Prevalence and Species of Ticks on Cattle in Borecha District, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

A cross sectional study was conducted from October 2014 to June 2015 to identify and estimate the abundance of bovine tick species. The ticks were collected from different attachment sites on cattle kept under extensive management system. Among the 384 animals examined, 63 percent (n=242) were infested by one or more tick species. A total of 4246 adult ticks were collected and five tick species belonging to two genera, namely Amblyomma and Rhipicephalus were identified. The prevalence of tick infestation in animals with poor body condition (73.95%) was significantly (P<0.05) higher compared to animals with good body condition (52%). The prevalence of tick
infestation among the age groups was significant (P<0.05) and higher in old than young and adult. Boophilus tick species infested all body regions of animals. Amblyomma species concentrated on the scrotum/udder regions whereas Rhipicephalus were restricted to the ear, neck, udder/scrotum, anogenital and tail of the animals. The prevalence and abundance of tick in the present study is high and can reduce animal productivity. Therefore, appropriate and strategic tick control program should be formulated and implemented and this should be based on the distribution pattern of the tick species.