent from supramammary lymph nodes, cotyledons and amniotic fluids from 38 pregnant Korean indigenous cattle were $39.1\%,\;87.5\%,\;and\;63.2\%$, respectively, and finally confirmed with Brucella abortus biotype 1 through biochemical and serological test. A Brucella specific DNA with 711bp band was detected by PCR assay using BCSP primer. The two cases were definite epidemiological evidences that infected Korean indigenous cattle acrossed the border to Yeongwol and Pyeongchang from near two provinces. Effective prevention programs are urgently needed for further spreading this epidemics.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.393-398
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• 1999

This case occurred following accidental consumptions of toxic levels of feedstuffs in the Korean indigenous cattle which were pregnant for 3-6 months. Grossly, poorly defined bluish coloration in the ventral sac of the rumen, reticulum and omasum was visible on the surface of the stomach. The severely affected ruminal walls were perforated and blood-tinged exudate was observed and death followed due to acute diffuse peritonitis. There were copious amount of porridgelike rumen contents, which has a distinct fermentative odor. The epithelia were easily wiped off and hyperemic in patch. Histopathologically, chemical rumenitis with neutrophilic infiltration and opportunistic fungal infection was evident in the mucosa and submucosa. Multifocal necrotic foci with fungal hyphae on the liver and severe congestion on the renal medulla were noted. There was no evidence of heavy metal and aflatoxin Bl in the suspected feedstuffs. This case was diagnosed as acute carbohydate engorgement in cattle.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.363-367
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• 2008

This study was carried out to investigate an epidemiological state of neosporosis in Korean indigenous cattle in Uljin. Bloody samples were collected from 552 female cattle (337 farms), more than 5 years old, in 10 districts of Uljin, Antibody to N caninum were examined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Seroprevalence of individual and farm were 7.6% (42/552) and 8.6% (29/337), respectively. Positive rates by districts was variable $(0%{\sim}14,9%)$, and it was seemed to be a tendency that positive farms gathered with in a small zone. In seroprevalence by herd size farms having between 5-9 heads was top (37%), but there was no significant difference among herd size.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.407-410
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• 2010

Bovine abdominal fat necrosis (lipomatosis) is relatively common disorder in adult Korean indigenous cattle. Thirteen Korean indigenous cattle with bovine lipomatosis and five clinically healthy cattle were selected and serum biochemical profiles were analyzed. Serum free fatty acids level was significantly high, while total cholesterol, serum albumin and total calcium levels were significantly low in bovine lipomatosis group. In a case of necropsy, saponificated adipose masses surrounding colon was observed and hepatic fatty degeneration and fat deposition in the renal tubules were found in a histopathologic examination. These findings indicate that affected cattle have a predisposition to deposit more fat into adipose tissue than normal cattle. Such abnormalities might lead to the development of abdominal fat necrosis with fibroplasia and possibly compress the intestines and urinary organs.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.245-250
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• 2011

In the present study, we carried out a seropositive survey of Neospora (N) caninum and Toxoplasma (T) gondii in cattle at northern area of Gyeongnam province, Korea. Serum sample was obtained from Holstein cattle (n=248, 44 farms in 5 counties) and Korean indigenous cattle (n=120, 23 farms in 4 counties). All 368 sera were tested for antibodies to N. caninum and T. gondii by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Seropositive of N. caninum at farm and heads were 41.8% (28/67) and 12.8% (47/368), respectively. Twenty-five cattle (6.8%) were seropositive to T. gondii, and eighteen (26.9%) of 67 studied farms had cows seropositive to T. gondii. The seroprevalence of Holstein cattle was much higher than that of Korean indigenous cattle. There was no apparent association of T. gondii seropositivity with age, while the seropositivity for N. caninum was associated with cattle age. The farm of cattle above the age of 5 years (16.8%) was more infective than less than 4 years (9.3%). This is the first report on seroprevalence of N. canium and T. gondii in Holstein and Korean indigenous cattle in Gyeongnam, Korea.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.57-65
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• 2003

The present study was conducted to examine the outbreak state of bovine dermatophytosis in 14 farms(4 dairy farms, 10 Korean indigenous cattle farms) in Gyeongbuk province from November 2000 to November 2001. The causative agents of dermatophytosis was identified by mycological examination. Antifungal susceptibility test of 26 isolates was performed by agar dilution method, using 5 antifungal drugs. Prevalence of bovine dermatophytosis was found to be 13.5%(90/665) in dairy cattle farms and 14.5%(220/1,520) in Korean indigenous cattle farms. The most common age at which this disease occurred was 2-12 months. This disease usually occurred from winter to spring and the occurrence subsequently decreased in the summer. But 4 Korean indigenous cattle farms with poorly hygienic status were occurred all the year round. The causative agent was identified as Trichophyton verrucosum exclusively in these case. Antifungal susceptibility test of T verrucosum (26 strains) was performed by agar dilution method, using 5 antifungal drugs including tolnaftate, griseofulvin, ketoconazole, amphotericin B and terbinafine. All isolates were highly sensitive to 5 antifungal drugs (geometric mean MICs 0.004∼0.032 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$). The isolates were the most sensitive to especially tolnaftate.