AgriLife experts warn of ticks’ potential negative economic impact
Cattle fever tick numbers on the rise BY PAUL SCHATTENBERG
A cattle fever tick close up. (AgriLife photo)
Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are working to help thwart the spread of cattle fever. An announcement from the Texas Animal Health Commission, TAHC, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program, USDA-CFTEP, that cattle fever tick infestations have spread outside the permanent quarantine zone prompted concern from AgriLife experts, who last dealt with a large outbreak in 2017. “The discovery of more fever tick infestations, particularly outside of the permanent quarantine zone, is significant,” said Pete Teel, Ph.D., AgriLife Research entomologist, College Station. “At risk is the economy of the Texas cattle industry and the more than 400,000 cattle producers throughout the southern region of the U.S.”
So far, ticks have been found on cattle outside of the permanent quarantine zone in Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Wells, Jim Hogg and Willacy counties. Traditionally, the southern counties of Texas bordering Mexico tend to have the biggest problem with fever tick disease. Both cattle fever ticks and bovine babesiosis are endemic in the neighboring states of Mexico.
Cattle fever ticks, known scientifically as Rhipicephalus annulatus and Rhipicephalus microplus, can carry the microscopic parasites that cause bovine babesiosis or cattle fever. These are the only two tick species that can transmit the disease. Once an animal is infected, these parasites attack red blood cells resulting in acute anemia, enlargement of the liver and spleen, and a high fever. TAHC and USDA-CFTEP are currently working to determine the extent of the spread of the ticks and to trace the source.
An area of a half million acres, stretching from the Gulf of Mexico near Brownsville to north of Del Rio, makes up the permanent quarantine zone. There are now over a million acres quarantined outside of the permanent zone. “One of the outcomes that often comes back to AgriLife from concerned citizens is the impact of trace-outs from these infestations and how that affects producers, livestock owners and land managers who may be temporarily quarantined until it can be determined that fever ticks have not spread,” said Teel.
Tracking tick locations
AgriLife Research has a long history of dedicated joint research efforts in support of the U.S. cattle industry and the regulatory agencies responsible for the USDA-CFTEP. AgriLife researchers and specialists have formed a support group and all of the agency’s county agents in infected areas are up to date on the latest information.
“When producers observe ticks on their livestock, it is imperative they contact their local TAHC livestock inspector or region office, USDA inspector, private veterinarian or local 16
AgriLife Extension office to arrange for collection and submission of tick samples to the TAHC laboratory in Austin,” said Andy Schwartz, DVM, TAHC executive director, in a recent press release. “This extra surveillance protects the Texas cattle industry.”
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