Domestic Livestock Research Articles

Anaplasma Species in Ticks Infesting Mammals of Sardinia, Italy.

Ticks are hematophagous ectoparasites that are recognized for their ability to vector a wide variety of pathogens of viral, bacterial, protozoal, and helminthic nature to vertebrate hosts. Among the different diseases transmitted by ticks, also called "Tick-Borne Diseases" (TBD), many are zoonotic. Pathogens of the genus Anaplasma refer to obligate intracellular bacteria within the Rickettsiales order transmitted mainly through tick bites and considered as well-established threats to domestic animals, livestock, and humans, worldwide. In this retrospective study, 156 ticks collected from twenty goats, one marten, and one cattle from several Sardinian sites, were examined by molecular analyses to detect the presence of Anaplasma species. A total of 10 (10/156; 6.4%) ticks were shown to be Anaplasma-positive by PCR screening. After sequence analyses, A. phagocytophilum was detected in four Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. (3.3%) and four Rh. bursa (11%) ticks from goats, while one Rh. sanguineus s.l. (0.8%) and one Rh. bursa (2.8%) collected from the marten and cattle, respectively, exhibited 100% of identity with A. marginale strains. In this study, we provide the first description and molecular detection of A. marginale and A. phagocytophilum in ticks of the Rhiphicephalus genus in Sardinia. Considering the growing impact of tick-borne Anaplasma pathogens on human health, further studies are necessary to monitor the prevalence of these pathogens in Sardinia.

Change in European Forage and Fodder Plant Indicator Sets over the Past 250 Years

The species-rich natural and seminatural grasslands of East-Central Europe have long offered diverse forages and fodder species for domestic livestock. The use and perception of forage and fodder plants are influenced by various agricultural, environmental, sociocultural, technical, and political factors. In our paper, we compared four indicator sets used by traditional land users and scientists since the Enlightenment period (18th century) until the present. We analyzed 24 literature sources and field data from Poland, Hungary, and neighboring countries. We found 2 049 records related to 529 plant species and identified 47 different types of forage/fodder quality indicators. The most often used indicators in the Enlightenment science indicator sets were “nutritional value,” “livestock preference,” and “impact on livestock health”; in the early ethnographic indicator sets (late 19th, early 20th century) “impact on livestock health” and “used for curing”; while the modern rangeland indicator set focused on “nutritional value,” “impact on livestock health,” and “productivity” of plants. The indicators used by present-day traditional herders and farmers in Hungary and Romania resembled the indicators documented in the Enlightenment period. We found data for more than 130 plant species on plant-livestock interactions that have the potential to be used in nature conservation management of seminatural pastures and meadows. The data include species currently considered protected, rare, and/or threatened in the studied countries. We argue that plant ecologists, conservation biologists, and practitioners could efficiently use historical and traditional knowledge sources about wild forage and fodder species for better and more sustainable management of species-rich grasslands in Europe.

Convolutional Neural Network Maps Plant Communities in Semi-Natural Grasslands Using Multispectral Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Imagery

Semi-natural grasslands (SNGs) are an essential part of European cultural landscapes. They are an important habitat for many animal and plant species and offer a variety of ecological functions. Diverse plant communities have evolved over time depending on environmental and management factors in grasslands. These different plant communities offer multiple ecosystem services and also have an effect on the forage value of fodder for domestic livestock. However, with increasing intensification in agriculture and the loss of SNGs, the biodiversity of grasslands continues to decline. In this paper, we present a method to spatially classify plant communities in grasslands in order to identify and map plant communities and weed species that occur in a semi-natural meadow. For this, high-resolution multispectral remote sensing data were captured by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in regular intervals and classified by a convolutional neural network (CNN). As the study area, a heterogeneous semi-natural hay meadow with first- and second-growth vegetation was chosen. Botanical relevés of fixed plots were used as ground truth and independent test data. Accuracies up to 88% on these independent test data were achieved, showing the great potential of the usage of CNNs for plant community mapping in high-resolution UAV data for ecological and agricultural applications.

A one-health review on brucellosis in the United States.

