Tick burden in sheep causes welfare harm through direct blood loss, disease transmission, and the stress of heavy infestations.
Sheep with heavy tick burdens experience blood loss, skin irritation, and systemic disease from tick-transmitted pathogens. Louping ill causes encephalitis and death. Tick pyemia causes joint abscesses and lameness. Effective prevention through appropriate acaricide use at key risk periods prevents these welfare harms. Under-treatment in high-risk areas leads to preventable disease burden.