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Abstract Commercial quail (Coturnix coturnix) farming has recently gained recognition from the South African poultry industry as a potential source of protein, which can be used to alleviate protein-energy malnutrition as well as food and nutrition insecurity in rural South Africa. Over six large-scale and hundred small-scale farmers are currently producing various quail breeds for commercial purposes in South Africa. However, these farmers face challenges of high feed costs, diseases, poor health care, low demand (for quail meat and eggs) and limited access to the markets. In addition, the lack of a pre-existing local market for quail meat and eggs has seen most farmers exporting these products to other countries, but with low profit margins owing to the slow growth experienced by world economies. Furthermore, the socio-economic crisis brought by the global Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exacerbated these challenges as most of the countries enforced nationwide lockdown to mitigate the spread of the virus. Although this initiative was taken to save lives, it left quail farmers not knowing where to trade their stock due to large uncertainties in the social and economic domain, compounded by the fact that many South African citizens are traditionally accustomed to chicken products. Moreover, the size of the quail in relation to its market price when compared to that of chickens continues to lower its demand causing a lot of quail businesses to collapse. Thus, it is imperative to explore strategies that can reduce the cost of producing quail, while increasing their demand and popularity. Non-conventional feed ingredients and phytogenic feed additives that are inexpensive, locally available, and readily accessible should be identified and evaluated in quail diets to deliver sustainable production systems that will ensure that these birds continue to play a significant role in food and nutrition security of humans. In addition, extension service workers and quail farmers need to form a collaborative team to increase awareness about the benefits of quail products and build a long-lasting and profitable quail business. In this work, we present potential rearing methods for commercial quail production, nutritional benefits of quail products, as well as nutritional solutions for a sustainable and profitable quail business. Lastly, we review prospective awareness programs and marketing strategies that are aimed at successful commercialisation of quail using various networks.

The aim of this article is to highlight the effects of chicken dumping trade on South African local commercial chicken farming industry. The high cost of farming in South African has risen and this has created a fertile ground for overseas countries where chicken production costs are low to intensify their exports to South Africa for their excess chicken products at a lower price. South African chicken farmers are already facing domestic challenges which includes high-cost feed, high cost of importing chicken lines and resources to produce the meat chicken. A local single fertilised Ross 308 / Cobb 500 Fertile egg cost at least R2.50 ($0.12), whereas international, local breeders source these genetic lines at over a $1 an egg. Locally, there is persistent drought, chicken diseases, high electricity cost and electricity shortages (load shedding). These challenges inevitably raise costs of chicken production in South Africa whereas the US, Brazil and EU countries farming industries are highly subsidised and experience no high electricity costs or load shedding. In perspective, imported chicken from Brazil cost R9 per kg as compared to locally produced chicken at R25 per kg. To mitigate the chicken dumping trade, the South African government imposed legally sound chicken import tariffs of up to 62 %, however in August of 2022, the government suspended these tariffs due to rising food costs in the hope that the cheap dumped chicken would provide a relief to the financially stressed consumers. This move has raffled feathers within the local chicken farming sector which is struggling to sustain their farms due to stiff competition with the low-priced chicken, predominantly from Brazil and the US. More chicken farms in South Africa are shedding jobs. As of 2023, the poultry industry in South Africa employs an estimated total of 70,000 people, and others are questioning the sustainability of their enterprises going forward if the chicken dumping in the country is not controlled via stringent legislation that include appropriate dumping tariffs. This article suggests that both the chicken farming industry, the chicken importers and the government should hold regular dialogs to get common ground before the majority of local chicken farmers close shops due to chicken dumping. The regular engagements between the government and the chicken industry could avoid seemingly unilateral suspension of import tariffs. Subsidies that could absorb some of the operation cost, as is the case with US or Brazilian farmers should be introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several aquaculture studies have concluded that feed constitutes the heaviest cost in aquaculture enterprises. Consequently, researchers continue to investigate strategies that can lower feed costs such as the use of protein rich plant sources and insect meals to partially or completely substitute the expensive fishmeal in aquafeeds. However, this approach has often faced numerous challenges such as anti-nutrients in plant protein sources that limit their use and suboptimal polyunsaturated fatty acids profile in terrestrial protein sources such as insect meal. Precision feeding is a strategy that could also reduce aquafeed feed costs and enhance the economic sustainability of aquaculture. There is discordance regarding the feeding intensity that should be used for fish such as dusky kob. The current study was designed to compare the effect of three feeding intensities (2.8 %, 3.5 % and 4 % of body weight (BW)) on growth performance and feed utilisation of juvenile dusky kob (Argryrosomus japonicus). Dusky kob juveniles were randomly and evenly allocated to 18 tanks with a volume of 465 L. Each feeding intensity was randomly allocated to six tanks carrying 66 fish each. The average temperature and dissolved oxygen were 25°C and 5.5-6.0 mg/l, respectively. Commercial dusky kob diet was offered twice daily at the rate of 2.8%, 3.5% and 4% of body weight (BW). A feeding intensity × fish age (weeks) interaction effect was noted on fish feed intake (P<0.05) but not on weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and specific growth rate (SGR). The overall weight gain after six weeks of feeding was similar across the three feeding intensities (P>0.05). The 2.8% BW feeding rate promoted 1.06%/day SGR as compared to 1.21%/day and 1.48%/day for 3.5% and 4.0% BW feeding rates, respectively. Similar weight gains and FCR recorded across the three feeding intensities may suggest that the lowest feeding intensity (2.8% BW) should be used for dusky kob feeding to reduce feeding costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]