Brucellosis is a highly infectious zoonotic disease of global significance due to its adverse impact on public health, economics, and trade. Despite being one of the most prevalent zoonoses worldwide, attention given to global brucellosis control and prevention has been inadequate. Brucella species of greatest one-health relevance in the US include those infecting dogs (Brucella canis), swine (Brucella suis), and cattle and domestic bison (Brucella abortus). Although not endemic in the US, Brucella melitensis warrants awareness as it poses a risk to international travelers. While brucellosis has been eradicated from domestic livestock in the US, its detection in US companion animals (B canis) and US wildlife reservoirs (B suis and B abortus) and enzootic presence internationally pose a threat to human and animal health, warranting its spotlight on the one-health stage. The challenges of B canis diagnosis in humans and dogs is addressed in more detail in the companion Currents in One Health by Guarino et al, AJVR, April 2023. Human consumption of unpasteurized dairy products and occupational exposure of laboratory diagnosticians, veterinarians, and animal care providers are responsible for human exposures reported to the US CDC. Diagnosis and treatment of brucellosis is challenging due to the limitations of diagnostic assays and the tendency of Brucella spp to produce nonspecific, insidious clinical signs and evade antimicrobial therapy, making prevention essential. This review will focus on zoonotic considerations for Brucella spp found within the US along with their epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, treatment, and control strategies.

Molecular Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in Blood Samples of Domestic Livestock in the Republic of Korea.

Toxoplasma gondii, a major zoonotic pathogen distributed worldwide, causes severe infections in humans, animals, and birds. However, limited information is available regarding T. gondii infection in livestock in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Herein, we determined the prevalence of T. gondii infection in livestock in the ROK and identified animal species that can potentially transmit T. gondii to humans. B1 gene-targeting nested polymerase chain reaction detected T. gondii DNA in 3.3% (2/61), 2.9% (3/105), 14.1% (11/78), and 15.4% (14/91) of dairy cattle, beef cattle, Boer goats, and Korean native goats, respectively. The prevalence of T. gondii was significantly higher (p = 0.002) in goats than in cattle. The risk of contracting T. gondii infection was significantly higher by 6.18-fold in Korean native goats (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.72-22.27%, p = 0.005) and by 5.58-fold in Boer goats (95% CI: 1.50-20.76%, p = 0.010) than in beef cattle. Our T. gondii DNA sequences exhibited 97.1-100% homology with those obtained from various hosts in other countries. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report T. gondii infection using the blood samples of domestic ruminants in the ROK. The results revealed that the prevalence of T. gondii infection is higher in goats than in cattle as determined by molecular detection. Thus, these findings suggest that T. gondii can be transmitted from ruminants to humans via meat consumption.

A review on livestock odor characteristics and management (I) : Domestic livestock industry status, odor complaint, and management policy

A review on livestock odor characteristics and management (I) : Domestic livestock industry status, odor complaint, and management policy

Analysis of Water Quality Status in Tuntang River, Semarang Regency in 2022

Tuntang River is a river located in Tuntang District, Semarang Regency. The study was conducted to determine the quality of river water, status of river water quality and sources of river pollution in the Tuntang River in the Upstream Segment so that steps can be taken to tackle pollution in the Tuntang River in the Upstream Segment. This research was conducted during the dry season, samples were taken during the January-June 2022 period. The quality status was assessed using the Pollution Index (PI) method. The results of the study of 2 sample points were at lightly polluted status based on Class II Quality Standards according to Government Regulation Number 22 of 2021. Based on calculations using the PI method at Point 1 were in normal conditions. Meanwhile, point 2 is in a moderately polluted condition. In the analysis using Geography Information System (GIS) there are several sources of pollution, namely, in the domestic sector, plantation sector, agricultural sector (rice fields and fields), livestock sector, and mining sector.

Investigation of the Status of Infection of Minced Beef With Sarcocystis Parasite in Samples Collected From Butchers in Tabriz

Introduction: Sarcocystosis is one of the most common protozoan parasites in the domestic livestock and causes severe infection in some hosts such as cattle and sheep. In addition to domestic animals, Sarcocystis infects many wild animals, birds, coldblooded animals, and humans. The purpose of this study was to investigate and estimate the initial status of Sarcocystis infection in minced beef in Tabriz. Methods: For digestion test and diagnosis of Sarcocystis contamination from butchers in Tabriz, 300 samples and 100 grams of minced meat samples were prepared and transferred in plastic bags and separately to the parasitology laboratory of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Islamic Azad University of Tabriz, Iran. After preparing the digestive solution according to the standard method, an experiment was performed for each sample. Results: In this study, out of the total number of 300 collected samples, 189 samples were infected with the Sarcocystis parasite (63%). Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that the prevalence of Sarcocystis infection is high and this issue, in addition to inflicting economic losses due to livestock losses and seizure of infected carcasses or organs, as well as reducing livestock production, indicates the existence of health risks for residents. Due to the life cycle and epidemiology of this parasite, the need for further studies and control and health measures is important.

