## 4 Discussion  
In South Africa, [PERSON] et al. [33] reported a dramatic increase in the number of middle-class population due to improved income resulting in an equivalent rise in the demand of livestock products. Thus, intensive farming embracing huge quantities of antibiotics becomes crucial to meet demand [34]. According to [PERSON] et al. [35] antibiotics are mostly consumed as in-feed medications to the food animals in the country. However, the volume and pattern of the drugs consumed are not known due to lack of information. Naturally, the use of antibiotics is associated with the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance. Bacteria in food-producing animals are released into the environment and the food chain via manure, wastewater and animal-derived products, and in turn are transmitted to humans causing infections. Isolation, identification and characterisation of any particular disease-causing agent in a geographical location or country are important ingredients for the prevention and control of the disease that it causes [36]. The isolation, characterisation and antibiotic susceptibility and resistance \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \hline  & _Salmonella_ **Species (n = 19)** & & \\ \hline
**MAR Phenotypes** & **No. of Antibiotics** & **No. of Observed Isolates** & **Percentage** \\ \hline C-AUG-T-A-E-AP-NA & 7 & 2 & 10.53 \\ AP-A-E-NA-AUG-TS & 6 & 1 & 5.26 \\ T-A-GM-E-NA-TS & 6 & 1 & 5.26 \\ AP-A-E-NA-AUG & 5 & 2 & 10.53 \\ AP-A-GM-E-AUG & 5 & 3 & 15.79 \\ AP-A-E-AUG-TS & 5 & 1 & 5.26 \\ C-A-E-AP & 4 & 1 & 5.26 \\ A-E-AP & 3 & 3 & 15.79 \\ A-E-TS & 3 & 3 & 15.79 \\ A-GM-E & 3 & 1 & 5.26 \\ A-E-AUG & 3 & 1 & 5.26 \\ \hline \hline  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{_Escherichia coli_ (n = 7)} \\ \hline MAR phenotypes & No. of antibiotics & No. of observed isolates & Percentage \\ \hline C-T-E-A-AUG & 5 & 1 & 14.29 \\ C-T-E-A & 4 & 1 & 14.29 \\ C-T-E & 3 & 3 & 42.86 \\ C-E-A & 3 & 1 & 14.29 \\ T-E-TS & 3 & 1 & 14.29 \\ \hline \hline  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{_Campylobacter_ species (n = 11)} \\ \hline MAR phenotypes & No. of antibiotics & No. of observed isolates & Percentage \\ \hline TS-C-E-NA-AUG-A-CIP-T-GM-AP & 10 & 1 & 9.09 \\ TS-NA-AUG-A-CIP-AP & 6 & 1 & 9.09 \\ TS-C-NA-CIP-GM & 5 & 1 & 9.09 \\ TS-E-NA-CIP-GM & 5 & 2 & 18.18 \\ TS-NA-AUG-A & 4 & 2 & 18.18 \\ NA-AUG-A-AP & 4 & 1 & 9.09 \\ TS-NA-T-GM & 4 & 1 & 9.09 \\ TS-NA-AUG & 3 & 1 & 9.09 \\ \hline \hline  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{_Shigella_ species (n = 3)} \\ \hline MAR phenotypes & No. of antibiotics & No. of observed isolates & Percentage \\ \hline C-AUG-T-A-E-AP & 6 & 1 & 33.33 \\ C-AUG-T-A-E & 5 & 2 & 66.67 \\ \hline A, amoxicillin; AP, ampicillin; AUG, augmenting; C, chloramphenicol; CIP, ciprofloxacin; E, erythromycin; GM, gentamicin; NA, nalidic; T, tetracycline; TS, Co-trimoxazole. & \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 4: Multiple antibiotic resistant (MAR) phenotypes identified in bacterial isolates recovered from cattle manure during anaerobic digestion to 10 antibiotics. profiles of _E. coli_, _Salmonella_, _Campylobacter_ and _Shigella_ species obtained from a balloon-type digester, anaerobically degrading dairy cattle manure procured from a dairy farm in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, have being investigated and reported in this study. In this study, we identified _E. coli_, _Salmonella_, _Shigella_ and _Campylobacter_ bacteria in the influent manure which is an indication that dairy manure is a potential source of water, food and soil pollution if this waste is not properly managed and contained. The levels of these bacteria as depicted by their counts are not surprising as [PERSON] [37] in his study reported that the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals could serve as major reservoirs of _Salmonella_, _Shigella_ and _E. coli_ whereas the rumen of animals have been identified as major sources of _Campylobacter_ species that infect humans. Undoubtedly, these animals may shed these pathogens in their feces, which could act as a vehicle of transmission [26].