Tick infestations in cattle cause significant welfare harm through blood loss, skin irritation, and disease transmission. Integrated tick management balances welfare and resistance concerns.
Tick burden in cattle causes chronic discomfort from the physical irritation of attachment sites, systemic illness from tick-borne disease, and anaemia from significant blood loss in heavy infestations. In tropical and subtropical farming systems, tick management is a central welfare and productivity challenge. The overuse of acaricides has driven resistance, limiting control options. Welfare-positive approaches include selecting breeds with natural tick resistance, using biological control agents (predatory insects, fungi), targeted rather than blanket acaricide use, and monitoring tick loads to detect infestation early.