EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY ON TICK INFESTATION IN INDIGENOUS AND CROSS BREED CATTLE IN HYDERABAD PAKISTAN

Abstract

The survey on tick infestation in indigenous and cross breed cattle was carried out in urban and peri-urban dairy farms of Hyderabad and Kotri, Sindh, Pakistan during August to November, 2016. Three hundred cattle were physically examined, out of which, 72 were infested with ticks. Overall tick infestation rate was recorded as 24%. Tick infestation in indigenous cattle was found higher (29.6%) than the cross bred cattle (19.77%). Ticks of Hyalomma genus were found on cattle in study area. The gender-wise prevalence of tick infestation in females was higher (32.11%) than the males (15.79%) in indigenous cattle but in cross bred cattle tick prevalence was higher in males (23.07%) as compared to the females (19.49%). Among the age groups, the tick infestation was higher (40.74%) in calves up to 1year age group compared to 1 to 3 years (24.48%), 3 to 5 years (29.41%) and above 5 years (27.77%) of agein indigenous breeds. While, prevalence of tick infestation was higher (38.88%) in calves up to 1-year age group than 1 to 3 years (14.81%), 3 to 5 years (20%) and above 5 years (22%) in cross breeds. Tick infestation in indigenous cattle breeds was recorded as 65.78, 18.43 and 15.79%, respectively. In case of cross breed cattle, infestation of tick was recorded as 79.42, 11.76 and 8.82% as low, medium and high infestation, respectively. Overall, owner’s response rate toward the treatment applied to the removal of ticks as hand picking (50%), Ivermectin injection (15%) and Acaricide spray (10.53%). It was concluded that the Hyalomma tick is threat to the local and cross breed cattle in Hyderabad and Kotri.