Department of Food Science and Nutrition

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://localhost:4000/handle/20.500.12092/1842

Browse

End date: 2019Subject: search.filters.subject.Kenya

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    A Preliminary Survey of Animal Handling and Cultural Slaughter Practices among Kenyan Communities: Potential Influence on Meat Quality
    (African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, 2016) Lokuruka, Michael
    Kenya is composed of over 40 ethnic communities who practice varied methods of animal handling and slaughter. Socio-cultural and religious traditions have the potential to influence animal handling and slaughter practices. These influences have, however, not been documented in the literature as far as the author is aware. Also, the literature has documented the connection between the manner of animal treatment and meat quality, but this is rarely discussed in the literature in Kenya; this connection is important as it informs modern meat trade practices by Kenyans as they trade in the global arena. This survey aimed to mainly establish and document the animal slaughter practices among Kenyan communities, and, to also highlight any current provisions related to meeting modern animal welfare requirements, animal handling procedures in the meat trade and discuss their potential influence on meat quality available in commerce in Kenya. This preliminary study surveyed the slaughter practices among 10 different Kenyan communities through a semi-structured questionnaire, focus group discussions and individual interviews. The survey demonstrated that different Kenyan communities practice varied methods of animal slaughter depending on whether the animal being slaughtered is for public feasting, domestic consumption or commercial merchandizing. The Kenyan communities surveyed in this study depend mainly on males to slaughter livestock for females preparing it for domestic use using a number of instruments and methods. For small stock for domestic consumption, females may slaughter the animal except for Muslims whose males have to slaughter the animal with a special knife (a Khalef) according to Muslim rites to render it Halal. Large stock is invariably slaughtered by males irrespective of the community, and the manner of use of the carcass. Gender, age, religion, community and the size of the animal were the major determinants of the method of animal slaughter. The animal welfare issues highlighted in the survey and related to the handling and slaughter of livestock have important implications for meat quality during commercial merchandizing. There is an apparent need to provide education to herders, livestock handlers, employees and management in the livestock industry in Kenya on the relationship between animal welfare requirements, animal handling procedures and meat quality. Such awareness can potentially improve the quality and economic value of the meat available in commerce.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Effectiveness Of Albendazole On Soil Transmitted Nematodes Among School ChildrenA Case Of Kakamega County, Kenya
    (African Journal of Health Sciences, 2019) Ngonjo, T.W.; Okoyo, Collins; Simiyu, Elses; Kihara, Jimmy; Lelo, Agola Eric; Kabiru, Ephantus; Mwandawiro, Charles
    Recent assessment by WHO on Soil Transmitted Nematodes (STN) point that their morbidity is still high in people mainly in children. A. lumbricoidesglobally infects 1.2 billion people and T. trichiura795 million worldwide. Infections withAncylostoma duodenaleand Necator americanus 740 million leading to 135,000 deaths per year. It became necessary to find out the effectiveness of Albendazoleonsoil transmittedNematodesamong school children- a case of kakamega county, kenya.METHODOLOGYStudy respondents were selected fom public primary school children in Kakamega County. A total of 731 and 665 (pre & post) children in 7 primary schools in three sub counties of Kakamega County were recruited in the study. Pre-treatment survey was done in March, 2014 and follow up in September 2014. Fecal samples were examined for the presence of STN . 14 days after treatment using Kato- Katz method.The total number of eggs were expressed as eggs/gm of feaces (epg). Pretreatment prevalence was 43.5% for Ascaris lumbricoides, 1.8% for hookworm and 0.9% for Trichuris trichiura. R ESU LTSMean intensity of hookworm, A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura infections in the pre-and post-surveys were reduced by 1.2%, 98.4% and 100% respectively. Prevalence decreased to 2.3% for Ascaris lumbricoides and 0 % for T. trichiura. Post treatment prevalence of A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura infections were significantly reduced by 94.8% and 100% respectively. A slight increase in hookworm prevalence was observed. However, this increase was not significant (p=0.993). CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic efficacy of Albendazole indicated a good reduction in parasite burden. Albendazole satisfactorily reduced STN infection while for hookworm there was a non-significant increase in prevalence. Key words: Cure rate, egg reduction rate, albendazole, Kenya
©Karatina University