Dr. FN FON
Department
Research focus/ interest
Community project
Ruminant Nutritionist/Animal Scientist
Agriculture
Ruminant nutrition, Improving forage utilization in ruminants with
potential fibrolytic microbes from wild herbivores, identification and
Classification of rumen microbes browsing in same/different fields,
Effect of tannin on fibrolytic microbes, Effect of different indigenous
forages on domestic ruminant performance
-Gingindlovu community project: Demographic distribution of
livestock and crop production systems at Gingindlovu community and
its implication to community development and livelihood
improvement. Application of indigenous forages in community
livestock and its effect on livelihood and self-employment.
-Mini-Habitable Planet Schools Engagement project, Unizulu Branch
(Sponsored by Applied Centre for Climate and Earth Systems science
hosted by Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Promoting grassroots science and awareness of our changing
environment.
Topics of PhD Thesis
1. Effect of ecological zones and Scavangable Feed Resource on
Indigenous Chicken Production in KwaZulu-Natal
Topics of MSc Thesis
1.
Partnership and collaboration
Effect of acacia Karoo supplementation on body weights and blood
metabolites concentration on Boer goats at Elliotdale.
2. Performance of goats fed Ipomea Batatas vines as a protein
supplement
3. Fibrolytic potential both wild and domestic herbivores microbial
ecosystem
4. The Effect of Seasonality on Nutrient availability, Feeding Behaviour
and Nguni Goat’s Performance at Ulundi (KwaZulu- Natal).
5. In vitro evaluation of moisture, nutritional and anthelmintic values of
Kigelia Africana fruits on domesticated ruminants
6. Molecular diversity of bacterial communities from wild herbivores
browsing tanniferous plant
7. Effect of microbial ecosystems from wild herbivores browsing
tanniferous plants on Zulu goat rumen fibrolytic activity
-Department of Animal and Poultry Science-University of KwaZulu-Natal
- AGRESEARH- New Zealand
- Bioinformatics Core / Proteomics Core Estimate - Meharry Medical College,
USA
Pictures or researchers per
department
Dr M. Sibanda
Agribusiness
Department
Research focus area
Topics of Masters dissertation
Partnership and collaboration
Agriculture
Climate change and adaptation; Food security; Improved Technology
Adoption.
1) Marketing constrains and opportunities for small-scale organic
farmers in Kwa-Zulu Natal.
2) Factors affecting the food security status and participation in
food security intervention programmes: The case of
Maphumulo communities in the ILembe District of Kwa-Zulu
Natal.
3) Challenges and viability of broiler projects in Northern KwaZulu Natal.
4) Constraints and factors affecting productivity of sugarcane
small-scale farmers of Ndwedwe local Municipality in KwaZulu Natal.
5) Towards understanding land abandonment in South Africa’s
rural areas and an analysis of selected technologies and
innovations for bringing land back into productive use.
Risk and Vulnerability Science Centre (RVSC) – University of Fort
Hare
Pictures or researchers per
department
Prof NW Kunene
Department
Research focus/interest
Dr M. Sibanda
Animal Breeding and Genetics
Agriculture
The phenotypic and genetic characterization of indigenous Nguni
sheep and goats.
Pictures or researchers per
department
Research outputs
Scientific papers
1. Kunene Winfred Nokuthula, Fon Fabian Nde, Zinhle QCS (2015).
Management of gastrointestinal parasites to reduce anthelmitic resistance in
Nguni goats at KwaMthethwa and Owen Sitole College of Agriculture area.
African Journal of Agricultural Research. 10(11): 1197-1220
2. Sibanda, M., Mushunje, A. & Mutengwa, C.S., 2015. Livelihood strategies
and potential adoption of improved maize open-pollinated varieties (OPVs)
in the OR Tambo District Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Fort
Hare Papers.
3. Kunene NW, Fon F Qwabe S, 2015 Management of Nguni goats to
control gastrointestinal parasites and anthelmintic resistance at
KwaMthethwa and Owen Sitole College of Agriculture area. African
Journal of Agricultural science
4. Gwala PE., Kunene NW, Bezuidenhout CC ., 2015 Genetic and
phenotypic variation among four Nguni sheep breeds using random
Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and morphological features.
In the Press. Tropical Animal Health Production
5. Nasreldin Abdelrahim Dafaalla Bashaa, Peter Frank Scogingsc, Fabian
Nde Fon, Nsahlaia IV (2015). Effects of season and species on in sacco
degradability of forages in the sub-humid subtropical savannah. African
Journal of Agricultural Research. (In Press)
6. Pitso, T., Kheswa, J., Nekhwevha, F. & Sibanda, M., 2014. The PsychoSocial wellbeing of the teenage mothers. Mediterranean Journal of Social
Sciences. Vol 5(10): 610 – 619.