Antimicrobial properties of heterojunction BiSnSbO6-ZnO composites in wastewater treatment.

BiSnSbO6-ZnO composite photocatalytic material with type II heterojunction structure was synthesized by a simple solid-phase sintering method, it was characterized by XRD, UV-vis, and PT methods. The photocatalytic antibacterial experiments were carried out under LED light irradiation. The experimental results showed that the photocatalytic antibacterial properties of BiSnSbO6-ZnO composites against bacteria and fungi were significantly stronger than those of single BiSnSbO6 and ZnO. Under light conditions, the antibacterial efficiencies of 500mg/L BiSnSbO6-ZnO composites against E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa reached 99.63%, 100%, and 100% for 6h, 4h, and 4h, respectively. The best antibacterial concentration of BiSnSbO6-ZnO composite against the eukaryotic microorganism Candida albicans was 250mg/L, and the antibacterial efficiency reached the highest 63.8% at 6h. Antibacterial experiments were carried out on domestic livestock and poultry wastewater, which showed that the BiSnSbO6-ZnO composite photocatalytic material has broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against bacteria, and the antibacterial effect has species differences. Through the MTT experiment, it is proved that the prepared BiSnSbO6-ZnO composite photocatalytic material has no toxicity at the experimental concentration. According to the free radical scavenging experiment and SEM observation of the morphological changes of the bacteria after light treatment, the prepared BiSnSbO6-ZnO composite photocatalytic material can generate active species OH, h+, and e- through light irradiation to achieve the purpose of sterilization, where e- play a major role, indicating that the BiSnSbO6-ZnO composite photocatalytic material has broad application prospects in the actual antibacterial field.

Investigating Cause-Specific Mortality of Sheep to Determine the Impacts of Carnivores on Domestic Livestock

Populations of mammalian carnivores are growing in the western United States, leading to increases in conflicts with people because carnivores prey on species that are highly valued by humans, such as domestic livestock. Accurate and updated information on the impact of predators on prey is essential when making management decisions and mitigating domestic livestock losses, yet it is difficult to detect mortalities and determine whether depredation has occurred when livestock graze on public allotments. We sought to accurately quantify the effects of predation on domestic lambs when grazing on public allotments. We placed 934 very-high-frequency (VHF) collars on lambs in seven herds that graze on public allotments at two study sites—one in northern and one in central Utah, United States. We then monitored collared lambs daily throughout the summer grazing season (April−September 2021). Of the 934 collared lambs, there were 51 (5%) lamb mortalities, for which 28 were determined to be from predation, 12 from nonpredatory causes, and 11 from unknown causes because they were too decomposed to accurately determine a cause of death. Predators responsible included coyote (Canis latrans), cougar (Puma concolor), and bobcat (Lynx rufus). Overall, few lambs die in their first 3 mo, but of those that died, we found noticeable differences in the causes and number of mortalities among herds but no differences between study sites or in predation rates within herds over time. Our results suggest lamb survival may primarily be a function of animal husbandry practices or specialization by individual predators within a grazing allotment. This study provides insight into what factors influence lamb mortality and highlights areas ranchers and managers might focus on when seeking to increase lamb survival and reduce depredation.

Diet composition of Asiatic lions in protected areas and multi-use land matrix

Comparative studies on the diet of large felids in protected areas (PAs) and surrounding multi-use landscapes are important for their conservation. The Asiatic lion is an endangered felid distributed in Gir PA and the surrounding multi-use land matrix. Based on scat analyses, we assessed the dietary composition of Asiatic lions. The frequency of occurrence (FOO), biomass consumption model, dietary niche breadth and dietary overlap index was used to quantify diet. The Asiatic lion ate more wild prey (74%) than domestic livestock (26%) in the Gir PA. In contrast, lion diets comprised 51% wild prey and 42% domestic livestock in the multi-use land matrix. Sambar contributed most (38%) to the diet in PAs, while blue bull most (29%) in the multi-use land matrix. However, diet diversity and niche breadth were similar between these two areas. The dietary overlap in the lions' diet between these two areas was 0.52. The results suggest that large-size wild ungulates are the main prey species in Gir PA, while in the surrounding multi-use land matrix, both large wild ungulates and domestic livestock are the main prey. The present study may help future lion conservation management decisions.

