Abstract
A survey conducted in five villages in a resource-poor farming community in Qwa-Qwa, using the rapid rural appraisal technique and a questionnaire survey, showed that a significant proportion of the farmers (84%) use traditional or alternative methods to control ectoparasites, while 16% use commercial acaricides (chi2 = 7.1; P < or = 0.05). Alternative control methods included the use of used engine oil, household disinfectant and paraffin. Killing of ticks was the main reason for control (40%), with disease control being second (20%). Other reasons given for controlling ticks were to prevent damage to teats, to provide animals with a clean appearance and to protect hides. Some 40% of farmers were aware of the effects of ticks on their animals. There is a need for farmer education that will provide information on integrated tick management and its advantages over absolute reliance on commercial acaricides.
Highlights
Ticks and the diseases they transmit are a major constraint to livestock improvement in many parts of the world
Compulsory dipping continued to be enforced, because animal health authorities viewed the cattle in communal areas as a source of infection, with tick-borne diseases being of major con
Results of the questionnaire survey indicated that few participants used commercial acaricides (16 %)
Summary
Ticks and the diseases they transmit are a major constraint to livestock improvement in many parts of the world. Animal farming in the communal areas of the eastern Free State Province is concerned mainly with the production of cattle, goats and sheep. The major tick species found on livestock in the Qwa-Qwa area of the eastern Free State are Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (Hlatshwayo, Mbati & Dipeolu 2002). Several measures were instituted by the Department, including dipping, which proved to be the most practical and effective. As a result it was widely adopted by farmers and later made compulsory by the State (Norval 1994). Compulsory dipping continued to be enforced, because animal health authorities viewed the cattle in communal areas as a source of infection, with tick-borne diseases being of major con-
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