Tick Control in Livestock

Ticks are bloodsuckers that also transmit serious diseases. Ticks can cause anaemia and loss of production.

They thrive in tall grasses and brush filled areas, which is why most areas are experiencing heartwater at the moment.

Ticks are picked as animals walk through pastures.

Common ticks

1. Bont tick - Amblyomma - heartwater transmitting ticks, may also cause tick paralysis

2. Blue tick – Boophilus - Anaplasmosis transmitting ticks. This disease is characterized by weight loss, difficulty in breathing, abortion and death.

Prevention

1. Cutting vegetation short around shelter areas.

2. Dipping all animals

3. Treating herd dogs for ticks and fleas.

4. Quarantine new addition of your herd for 3 weeks or more.

5. Physically inspect all animals on regular basis.

How to inspect animals for tick infestation

1. Inspect ticks around eyes, ears, and head around horns, udder and other areas particularly exposed ones.

2. Run fingers through the animal, especially goats to feel any small lumps that could be ticks. If it's a goat with lots of hair, try to open up the hair as you inspect.

How to remove ticks from your animals

Using a tweezer, grasp the tick directly from behind the head and pull it off. Make sure you remove the entire head because failing to remove the entire head of the tick can cause infection.

When ticks are too many to remove physically, apply tick grease.

When using dips, always make sure the entire body of the animal is covered.

Remember: One can always save the tick in alcohol in order to get proper diagnosis of the disease it has infected the animals with through the department of veterinary services or to identify the kind of ticks in your areas.

Note: Heartwater only occurs where there is Amblyomma ticks.

Let's dip and inspect our animals on a regular basis. Dip every 21 days if there is a tick outbreak.