Solar-based irrigation systems as a game changer to improve agricultural practices in sub-Sahara Africa: A case study from Mali

IntroductionIn rainfed agricultural systems, sustainable and efficient water management practices are key to improved agricultural productivity and natural resource management. The agricultural system in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) relies heavily on the availability of rainfall. With the erratic and unreliable rainfall pattern associated with poor and fragile soils, agricultural productivity has remained very low over the years. Much of the SSA agricultural land has been degraded with low fertility as a result of ongoing cultivation and wind and water erosion. This has resulted in an increased food shortage due to the ever-increasing population and land degradation. Better agricultural and nutritional security are further hampered by the lack of reliable access to the available water resources in the subsurface hydrological system.MethodsThis study used socio-economic data from 112 farm households and Boolean and Fuzzy methods to understand farmers' perceptions and identify suitable areas to implement Solar Based Irrigation Systems (SBISs) in the agro-ecologies of Bougouni and Koutiala districts of southern Mali.Results and discussionResults revealed that the usage of SBISs has been recent (4.5 years), majorly (77%) constructed by donor-funded projects mainly for domestic water use and livestock (88%). With regards to irrigation, vegetable production was the dominant water use (60%) enabling rural farm households to gain over 40% of extra household income during the dry season. Results further showed that 4,274 km2 (22%) of the total land area for the Bougouni district, and 1,722 km2 (18%) of the Koutiala district are suitable for solar-based irrigation. The affordability of solar panels in many places makes SBISs to be an emerging climate-smart technology for most rural Malian populations.

Neurologic disease produced by Rathayibacter toxicus-derived corynetoxins.

Corynetoxins, members of the tunicamycin group of antibiotics, are produced by the bacterium, Rathayibacter toxicus. They cause a severe neurologic disorder in domestic livestock, are hepatotoxins, and can damage retinal photoreceptors. For these toxins to be ingested by livestock, the bacterium must first be transported onto host plants by adhering to nematode larvae. In the infected seed heads, bacterial galls (gumma) then form. While corynetoxicity occurs most commonly in Australia, it has occurred sporadically in other countries and, due to the widespread global distribution of the bacterium, nematode, and host plants, there is great potential for further spread, particularly as the range of host plant species and nematode vectors identified for R. toxicus is increasing. Since many animal species are susceptible to corynetoxins poisoning, it is likely that humans would also be vulnerable if exposed to these potent, lethal toxins.

THELAZIOSIS IN WISENTS OF THE SHAHDAG NATIONAL PARK (AZERBAIJAN)

In the Shahdag National Park (Azerbaijan) the natural grouping of wisents (European bisons) is being formed. The program should eventually result in obtaining the independent stable grouping of wisents, capable of existing and reproduction without human interference. In the course of work with the grouping such a disease as wisent thelaziosis was detected. The presence of the disease can negatively affect the efficiency of the wisents reintroduction program. The aim of the work was to identify the problem, describe the clinical cases of wisent thelaziosis and determine possible measures to minimize risks for animals health. The article presents the data collected throughout a three years period of wisent group formation. The diagnosis – thelaziosis – was confirmed by finding the mature thelazia specimens of Thelazia rhodesi species. Such clinical manifestations as photophobia, eyelid edema, pathological lacrimation, serous conjunctivitis, purulent-catarrhal keratoconjunctivitis, clouding and ulceration of the cornea up to perforating ulcers, iridocyclitis were observed in wisents. The clinical form of thelaziosis had been detected in a wisent herd at all seasons of the year, at maximum in the period from the end of May to the end of July, up to 18.8 % of animals in the herd. At the rest of the time, the percentage of animals with disease manifestation varied from 3.7 to 11 %; two years in a row the cases of disease manifestation in adult wisents were observed in February. One case of thelaziosis was registered in a 1.5-month-old calf, the disease evolved in a hyperacute form. For treatment against thelaziosis in wisents the single intramuscular injections of ivermectin at a dose of 200 μg/kg (Ivermec, 2 ml/100 kg) were used. Medical treatment was given frontally to the herd after each detected clinical case. In addition wisents with strongly expressed clinical signs received a single injection of tulathromycin at a dose of 2.5 mg/1 kg (Draxin, 2.5 ml/100 kg). Medications were injected by means of a remote gun Dan-Inject. In Azerbaijan thelaziosis is spread among productive animals, as evidenced by veterinary reports. However, systematic studies of thelaziosis were carried out only in the 70–80s. As follows from the studies the thelaziosis infection rate in Azerbaijan has clearly expressed zonal distribution: high infection rate in the plain and submontane zones and rare cases of disease occurrence in the mountain belt. It was concluded that when forming wisents population, it is necessary to take into account the factor of zonality and plan the populations’ release in the mountainous areas of the national park, as the safest from veterinary side. Also due to domestic animals being the main source of infection for wisents in Azerbaijan, it is necessary to conduct research on disease expansion and intensity of infection in domestic livestock in the areas bordering with the Shahdag National Park. Currently while wisents are kept at the quarantine and transfer place, given the proximity of the enzootic focus, it is recommended to conduct the systematic frontal preventive treatment with ivermectin.

