A study of the effect of tick infestation on liveweight gain of cattle in the Sudan

Abstract

Sixty‐four cattle of the Kenana Dreed were exposed to natural tick challenge near Abu Naama (450 km south of Khartoum) for 121 days. Thirty‐three of these were treated with acaricide which reduced their Amblyomma lepidum mean adult tick burdens to 3.9 animal. The untreated 31 animals averaged 47 A lepidum adults/animal. During the course of the experiment the treated group achieved a liveweight gain of 13.1 kg (108g/day) whereas the untreated group gained 11.5 kg (95 g/day); the difference between groups was nonsignificant Other tick damage effects are discussed to assess the economic benefits of tick control.

Keywords:

• Ticks
• cattle
• Sudan
• liveweight gain
• control economics

Notes

Present address: Cefn Bryn, Cellan, Lampeter, Dyfed, U.K.