7. Fon FN, Nsahlai IV, Scogings PF. (2014). In vitro manipulation of Jersey
cow rumen ecology with enzymes or microbes obtained from wild
ungulates. Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology. 14: 263-272
8. Kunene, NW, Ceccobelli S, Di Lorenzo, P, Hlophe SR, Bezuidenhout CC,
Lasagna E, 2014. Genetic diversity in four populations of Nguni (Zulu)
sheep using microsatellite analysis. Italian Journal of Animal Science 13
(3083) 76-81
9. Fon F.N., Nsahlai I.V., Michael, Chimonyo M. Mawahib AA. (2014).
Effect of Celmanax® on feed intake, live weight gain and nematode control
in growing sheep. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 9(7), 695-700.
10.
Fon FN, Nsahlai IV, Scogings PF. (2014). Extraction and
comparison of fibrolytic enzyme additives from gut of 11 ungulates. African
Journal of Biochemistry Research 8:31-8
11.
Fon F.N., Nsahlai I.V., Scogings P.F., Basha N.A.D. (2014). In
vitro cellulase production from five herbivore microbial ecosystems and
consortia. Annals Anim. Sci. 14, 324-340.
12.
Fon FN, Nsahlai IV, Scogings PF, Dludla SP. (2013a). Effect of
microbial consortia from ungulates on in vitro fermentation and greenhouse
gas emission of maize stover Advances in Animal Biosciences. 4,294
13.
Management of gastrointestinal parasites to reduce anthelmitic
resistance in Nguni goats at KwaMthethwa and Owen Sitole College of
Agriculture area
14.
Fon FN, Nsahlai IV, Scogings PF, Dludla SP. (2013b). Effect of
microbial consortia from ungulates on ruminal fermentation and greenhouse
gas emission of maize stover in sheep. Advances in Animal Biosciences.
4:295
15.
Mavule, BS., Kunene, NW., Muchenje, V., Bezuidenhout, CC., 2013.
Morphological structure of Zulu sheep based on Principal Component
Analysis of body measurements. Small ruminant research 111: 23-30
16.
Ntuli NR, Zobolo AM, Tongoona PB, Kunene NW, 2013. Genetic
diversity in Cucurbita peop landraces from northern KwaZulu-Natal, South
Africa, revealed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers.
African Journal of biotechnology 12(44) 6253-6261.
17.
Mavule, BS., Muchenje, V., Kunene, NW., 2013. Characterization
of Zulu sheep production system: Implications for conservation and
improvement. Scientific Research and Essays 8 (26):1126-1238
18.
Fon FN, Nsahlai IV. (2012a). Effect of direct-fed microbial
consortia on ruminal fermentation of maize stover in sheep. Small Ruminant
Research 111, 71-75.
19.
Fon FN, Nsahlai IV. (2012c). Laboratory cultured faecal inoculum
as a substitute for fresh rumen inoculum for in vitro feed evaluation. African
Journal of Agricultural Research 7, 6595-6604.
20.
Fon, F.N. and Nsahlai, I.V. (2012b). Laboratory cultured faecal
inoculum as a better substitute for fresh rumen inoculum than fresh faecal
inoculum for in vitro feed evaluation. African Journal of Agricultural
Research. 7:6595-6604
21.
Fon, F. and Nsahlai, I. (2012). The in vitro fermentation of maize
stover as affected by faecal bacteria obtained from ungulates. S. Afr. J.
Anim. Sci. 42: 478-482
22.
Fon, F.N. and Nsahlai, I.V. (2012). In vitro manipulation of Jersey
cow rumen ecology with microbes from wildebeest, horse and zebra.
American Journal of Dairy Science. 95: supplement 2
23.
Fon, F.N. and Nsahlai, I.V. (2012). In vitro manipulation of Jersey
cow rumen ecology with microbes from wildebeest, horse and zebra.
American Journal of Animal Science. 90: supplement 3
24.
Fon, F.N. and Nsahlai, I.V. (2012). Seasonality of fibrolytic enzyme
activity in herbivore microbial ecosystems. African Journal of
Biotechnology. 11 (67): 13123-13130
25.
Pebble, j., Gwebu, E, O yedeji, O, Nanyonga, S., Kunene, N.W.,
Jackson, D., Setzer, W. and Oyedeji,A., 2011. Composition and biological
potential of essential oil from Telechitonia trilobata growing in South
Africa. Natural Products Communications, 6 (12) 1945-1948.
26.
Nsahlai, I., Fon, F. and Basha, N. (2011). The effect of tannin with
and without polyethylene glycol on in vitro gas production and microbial
enzyme activity. S. Afr. J. Anim. Sci. 41: 337-344
27.
Kunene, N.W., Bezuidenhout, C.C., Nsahlai, I.V., 2011. A review of
some characteristics, socio-economic aspects and utilization of Zulu sheep:
implications for conservation. Tropical Animal Health Production 43:1075–
1079
28.
Nyamukanza, C. C., Scogings, P.F., Mbatha, K.R., Kunene, NW,
2010. Forage–sheep relationships in communally managed moist thornveld
in Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal. South African Journal of Range and Forage
Sciences 27 (1) 11-19.