Photoperiod is an important factor in stimulating broiler performance in commercial poultry practice. However, the mechanism by which photoperiod affects the performance of broiler chickens has not been adequately explored. The current study evaluated the effects of three different photoperiod regimes (short day (LD) = 8 h light, control (CTR) = 12.5 h light, and long day (SD) = 16 h light) on the cecal microbiota of broiler roosters by sequencing bacterial 16S rRNA genes. At the phylum level, the dominant bacteria were Firmicutes (CTR: 68%, SD: 69%, LD: 67%) and Bacteroidetes (CTR: 25%, SD: 26%, and LD: 28%). There was a greater abundance of Proteobacteria (p < 0.01) and Cyanobacteria (p < 0.05) in chickens in the LD group than in those in the CTR group. A significantly greater abundance of Actinobacteria was observed in CTR chickens than in SD and LD chickens (p < 0.01). The abundance of Deferribacteres was significantly higher in LD chickens than in SD chickens (p < 0.01). Fusobacteria and Proteobacteria were more abundant in SD chickens than in CTR and LD chickens. The predicted functional properties indicate that cellular processes may be influenced by photoperiod. Conversely, carbohydrate metabolism was enhanced in CTR chickens as compared to that in SD and LD chickens. The current results indicate that different photoperiod regimes may influence the abundance of specific bacterial populations and then contribute to differences in the functional properties of gut microbiota of broiler roosters.

Ticks are amongst the important ectoparasites where livestock are concerned, as they adversely affect the animals through bloodsucking. In tropical and subtropical countries, they transmit pathogens such as babesiosis, theileriosis, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis in cattle, causing a reduction in production rate and significant concomitant economic losses. Ticks affect 80% of the cattle population across the world, with an estimated economic loss of USD 20–30 billion per year. In South Africa, economic losses in the livestock industry caused by ticks and tick-borne diseases are estimated to exceed USD 33 million per year (ZAR 500 million). There are seven major genera of ixodid ticks in Southern Africa (i.e., Amblyomma, Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma, Ixodes and Rhipicephalus). The environment in which a tick lives is made up of all the various biological and abiotic factors that are either necessary or unnecessary for its life. The areas where various ticks have been found have been documented in many publications. Using these data, maps of possible species’ habitats can be made. Historical records on tick distribution may be incorrect due to identification mistakes or a change in the tick’s name. All the sources used to generate the maps for this review were unpublished and came from a wide range of sources. To identify tick species and the accompanying microbial ecosystems, researchers are increasingly adopting tick identification methods including 16S and 18S rDNA gene sequencing. Indeed, little is known about the genetic alterations that give important traits, including the predilection for tick hosts, transmission, and acaricide resistance. Opportunities for exploring these changes in tick populations and subpopulations are provided by advancements in omics technologies. The literature on the variety of ixodid ticks, their direct and indirect effects, and control methods in South Africa is compiled in this review.

Characterization of bovine vaginal microbial genetic diversity can lead to better understanding of cattle physiology, which is of economic interest in improving cattle reproduction health. However, there is limited knowledge on the factors affecting the microbial community harbored in the vaginal tract. The aim of the current study is to evaluate and compare the microbial genetic diversity and abundance between the Holstein and Fleckvieh cattle using metagenomic approach. The main bacterial phyla found were firmicutes (51.70–58.80%), proteobacteria (16.70–11.70%) and bacteroidetes (13.20–19.50%) for Holstein and Fleckvieh. Notable significant difference (p < 0.05) was observed for Fusobacteria, which was more abundant in Holstein (9.73–0.81%). At the achaea phyla, Euryarchaeota was significantly different (p < 0.05) and was more abundant in Fleckvieh than in Holstein cattle (0.86–0.22%). At the genus level, Turicibacter, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-010, Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, Dorea, Methanobrevibacter, Acetitomaculum, Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group and Ruminiclostridium_5 were found to be significantly (p < 0.05) different between the two cattle breeds and all of them were more abundant in Fleckvieh than in Holstein cattle. The current results indicate that the breed can influence bovine vaginal microbial abundance and diversity. Our study characterized and provided pivotal scientific knowledge to understand the microbial community that harbors the bovine virginal flora.