College of Graduate Studies
Dr Lwando Mbambalala
| College of Graduate Studies | |
|---|---|
| Post-Doctoral Research Fellow | |
| E-mail: | mbambl@unisa.ac.za |
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Dr Lwando Mbambalala is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the College of Graduate Studies at the University of South Africa. He is committed to advancing ruminant nutrition through an integrated “farm-to-fork” approach that links forage evaluation and utilisation, as well as alternative feed resources. His research particularly examines forage digestibility and how nutritional interventions influence physiological responses and overall animal well-being. His core research activities include conducting controlled feeding trials, developing feed conservation strategies, and evaluating the impact of dietary interventions on meat quality attributes such as marbling, tenderness, and flavour. Through this comprehensive approach, he links on-farm nutrition strategies to final consumer product quality and food safety outcomes. He is also actively engaged in promoting climate-smart livestock systems aimed at improving productivity, resilience, and environmental sustainability under changing climatic conditions. In addition, he is exploring the use of indigenous knowledge systems and locally extracted plant essential oils as eco-friendly alternatives for tick control in ruminants, addressing a key constraint to sustainable livestock production. His overarching goal is to apply scientific innovation to practical agricultural challenges, bridging research, livestock production, and food-system outcomes.
UNISA contact person: Prof Khanyisile Mbatha