Ticks Economic Impact

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— Written By Bailey Wood (4 weeks ago)

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Ticks may not be the livestock pest we tend to consider, however they can have big effects on the livestock industry. Some of the diseases ticks spread are Anaplasmosis and Theileriosis. These can have similar symptoms of fever and anemia so it is important to work with your vet quickly to determine what you may be dealing with in your herd. Each year diseases caused by tick-borne pathogens result in an estimated 13-19 billion USD in losses to livestock producers in the United States alone. This includes not only livestock death, but reduced production (fertility, weight gain, milk production) as well. In cattle, Anaplasmosis is characterized by anemia. Bacteria replicate in red blood cells and eventually rupture which further spreads the bacteria through the animal. This is one of the most common tick-borne pathogens and is spread by many species of ticks, including the Rocky Mountain wood tick and the American dog tick. Infection in a herd can result in major losses including death and abortions, 20-30% reduction in weight gain, and an increase in the cull rate of up to 30%. Bacteria can be transmitted through instruments contaminated with infected blood, like needles, or through biting flies as well. Another tick of concern is the Asian Longhorned Tick (ALT) which is a vector for Theileria orientalis. The ALT is a relatively new species to our area, not being found in Surry County until 2019. Unlike most tick species, the ALT can reproduce asexually (female ticks produce cloned copies of themselves) making it able to establish new populations quickly as a single female can produce thousands of offspring. This tick seems to mostly stick to cattle as their host and they can cause extreme blood loss along with spreading disease that can occur in death. If you suspect the ALT on your operation, feel free to bring in a sample of the tick to be collected and killed in a well-sealed vial or other container that has ≥ 70% rubbing alcohol inside to be identified by the Plant Disease and Insect Clinic at NCSU.

To help prevent tick related disease issues on your farm, regularly inspect cattle for ticks. Check around the head and neck, flank, back, armpits, udder, and tail head. Cattle with low weight gain, are lethargic or anemic, have patchy hair or generally look unthrifty should always be inspected for ticks. If ticks are a problem on your operation, consider fencing out 20 feet away from wooded areas when possible, mowing pastures short before rotating stock back into them, and having animals tested by a vet or diagnostic lab for tick borne diseases at the first sign of trouble. It is also important to note that long grass and brush enhance tick survival and leaving pastures un-grazed will not control ticks as they can survive about a year without feeding. Wildlife in the un-grazed pastures will support tick survival in the absence of cattle, too. Chemical control is an option for ticks as well with sprays, pour-ons, and backrubs but be sure to rotate classes of pesticides when you are able to decrease resistance.