Ecology of the cattle tick (Boophilus microplus) in subtropical Australia. II. Resistance of different breeds of cattle

1988 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 299 ◽  
Author(s):  
RW Sutherst ◽  
GF Maywald ◽  
AS Bourne ◽  
ID Sutherland ◽  
DA Stegeman

The resistance to the cattle tick, Boophilus mircoplus, of four herds of cattle with different Bos indicus (zebu) content, grazed at each of two locations in the subtropics of Queensland, Australia, was measured using artificial tick infestations at intervals of either 2 or 6 months over periods of up to 4 years. The factors affecting resistance of crossbred herds at each location in order of decreasing importance were the proportion of R. indicus genes, lactation, age interacting with nutritional conditions, a seasonal cycle which differed in timing at the two locations, and rainfall during the week of tick infestation. These variables accounted for 62% of the observed variation and the statistical model explained concurrent changes in resistance of other herds equally well. These findings are combined with data on the survival of freeliving stages of the ticks in a later paper to explain the observed variation in populations of cattle ticks on the untreated herds when grazing in separate pastures.

1988 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 309 ◽  
Author(s):  
AS Bourne ◽  
RW Sutherst ◽  
ID Sutherland ◽  
GF Maywald ◽  
DA Stegeman

The numbers of cattle ticks, Boophi1us microplus, were counted on cattle, with different Bos indicus (zebu) content in central and southern Queensland, from November 1977 to May 1982. Concurrently, measurements were made of the survival rates of parasitic stages of the tick and of the success of free-living stages in producing larval progeny. These measurements were related to the tick burdens on the cattle in order to test current understanding of the ecology of the tick.Tick numbers increased exponentially with decreasing Bos indicus content. Tick numbers built up very rapidly on the Bos taurus cattle and resulted in deaths early in the first season, so the herd was replaced with animals of 25% zebu content. The pure zebu animals carried an average of five ticks per animal per day in central Queensland and only one in southern Queensland. The 50% zebu herds carried 65 ticks per day in central Queensland and 1 l in southern Queensland, compared with 79 and 37 on the 25% zebu herds at the two locations. During their brief time in the experiment the B. taurus animals carried 465 and 302 ticks per day in central and southern Queensland respectively.The observed tick infestation levels were estimated to cause annual losses of liveweight gain of 1, 14 and 17 kg in zebu, 50% zebu and 25% zebu animals respectively in central Queensland. Comparative figures for southern Queensland were 0, 2 and 8 kg. Compensatory liveweight gain would have reduced these losses by up to 6 kg. These data relate to animals which were breeding most of the time and hence were less resistant than dry cattle. The results indicate that B. microplus has been reduced to a marginal problem on animals with 50% zebu genes in the region. It is therefore difficull to justify any control measures in southern areas, particularly when they could increase the risk of babesiosis. Owners of B. taurus cattle will continue to be at risk of major losses in productivity.Changes in the tick burden on the herd5 were explained mostly by changes in survival rates of parasitic ticks in central Queensland and by changes in availability of larvae on the pastures in southern Queensland.


1988 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 285 ◽  
Author(s):  
RW Sutherst ◽  
ID Sutherland ◽  
AS Bourne ◽  
GF Maywald ◽  
DA Stegeman

An experiment is described which compared the fluctuations in the numbers of cattle tick, Boophilus miicroplus, that resulted from direct climatic effects or from changes in host resistance. Four herds of cattle, matched for tick resistance and with different Bos indicus (zebu) content, were grazed at each of two locations, one in central Queensland (23� S.) and one in southern Queensland (28� S.), from November 1977 to May 1982. Natural tick populations were counted regularly, and host resistance was measured using artificial infestations, either twice or six times a year. Concurrent exposures of engorged ticks in pastures were used to measure the success of the ticks in producing larvae and to partition mortality during development. Two later papers report other aspccts of the experiment. These include observations on the resistance of cattle to ticks and on the relationship between tick numbers on the cattle on one hand, and the availability of larvae on pasture and survival of parasitic stages on the other. Engorged ticks produced more larvae throughout the year in central Queensland, despite laying fewer eggs. The colder and longer winter in southern Queensland greatly reduced tick reproduction. Failure of engorged ticks to survive predation and find a favourable oviposition site, egg mortality and loss of larvae in the pasture accounted for most of the reduction in the potential number of larvae produced. Reduced oviposition was also important in wintcr.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Popara ◽  
Margarita Villar ◽  
Lourdes Mateos-Hernández ◽  
Isabel G. Fernández de Mera ◽  
José de la Fuente

