Simon MK, Saba M, Mohammed BR and Agbede RIS
Keywords: Acaricides, Ectoparasites, Sokoto Gudali, Fulani breeds, New Bussa, Incidence
Abstract: Ticks and Tick borne diseases are major constraints to the development of viable livestock industries in tropical and subtropical countries including Nigeria. Little is known about the incidence of ticks in New Bussa. This study was therefore carried out at the Federal College of Wild life Management to investigate the degree of tick infestation of cattle in the college farm. A total of eighteen (18) cattle from two breeds of cattle (Sokoto Gudali and Fulani breeds) were randomly sampled out and grouped into three viz Colored Fulani (A), Sokoto Gudali(B) and White Fulani (C). Ticks were collected using a manual picking method over a period of eight months covering both dry (Jan-April) and wet (MayAugust) seasons in 2014. Ticks collected were sorted out as hard (Ixodidae) and soft (Argasidae) ticks. Results revealed that the college farm is endemic with ticks especially the soft ticks (55.17%) than hard ticks (44.83%) and higher numbers were recorded during wet season (soft ticks, 93.39%; hard ticks 6.61%) than dry season (Soft ticks 14.29%; hard ticks 85.71%). Furthermore, Colored Fulani had more affinity to ticks than Sokoto Gudali and White Fulani. There is a significant difference between the dry and wet season as the calculated value was 18.68 against the tabulated value 5.19. Tick infestations are strategically controlled through acaricide application either by hand spray or bath on regular basis. This study has implication on sustainable beef production for human consumption
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