Abstract
A cross-sectional survey was conducted to determine tick prevalence and their association with mastitis on 390 cattle at three communal grazing sites and two dairy farms from October 2008 to April 2009 in Jimma town. Ticks were collected from half body parts and udder and teats were examined on lactating cows and heifers to identify tick lesions and mastitis. Of total 3015 ticks in number collected, 3 genera and 5 species of ticks had been identified: Amblyomma cohaerens (44.94%), Amblyomma variegatum (31.11%), Boophilus decoloratus (18.97%), Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (3.08%) and Amblyomma gemma (1.9%). There was a significant variation with predilection site of tick species. A. variegatum, A. gemma and R. evertsi evertsi had a significance variation with age of the animal. B. decoloratus and R. evertsi evertsi had significance variation with breed of cattle. Udder, Brisket and Perineum were the predominant predilection sites for the tick species collected. R. evertsi evertsi was the only species prefer Ano-vulva region. Result on the immature ticks (larvae and nymphs) shows that, 63.47% Amblyomma, 35.75% Boophilus and 0.77% Rhipicephalus genera. Neck, Dewlap, Udder and Perineum were the main predilection sites of ticks on which the immature ticks were collected. Although (123) 31.6% of the sampled cattle had some degree of udder and teat damage, out of those cows and heifers with udder and teat damage (30) 24.39% was positive for mastitis. The tick species found on cattle with udder and teat damage were Amblyomma cohaerens (46.51%), Amblyomma variegatum (40.62%), Boophilus decoloratus (11.88%) and Amblyomma gemma (0.99%). There was a significance variation between study sites and breed of cattle on animals with mastitis. Tick infestations associated udder lesions, and mastitis is major problems in cattle and deserves further attention owning to their potential impact on milk production affecting food security.
Highlights
Tick infestation and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are important conditions affecting livestock health and productivity in Ethiopia
The survey of tick species is the main factor that exerts a major quantities influence on mastitis and the transmission of TBD
This study of cattle tick species survey and its association with mastitis on cattle was done in Jimma town to provide this basic information
Summary
Tick infestation and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are important conditions affecting livestock health and productivity in Ethiopia. Ticks are responsible for direct damage to livestock through their feeding habits. The damage is manifested as hide damage, damage to udders, teats and scrotum, myiasis due to infestation of damaged sites by maggots and secondary microbial infections. They transmit a variety of infective organisms mechanically or cyclically to animals and man. Most of the diseases transmitted by ticks are of major economically importance. They inflict great havoc by continual loss of blood and creating different grade of lesions on the skin [1,2]
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