Cattle ticks,Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, are a serious threat to animal health and production. Some ticks feed on a single host species while others such asR. microplusinfest multiple hosts. White tailed deer (WTD) play a role in the maintenance and expansion of cattle tick populations. However, cattle ticks fed on WTD show lower weight and reproductive performance when compared to ticks fed on cattle, suggesting the existence of host factors that affect tick feeding and reproduction. To elucidate these factors, a proteomics approach was used to characterize tick and host proteins inR. microplusticks fed on cattle and WTD. The results showed thatR. microplusticks fed on cattle have overrepresented tick proteins involved in blood digestion and reproduction when compared to ticks fed on WTD, while host proteins were differentially represented in ticks fed on cattle or WTD. Although a direct connection cannot be made between differentially represented tick and host proteins, these results suggested that differentially represented host proteins together with other host factors could be associated with higherR. microplustick feeding and reproduction observed in ticks fed on cattle.


2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Oliveira ◽  
Manoela da Silva ◽  
Lew Sprenger ◽  
Daniela Pedrassani

ABSTRACT: Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, known as the cattle tick, is a cause of great economic losses for dairy cattle farming because of its high frequency of occurrence and the difficulty in controlling it. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro activity of Chenopodium ambrosioides extract on R. (B.) microplus. For this purpose, 125 females were selected and classified into five groups according to their weight, in order to ensure that the females used presented homogeneous weight. The treatments comprised 40 and 60% extracts of Chenopodium ambrosioides, distilled water, ethanol (70ºGL) and 12.5% amitraz. The extracts of C. ambrosioides (40 and 60%) showed effectiveness of 99.7 and 100% and higher percentages of dead females than the other treatments: 64 and 96%, respectively (p<0.001). In the groups exposed to distilled water and ethanol (70º GL), 92 and 88% of the females maintained oviposition. In the females exposed to 40 and 60% extracts, oviposition of 36 and 4% occurred, respectively. It was concluded that the extract of Chenopodium ambrosioides, at both concentration evaluated, had high efficiency against engorged females of cattle ticks.


2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Alice Zacarias do Amaral ◽  
Márcia Cristina de Azevedo Prata ◽  
Erik Daemon ◽  
John Furlong

With the objective of encouraging the use of rabbits as alternative hosts for the cattle tick, four rabbits were infested on the ears and back. From the second day of infestation the developmental stages were observed. e duration of larval engorgement and changes were estimated between six and eight days in the region of the back and between 've and seven days in the pinna. e nymphal engorgement and changes occurred at approximately 10.80 ± 2.65 days in the dorsal and 11.00 ± 2.52 days in the ear, with the engorgement of adults and copulation occurring at 7.03 ± 2.45 days, on the dorsal region and 8.55 ± 1.82 days in the region of the pinna. e parasitic period ranged from 21 to 29 days (back) and from 23 to 30 days (pinna). e engorged females of the back and ear weighed on average 34.43 ± 18.73 and 36.30 ± 18.10 mg, respectively. e nutritional and reproductive e/ciency indexes were 17.38 ± 14.27 and 26.85 ± 17.13% (back) and 17.42 ± 12.22% and 30.70 ± 19.80% (pinna). Although not appropriate to maintain successive generations of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, rabbits can be used for di:erent stages of engorgement of the ixodid, allowing experimental studies.


2008 ◽  
Vol 126 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 110-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily K. Piper ◽  
Louise A. Jackson ◽  
Neil H. Bagnall ◽  
Kritaya K. Kongsuwan ◽  
Ala E. Lew ◽  
...  

