Abstract
BackgroundHair sheep breeds are a new, cost-effective option for the diversification of livestock in the Midwest region of Brazil. They are grazed extensively with cattle as well as in isolation in small areas. Hair sheep breeds are vulnerable to infestation by parasites such as the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus microplus, which causes various types of damage and can transmit diseases.MethodsIn this study, Santa Inês hair sheep were naturally infested in an area contaminated by infested cattle and then monitored to determine the ability of these animals to maintain the local tick population in the absence of cattle. After engorged tick females of each generation fell off, the animals were placed in another pasture and were returned only after larvae reappeared in the original pasture.ResultsTick counts were performed every ten days for three generations of sheep, and average infestations per animal of 34, 12 and 4 ticks were observed for each successive generation. These numbers suggest the acquisition of resistance; however, additional studies are needed to ensure resistance is achieved. The average length of the parasitic phase for each generation of ticks was 25 days.ConclusionWe concluded that this hair sheep breed, even if kept separate from cattle, is able to maintain tick populations for at least three generations, although a gradual decrease in the population levels of R. microplus over three generations was observed. We also detected two positive cases of Anaplasma spp. Therefore, it appears that the Santa Inês hair sheep breed contributes to the circulation of this bacterium among other ruminants.
Highlights
Hair sheep breeds are a new, cost-effective option for the diversification of livestock in the Midwest region of Brazil
The Santa Inês hair sheep breed is originally from the northeastern region of Brazil, and is popular in the Brazilian Midwest for breeding to produce lambs for meat production because the weather in this region is favorable for this industry [1]
Considering the risk of R. microplus infestation when sharing pastures or from neighboring pastures, the present study evaluated the ability of the hair sheep breed to maintain parasite populations after the withdrawal of the bovines as the tick source
Summary
Hair sheep breeds are a new, cost-effective option for the diversification of livestock in the Midwest region of Brazil. They are grazed extensively with cattle as well as in isolation in small areas. Hair sheep breeds are vulnerable to infestation by parasites such as the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus microplus, which causes various types of damage and can transmit diseases. The occurrence of ticks, R. microplus, in hair sheep breed species is of increasing concern due to the rapid expansion of the sheep industry into new areas traditionally used only for cattle and horses, as observed in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul
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