Department of Agriculture and Animal Health

Prof TJ Tjelele

College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences
School of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Department: Agriculture and Animal Health
Professor
Tel: 011 471 2341
E-mail: tjeletj@unisa.ac.za

Qualifications

  • PhD: Botany (UKZN)
  • Masters: Animal Production (UP)
  • B Agric (Hons): Agric Economics (UP)
  • B Agric: Animal Science (UNIVEN)

Currently teaching

  • Pasture Management 
  • Rangeland Management & Planted pasture 

Field of Specialisation

  • Rangeland Ecology & Management
  • Plant-herbivore interaction
  • Pasture Science

Books

  • Cupido, C., Samuels, I., Letsoalo, N., Finca, A., Ntombela, K., Foster, J., Zondani, T., Tjelele, J. 2023. Cultivating climate resilience: Farmers’ local-led restoration for arid rangeland adaptation in the Karoo region of South Africa. In: L. Myeni., M. Moeletsi & T. Fyfileld (eds.), Climate-smart agriculture: Evidence-based case studies in South Africa. ARC - Natural Resource & Engineering, Pretoria, pp. 51-55

  • Tjelele, J., Müller, F., Pule, G., Letsoalo, N., Manganyi, F. 2023. Using encroaching trees and shrubs to cover dry season feed gaps and control bush encroachment – A case study of Vachellia nilotica and Seriphium plumosum. In: L. Myeni., M. Moeletsi & T. Fyfileld (eds.), Climate-smart agriculture: Evidence-based case studies in South Africa. ARC - Natural Resource & Engineering, Pretoria, pp. 39-44.

  • Somers, M.J., Davies-Mostert, H., Maruping-Mzileni, N., Swanepoel, L., Do Linh San, E., Botha, A., Tjelele, J., Dumalisile, L., Marnewick, K., Tafani, M., Hunnicutt, A., Tambling, C. J., Minnie, L., & Hawkins, H-J. 2018. Biology, ecology and interaction of other predators with livestock. In: Livestock predation and its management in South Africa: a scientific assessment (Eds Kerley, G.I.H., Wilson, S.L. & Balfour, D.). Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, 228-254.

Journal articles

  • Manganyi., FL., Tjelele, TJ., Mbatha, KR., Letsoalo, NL., Müller, FL & Mpanza, TDE. 2024. Ensiling as a technique for preservation of the nutritional quality of Vachellia nilotica. African Journal of Range & Forage Science, 41:4, 227-234, DOI: 10.2989/10220119.2024.2415667

  • Ncisana, L., Nyathi, MK., Mkhize, NR.,

    Mabhaudhi, T., Tjelele, TJ., Mbambalala, L & Modi, AT. 2024.Water use efficiency (WUE) and nutrient concentration of selected fodder radish (Raphanus sativus L.) genotypes for sustainable diets. Sci Rep 14, 31315 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82727-7

  • Ncisana, L., Mabhaudhi, T., Mkhize, NR., Ravhuhali, K., Tjelele, TJ., Nyathi, MK., Mbambalala, L., Msiza, NH., Nzeru, MS., Modi, AT. 2024. Water regimes in selected fodder radish (Raphanus sativus) genotypes: Effects on nutritional value and in vitro ruminal dry matter degradability. Heliyon 10(5): e29203

  • Zeru, AE., Hassen, A., Apostolides, Z., Tjelele, J. 2024. 94 Associative effects of two potent anti-methanogenic Moringa oleifera accessions mixed at various proportions on in vitro rumen fermentation and methane inhibition. Journal of Animal Science, 323-325.
  • Zwane, TJ., Tsvuura, Z., Kraai, M., Tjelele, TJ, Mkhize, NR. 2024. The Influence of Bush Encroachment on the Abundance and Species Richness of Rodents in a Mesic Savanna. African Journal of Ecology, 2024; 62:e13344
  • Seed Germination Responses to Temperature and Osmotic Stress Conditions in Brachiaria Forage Grasses. 2024. Grasses, 3, 264–273. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/grasses3040019.
  • Piet Monegi , Ntuthuko R. Mkhize, Julius T. Tjelele, David Ward and Zivanai Tsvuura. 2023. Grass dynamics along a woody-plant density reduction gradient in a South African savannah. African Journal of Range and Forage Sciences.
  • R Mkhize, P.T Masondo, K.R Mbatha, D Luseba, J.T Tjelele. 2023. Diet mixing and supplementation present an opportunity to increase use of encroaching woody plants by goats. Animals, 13, 3509.
  • Pule, H.T.; Tjelele, J.T.; Tedder, M.J. 2023. Post-Fire Soil Nutrient Dynamics in Seriphium plumosum L. Encroached Semi-Arid Grassland of Gauteng Province, South Africa. Agriculture, 13, 1971.

