Studies on the feeding effects of Argas persicus and A. hermanni (Acari: Argasidae) on chicken and pigeon blood and plasma protein

Abstract

Estimates of blood weight ingested by adult male and female Argas persicus and A. hermanni fed on either chickens or pigeons, with the resulting loss of plasma proteins, show the following: Chicken tick, Argas persicus: On each chicken, a mean number of 32.3/50 or 33.3/50 males or females can feed at one time. A mean of 0.06 mg of blood is ingested by a pair of A. persicus, extrapolated to be 37.8 kg blood (1.89 kg plasma protein) loss in chickens in Egypt, if fed just once. On each pigeon, a mean of 15/50 or 31.5/50 males or females can feed at one time consuming 0.02 and 0.044 mg blood (0.001 mg plasma protein by each ), respectively. Pigeon tick, A. hermanni: On each chicken, a mean number of 35.6/50 and 33.5/50 males and females can feed at one time, each pair causing extrapolated loss of 18.9 kg blood (0.189 kg plasma protein) for the chicken industry in Egypt. On each pigeon, a mean number of 27.2/50 and 38.1/50 males and females can feed at a time, consuming 0.01 and 0.03 mg blood (0.002 and 0.004 mg plasma protein), respectively. In conclusion, chicken production in Egypt (approximately 630 million birds) may lose 56.7 kg blood and an estimated 2.08 kg plasma protein per year, if only one pair of A. persicus or A. hermanni feed just once on each bird. The estimated pigeon blood loss for total Egyptian production could not be calculated because of the lack of statistical data on the number of pigeons in production.