Too much rain is a problem for livestock

Ezile Binta

Ticks caused by heavy rains require special attention because they harm livestock production. Farmers must pay close attention to the hebraeum tick, which lives its life by growing its stages in animals. Ticks have an opportunity to multiply in our pastures as a result of the heat and humidity we have been experiencing.

Each stage of a hebraeum lives in a different animal. Under favorable weather conditions, such as this year, it completes its growing life in about a year. When a female tick reaches maturity, she can lay up to 18 000 eggs. Each stage of development lasts a week, with the female feeding on that animal for a week before shedding and then returning to another animal or laying eggs if she reaches adulthood. It takes months for the eggs to hatch. Hebraeum ticks prefer to live in the following locations: the tail, the breasts, the scrotum, the stomach, the ear, and the feet.

The farmer may encounter difficulties with Hebraeum due to the following factors:

When it bites, it causes infection and blackleg disease, as well as scarring.

Hebraeum have a long mouth, which causes wounds and infection, as well as worms.

When it becomes stuck in the hoof of livestock, it causes lameness.

When there are a lot of these ticks, it causes weight loss. One study found that in old cows that were heavily infested, there was a weight loss of 20 kg in three and a half months compared to those that were not. A weight loss of 10g was observed in that experiment with each female of this tick.

An effective method of prevention has resulted in a good product, a dip that can be mixed with water and is easily found using a variety of sprays, handheld sprays, spray races, or where they swim (plug dip).

Blue tick disease is caused by two species: African or common blue tick and Asiatic blue tick. This species grows through its life stages and spends its entire life with the same animal, from egg to infancy to middle age to adulthood. This tick’s growth stages can be completed up to three times in a single year. One female becomes full and lays a large number of eggs, ranging from 2500 to 3500. Even if only a few of these eggs hatch, they will live and lay their own eggs, and hundreds will hatch in the next month or two months.

In cattle, ticks cause a rash and biliousness. This species consumes goats and sheep. If you don’t stop it when it starts, it will multiply in the spring and become more difficult to combat in the summer and autumn.

Ticks pose a threat to livestock:

They absorb blood, causing blood loss in the body.

Body condition deteriorates, resulting in weight loss.

Milk production falls dramatically.

Skin deteriorates and loses quality over time.

It is responsible for diseases such as redwater, bile, blackleg, and body sweats.

Using a dip on the back and a syringe to control ticks is a highly profitable method.