2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Casquero Cunha ◽  
Renato Andreotti ◽  
Fábio Pereira Leivas Leite

The cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus is responsible for great economic losses. It is mainly controlled chemically, with limitations regarding development of resistance to the chemicals. Vaccines may help control this parasite, thereby reducing tick pesticide use. In this light, we performed subcloning of the gene of the protein Bm86-GC, the homologue protein that currently forms the basis of vaccines (GavacTM and TickGardPLUS) that have been developed against cattle ticks. The subcloning was done in the pPIC9 expression vector, for transformation in the yeast Pichia pastoris. This protein was characterized by expression of the recombinant Mut+ strain, which expressed greater quantities of protein. The expressed protein (rBm86-CG) was recognized in the Western-blot assay using anti-Gavac, anti-TickGard, anti-larval extract and anti-rBm86-CG polyclonal sera. The serum produced in cattle vaccinated with the antigen CG rBm86 presented high antibody titers and recognized the native protein. The rBm86-GC has potential relevance as an immunogen for vaccine formulation against cattle ticks.


1975 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1073 ◽  
Author(s):  
BM Wagland

Four purebred Brahman and four beef Shorthorn cattle which had not previously been exposed to Boophilus microplus were infested four times with 20,000 B. microplus larvae. On first infestation, the yield of engorged female ticks on all animals was about 25% of the larvae applied. Aftcr three further infestations, the mean yield of engorged females on the Brahmans decreased to 7.5% whereas there was no decrease in the yield of ticks on the Shorthorns. On the Brahman cattle. development of larvae to engorged females took 1–2 days longer and the engorged females weighed less. However, there was no difference in the reproductive index of female ticks engorged on either Brahmans or Shorthorns. Increases in rectal temperatures occurred in all cattle 15–17 days after the first infestation and in some cattle on days 6–7 as well as on days 15–17 after reinfestation. It was concluded that resistance to B. microplus is an acquired phenomenon in Brahman cattle.


1962 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 974 ◽  
Author(s):  
PR Wilkinson

Weekly counts of Boophilus microplus (Canestrini) on 30 Australian Illawarra Shorthorn heifers enabled the cattle to be ranked in order of tick infestation, with highly significant correlations between counts of two observers and between counts of one observer on different occasions. In May 1960, when the heifers were 1½–2 years old, 12 were selected as relatively tick-resistant and 12 as relatively tick-susceptible. Each of these groups was divided at random into herds of six, and the four herds were then allotted randomly to separate paddocks, each onequarter of the area previously grazed. A herd was sprayed with 0.5% DDT emulsion when its average count of ticks (adult females over 5 mm in length) on one side of the animals exceeded 40. During the ensuing tick season, from October 5, 1960, to June 7, 1961, the sums of average weekly tick counts, and the numbers of sprayings (in parenthesis) were: susceptible herds 4853 (5) and 5962 (6): resistant herds 718 (0) and 1073 (1). Counts of tick larvae on defined body areas showed that, in the summer after segregation, resistant herds carried fewer larvae than the susceptible herds, apparently because fewer mature ticks fell from the resistant cattle in the preceding spring and winter. As a consequence of this, counts of adult ticks were comparatively lower after than before segregation. There was little or no 'spring rise' of tick infestation on the resistant herds. There was no significant correlation between tick resistance and coat score, sweat gland dimensions, or total skin thickness, but a correlation of -0.53 with follicle depth was significant at the 1% level. There was no evidence of adaptation of cattle ticks to the resistant animals, either in the field experiment or in observations on stalled cattle. The experiment draws attention to the appreciable proportion of tick-resistant animals within the Australian Illawarra Shorthorn breed, which has largely been overlooked in past discussions on tick-resistant breeds of cattle. It also suggests a technique for estimating the improvement in tick control that may be obtained by a given degree of selection within any breed, for any given environment.


1957 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 414 ◽  
Author(s):  
PR Wilkinson

When two comparable herds of cattle were kept continuously in adjoining paddocks, frequent acaricidal treatment was necessary to control ticks (Boophilus microplus (Canestrini) ). Thereafter, one of the two herds was grazed alternately in its own and an adjacent paddock, the intervals between each transfer being sufficient to ensure that most of the ticks in the unoccupied paddock had died. Tick infestations on this herd were greatly reduced, and less frequent use of acaricides was necessary. The herd remaining in the continuously stocked pasture continued to need acaricidal treatment for recurring tick infestation. In a field trial with 350–400 cattle moved a t intervals to each of three formerly heavily infested paddocks, tick infestations remained very light, although the herd was dipped only In January, September, and the following January. A control herd on continuously stocked pasture, treated at the owner's discretion, required eight dippings in this period. This procedure of "pasture spelling" seems likely to be widely applicable in central Queensland.


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