Heterologous Prime-Boost Vaccination with Commercial FMD Vaccines Elicits a Broader Immune Response than Homologous Prime-Boost Vaccination in Pigs.

Three commercial vaccines are administered in domestic livestock farms for routine vaccination to aid for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) control in Korea. Each vaccine contains distinct combinations of inactivated serotype O and A FMD virus (FMDV) antigens: O/Manisa + O/3039 + A/Iraq formulated in a double oil emulsion (DOE), O/Primorsky + A/Zabaikalsky formulated in a DOE, and O/Campos + A/Cruzeiro + A/2001 formulated in a single oil emulsion. Despite the recommendation for a prime-boost vaccination with the same vaccine in fattening pigs, occasional cross-inoculation is inevitable for many reasons, such as lack of compliance with vaccination guidelines, erroneous application, or change in vaccine types by suppliers. Therefore, there have been concerns that a poor immune response could be induced by cross-inoculation due to a failure to boost the immune response. In the present study, it was demonstrated by virus neutralization and ELISA tests that cross-inoculation of pigs with three commercial FMD vaccines does not hamper the immune response against the primary vaccine strains and enhances broader cross-reactivity against heterologous vaccine antigens whether they were applied or not. Therefore, it could be concluded that the cross-inoculation of FMD vaccines can be used as a regimen to strategically overcome the limitation of the antigenic spectrum induced by the original regimen.

Impacts of Livestock Grazing on Wild Ungulate Habitat in the Khata Corridor, Bardiya, Nepal

The wildlife population is an important part of the forest ecosystem and plays a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem health and integrity. In many grassland ecosystems, wild herbivores face substantial competition for space and resource use from livestock over grazing resources. Livestock and ungulates have shared a large portion of the Terai forest resources for decades, but little information has been explored about the influence of livestock on the grassland ecosystems of the protected areas of the Terai region of Nepal. We assessed the impact of livestock grazing on wild ungulate habitat in the Khata Corridor, Bardiya, Nepal. We used direct field observation, key informant interview (n = 10), focus group discussion (n = 5), and a questionnaire survey with local households to study the seasonal occurrence of wild ungulates in multiple habitats, livestock rearing practices, stocking density, and resource use by domestic livestock in and around the forest land of villages located in the Khata Corridor, Bardiya, Nepal. We followed livestock herds from the early morning to their return for consecutive days in each sample village to estimate the grazing circuits. We individually recorded a total number of grazing cattle in five different habitats while following the cattle grazing path by direct and indirect observation. Morisita’s index was used to evaluate the habitat overlap between domestic livestock and wild ungulates. The domestic cattle had a higher habitat overlap and effective stocking density in winter than wild ungulates in summer in the corridor forest. Lower availability of forage around the village led to the concerted effort of grazing in the forest, increasing the higher effective stocking density in winter, leading to the competition with wild ungulates. However, the carrying capacity is highly unevenly observed across the region, and overgrazing is found in many areas of the forest corridor. We recommend the development of comprehensive wildlife livestock grazing strategies for planning sustainable livestock farming and for important wildlife areas to maintain long-term landscape connectivity to protect migrating endangered wild species.

