Posted by GoatWorld on December 06, 2002 at 19:27:37:
Livestock scientist wins award
06 December, 2002
Botswana College of Agriculture (BCA) animal scientist Othusitse Madibela has won the prestigious Desmond Tutu Footprints of Legends Leadership Award for his efforts in the utilisation of renewable livestock feed and involvement with the community.
The award includes a trophy, certificate and US$50 000 for research. He will use one third of the money to attend conferences, workshops and seminars and the rest is to advance his leadership and vision to a new level of excellence.
Desmond Tutu Footprints of Legend Awards are administered annually by Desmond Tutu Educational Trust.
This prestigious award is sponsored by W.K.Kellog Foundation in partnership with Academy for Educational Development and Learning. The award is granted to workers who are leaders in their area of work but remain unrecognised in SADC countries.This year, the release says, there were over 200 nominees.
Madibela’s research involves evaluating locally available feed resources for livestock. Part of his research entails the use of parasitic plants (mistletoes), which attach on browse trees such as acacia as feed and alternative medicine for goats.
The use of forage trees containing condensed tannins will reduce the need for chemical intervention and on the other extends the effective life of drugs in the face of developing parasite resistance.
The release says there is increasing public concern over drug residues in the meat and milk products and the potential for environmental contamination.
“This feeding method taps on indigenous knowledge and is also sustainable because the plants will always be there when used sensibly,” it says.
News Source: All news stories were supplied by the Botswana Press Agency (BOPA)