How University of Portsmouth researchers are studying African cattle’s eating habits in a bid to help solve the plastic pollution crisis

The groundbreaking new study was revealed at the university’s PlasticsFuture 2023 Conference, a global gathering of experts.

As part of their work, researchers will study the feeding behaviour and levels of plastic ingested by cattle and donkeys, working with animal owners and local communities to improve animal welfare.

Until now, the major focus of the effects of plastic pollution on animals has been in the marine environment. Much less studied, but equally as concerning, is the effect on land animals.

This is particularly important for animals such as livestock that often end up in the food chain or working animals such as donkeys who support the livelihoods of some of the poorest communities globally.

Scientists already know that the effects of livestock eating larger (macro) plastics can range from loss of body condition and disease to plastics blocking the digestive tract, leading to colic, starvation and death.

The effects of microplastics, which leech into the soil and plants that animals eat, include reduced growth and fertility, abnormal behaviour, and biochemical and structural damage.

The UoP study focuses on Lamu Island in Kenya, a UNESCO world heritage site where subsistence farming is common. Many islanders rely on working animals for their transport and income. Plastic waste is endemic and waste sites are largely unmanaged.

A recent investigation conducted by UoP researchers and The Flipflopi Project in a Lamu abattoir found a slaughtered cow with a staggering 35kg of plastic in its stomach.

Project Lead, Dr Leanne Proops, Reader in Animal Behaviour and Welfare at the UoP, said: ‘In many countries, including Kenya, domestic animals graze open waste dumps to find food, consuming plastics that can have a dire effect on health and welfare.

‘Even if livestock appear unharmed, meat and milk often contain microplastics that affect human health.

‘The problem of plastic pollution is getting worse, and we need to know how this impacts the animals that play such a major role in communities.’

The new project is a collaboration between the UoP and The Donkey Sanctuary in Lamu.

Dr Obadiah Sing’Oei, Lamu Clinic Team Lead and Lead Vet, explained: ‘We see the devastating impacts of plastic pollution on these animals on a daily basis, and know the knock-on effects to owners who rely on them for their livelihoods.

‘We are pleased that, with the help of researchers from Portsmouth, we will be able to highlight this worrying issue.’

University researchers have carried out surveys and focus groups with local livestock owners, vets and residents of Lamu Island. They found a growing concern about the links between plastic pollution, ecosystem health, animal welfare and human wellbeing.

However, the picture is complex, livestock owners often cannot afford to feed their animals and through necessity let their animals loose to graze.

Investigations have begun to examine the foraging behaviours of cows and donkeys in Lamu. The study has already shown that the ingestion of plastic by free roaming domestic animals is a major problem.

Due to their behaviour and biology, donkeys seem to be more susceptible to the extreme effects of eating inappropriate materials.

Dr Proops said: ‘The next phase of the project will see livestock faeces analysed for plastic levels.

‘This is also the first step in quantifying the impact of plastic pollution on the welfare of livestock and equids in Lamu specifically, and will help to inform potential future waste management strategies.’

During the focus group meetings, it became clear that donkey owners were keen to raise awareness of donkey welfare issues among other owners and the wider community.

The participants said the development of some creative pieces such as theatre and song would work well within the community.

In the next phase of the project, researchers will work with Lamu Arts and Theatre Alliance to develop arts-based initiatives to raise awareness of the risk factors for poor donkey welfare within the local community.

Dr Cressida Bowyer, Project Collaborator and Deputy Director of the Revolution Plastics research initiative at the University of Portsmouth, added: ‘Arts-based initiatives, visual art, storytelling and performance in particular, have wide general appeal, breaking down barriers, and often reaching a large number of sometimes difficult to reach communities.

‘Using such socially and culturally relevant approaches can stimulate debate and create lasting change.

‘Working closely with local communities and organisations to design and deliver the project helps to ensure that the research empowers and benefits the local community.’