Determination of nitrate sources in a karst plateau reservoir based on nitrogen and oxygen isotopes

ABSTRACT Investigating the sources, migration and proportional contribution of nitrate is essential to effectively protect water quality. δ 15N-NO3 –, δ 18O-NO3 – and Stable Isotope Analysis in R (SIAR) were used to qualitatively and quantitatively analyse nitrate sources in the Pingzhai Reservoir water body. The values of δ 15N-NO3 – and δ 18O-NO3 – in water vary with season. Soil organic nitrogen and chemical fertilisers are the main sources of nitrate in autumn, while domestic sewage and livestock manure are the primary sources of nitrate in winter and spring. The SIAR results showed that chemical fertilisers, livestock manure, sewage, and soil organic nitrogen had the highest proportional contribution. In autumn, the proportional contribution of chemical fertilisers to river and reservoir were 47 and 51 %. During winter, the proportional contributions of livestock manure and sewage to river and reservoir were 53 and 68 %, respectively, and in spring 49 and 68 %, respectively. Considering the fragility of karst ecosystems, strict measures should be formulated for the use of chemical fertilisers and standards for sewage discharge should be raised. Control nitrogen input from agricultural activities and prevent water quality deterioration.

Domesticating details: 3D geometric morphometrics for the zooarchaeological discrimination of wild, domestic and proto-domestic sheep (Ovis aries) and goat (Capra hircus) populations

The domestication and management of livestock provided a critical source of food and textiles in the ancient world. Investigations into the processes of domestication, improvement, and management of these animals underpin interpretations of the economic structures of ancient societies. Despite this significance, zooarchaeologists continue to face significant problems in determining the state of domestication of key taxa, or even their certain osteological identification. This is particularly a problem during the initial stages of the domestication process. Significant advances in the understanding of certain domestic livestock species (e.g., pigs) have occurred as the result of geometric morphometric analyses but the morphology of other domesticates have caused them to lag behind. This study provides a GMM assessment of astragali from ovicaprines (sheep and goats) to demonstrate its capacity to advance our understanding of the domestication process through its ability to differentiate between wild, proto-domestic, and domestic morphotypes of these animals.

Reproductive Microbiomes in Domestic Livestock: Insights Utilizing 16S rRNA Gene Amplicon Community Sequencing.

Advancements in 16S rRNA gene amplicon community sequencing have vastly expanded our understanding of the reproductive microbiome and its role in fertility. In humans, Lactobacillus is the overwhelmingly dominant bacteria within reproductive tissues and is known to be commensal and an indicator of fertility in women and men. It is also known that Lactobacillus is not as largely abundant in the reproductive tissues of domestic livestock species. Thus, the objective of this review is to summarize the research to date on both female and male reproductive microbiomes in domestic livestock species (i.e., dairy cattle, beef cattle, swine, small ruminants, and horses). Having a comprehensive understanding of reproductive microbiota and its role in modulating physiological functions will aid in the development of management and therapeutic strategies to improve reproductive efficiency.

Optimal foraging of lions at the human wildlands interface

AbstractOptimal foraging and landscape of fear theories provide frameworks which can be useful for investigating animal's space and prey use decisions. Predators, such as African lions Panthera leo, are likely to respond to prey abundance, accessibility, profitability and potential risks, often anthropogenic in nature, while making foraging decision. Identifying the relative role of these processes has important conservation implications. We investigated the relative role of responses to a pastoralist landscape of fear within lion feeding and spatial ecology in a landscape at the human‐wildlands interface. We collected spatial and predation data from 12 GPS‐collared lions and ungulate count data from transects, along the South Africa–Mozambique border, including parts of Kruger, Limpopo and Banhine National Parks. We calculated Jacobs' Index values from 80 kills to investigate lion selection of wild and domestic ungulates as prey, used maximum entropy modelling to predict multi‐season ungulate spatial occurrence and used resource selection functions to estimate the relative probability of use of wild and domestic ungulate areas by lions. All lions had access to wild prey and domestic livestock within their home ranges. Lions showed a strong selection for large‐bodied wild ungulates as prey taking waterbuck, zebra, kudu and buffalo more frequently then predicted by their availability. Lions showed a slight avoidance of cattle as prey, with cattle outnumbering larger ungulates across much of the study area. Lions showed the greatest selection for habitats with high occurrences of wild prey, specifically areas with kudu, then nyala and buffalo, during the dry seasons and showed strong avoidance of cattle areas during the wet season; a season when cattle are kept closer to settlements and thus better protected and easier to predict and avoid. These results suggest that lions select for wild prey and habitats optimally, yet show a fear response to cattle and cattle areas. This duality in the foraging behaviour of lions suggests that efforts to mitigate human–lion conflict and preserve vulnerable lion populations should focus on both increasing wild ungulate populations as well as exploiting lion's fear of humans with careful consideration of the risks of livestock presence acting as an ecological trap for vulnerable lion populations.