Farm Animals

Cattle Welfare: Tropical Tick Control

Tick-borne disease is a major welfare concern for cattle in tropical and subtropical regions, requiring integrated management approaches.

Key Facts

Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus ticks are the primary vector for babesiosis and anaplasmosis in tropical cattle
Tick-borne diseases cause fever, anaemia, and death, with enormous welfare and economic consequences
Resistance to acaricides is widespread, requiring rotation of chemical classes and integrated management
Resistant breeds including Brahman and other Bos indicus breeds show significantly better tick tolerance

Welfare Considerations

Tick-borne disease causes severe suffering and death for affected cattle in tropical systems. Integrated tick management combining resistant breeds, targeted treatment, and biological control is both more sustainable and more welfare-effective than reliance on acaricide treatment alone.

What You Can Do

Support tropical cattle welfare research including tick resistance and breed selection
Advocate for welfare-conscious integrated tick management approaches in developing country livestock programmes
Engage with veterinary capacity building programmes in tick-endemic regions