Cattle ticks are single host ticks, meaning the larval, nymph and adult stages develop and feed on the same host. They have two stages of their lifecycle: the parasitic stage and the non-parasitic stage.
The parasitic stage takes approximately 21 days to complete; the tick develops (moults) from larvae (seed tick) into a nymph, and then an adult. Female adults feed for about a week (7 to 12 days) before engorging and dropping off the host to return to the pasture. During the non-parasitic stage on pasture, female adults lay up to 3000 eggs and then die. The eggs hatch (under favourable conditions 15°C to 40°C) to become larvae that climb up the pasture sward, where they wait to be picked up by a host animal or they die off. Survival during the non-parasitic stage can vary from 2 to 9 months, depending on the time of the year, geographic location and seasonal conditions. Survival is adversely affected by extremes in temperature and humidity.
Infestations can cause substantial welfare implications and economic losses arising from tick worry; a generalised state of unease and stress in affected cattle. Calves and cattle in poor body condition are most susceptible to the associated stress. Cattle can suffer from anaemia (a deficiency of red blood cells or of haemoglobin in the blood) from loss of blood, manifesting as lethargy, lack of appetite and exercise intolerance (cattle lag behind the mob), and can ultimately result in death.
Cattle ticks are vectors (carriers) of three blood-borne diseases – Anaplasma marginale (anaplasmosis), Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina (babesiosis or ‘red water’). Collectively these diseases are known as ‘tick fever’. Tick fever can cause many clinical signs including lethargy, weakness, loss of appetite, jaundice (yellowing of skin and whites of the eyes), neurological signs, abortion, and blood loss in urine (giving rise to the name ‘red water’).
Significant loss in liveweight gain, and milk production and quality can be associated with cattle tick infestation. It has been reported that just one tick can reduce weight gain by 1 g/head/day or milk production by 8.9 mL/head/day. Assuming an ‘average’ burden of 50 ticks per head, that equates to 1.5 kg of lost liveweight gain worth $6.15/head^ or 13.5 litres of lost milk production every 30 days.
Great results have been achieved by regular application of the cattle tick nosode. It can be delivered directly to each animal or added to water troughs if there is just one water source in the paddock.
What is a nosode?
A nosode is a homeopathically prepared remedy for a given illness composed of the infectious bacterias, viruses or parasite.
Ingredients: Ethanol Base, Vibrational Cattle tick nosode.