  • Monegi, P.; Mkhize, N.R.; Tjelele, J.T.; Ward, D.; Tsvuura, Z. Resprouting Response among Savanna Tree Species in Relation to Stem Size, Woody Removal Intensity and Herbicide Application. Plants 2023, 12, 3451. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12193451.

  • N.G Ndamane, M Kraai, Z Tsvuura, N.R Mkhize, TJ Tjelele. 2023. Community Perceptions on the Transformation of a high-altitude Grassland Through Invasion by Leucosidea sericea at Vuvu, South Africa. Human Ecology 51:439–454

  • Tjelele, J., Müller, F., Pule, G., Letsoalo, N., Manganyi, F. 2023. Using encroaching trees and shrubs to cover dry season feed gaps and control bush encroachment – A case study of Vachellia nilotica and Seriphium plumosum. In: L. Myeni., M. Moeletsi & T. Fyfileld (eds.), Climate-smart agriculture: Evidence-based case studies in South Africa. ARC - Natural Resource & Engineering, Pretoria, pp. 39-44.

  • Cupido, C., Samuels, I., Letsoalo, N., Finca, A., Ntombela, K., Foster, J., Zondani, T., Tjelele, J. 2023. Cultivating climate resilience: Farmers’ local-led restoration for arid rangeland adaptation in the Karoo region of South Africa. In: L. Myeni., M. Moeletsi & T. Fyfileld (eds.), Climate-smart agriculture: Evidence-based case studies in South Africa. ARC - Natural Resource & Engineering, Pretoria, pp. 51-55.

  • Ngoako Lucas Letsoalo; Igshaan Samuels; Clement Cupido; Khuliliwe Ntombela; Andiswa Finca; Jodene Foster; Julius Tjelele; Richard Knight. Coping and adapting to drought in semi-arid Karoo rangelands: key lessons from livestock farmers. Arid Environments (Accepted).

  • Monegi, P., Mkhize, N.R., Tjelele, T.J., Ward, D., Tsvuura, Z. 2023. Grass dynamics along a woody-plant density reduction gradient in a South African savannah. African Journal of Range & Forage Science (accepted).

  • Manganyi., FL., Tjelele, TJ., Mbatha, KR., Letsoalo, NL., Müller, FL. 2023. The potential for endozoochorous dispersal of Vachellia nilotica seeds by goats: implications for bush encroachment. Agronomy, 13(6), 1599; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13061599

  • Kraai, UM., Kraai, M., Tsvuura, Z., Mkhize, NR., Tjelele, TJ . 2023. Community perceptions on the transformation of a high-altitude grassland through invasion by Leucosidea sericea at Vuvu, South Africa. Human Ecology 51, 439-459.

  • Kraai, UM., Kraai, M., Tsvuura, Z., Mkhize, NR., Tjelele, TJ. 2022. The impacts of Cape porcupines on woody plant mortality. Austral Ecology 1-10.

Professional positions, fellowships & awards

  • Advisory Board, Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
  • Immediate Past President of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa
  • President of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa
  • Deputy President of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa
  • Reference group member for one of Water Research Commission (WRC) project
  • Member of International Goat Association (IGA)
  • Publication Editor of Grassroots, a popular newsletter of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa (GSSA).
  • Member of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa (GSSA).

Projects

  • Cover crops technologies in selected land care projects
  • Long-term veld assessment and improvement research
  • Creating feed from encroaching rangeland trees - An alternative option to mitigate the spread of bush encroachment
  • The identification of the most suitable Brachiaria genotypes for improved livestock production in water-limited agro-ecological areas of South Africa
  • Veld Monitoring and Improvement Rangeland restoration and establishment of planted pasture for optimal livestock production
  • Ecological and cost-effective management of woody plant encroachment
  • Controlling woody plant encroachment in communal
  • The use of encroaching woody plant species as an integral part of the livestock diet
  • Cost-effective feeding strategies for smallholder cattle producers targeting free range beef markets
  • Management of woody/shrubby plant encroachment: implications for biodiversity and livestock production
  • Veld condition assessment and fodder flow planning for the emerging farmers of Gauteng Province, South Africa
  • Grazing animals on bush encrachment
  • Browsing-fire interaction on rangelands dominated by woody plant species
  • Grazing animals on bush encroachment
  • Do grazing or browsing animals facilitate germination potential and seedling recruitment of woody plants?