Resistence and susceptibility of crossbred dairy herd to the cattle tick Boophilus microplus

Authors

  • Cecília José Veríssimo Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento do Estado de São Paulo, Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios, Instituto de Zootecnia, Nova Odessa, SP
  • Roberto Gomes da Silva Universidade Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Departamento de Melhoramento Genético Animal, Jaboticabal, SP
  • Antonio Álvaro Duarte de Oliveira Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento do Estado de São Paulo, Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios, Instituto de Zootecnia, Nova Odessa, SP
  • Wander Ramos Ribeiro Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento do Estado de São Paulo, Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios, Instituto de Zootecnia, Nova Odessa, SP
  • Uriel Franco Rocha Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Parasitologia, São Paulo, SP

Keywords:

Boophilus microplus, cattle, crossbred, heritability, resistance, tick

Abstract

Counts of the cattle tick Boophilus microplus were made on a crossbred dairy herd raised at the €œEstação Experimental de Zootecnia de Colina€, north of São Paulo State, Brazil, in the middle of each season, during two years. The objective of the study was to assess for some genetic and environmental effects that might be affecting tick resistance on the herd. Counts of female ticks more than 4.5 mm in length were analysed by least squares method (n = 4.218), using counts (x) transformed to In 2 (x + 1). The results showed significance (P < 0.01) for the effects of sire, season, sex, age, pasture and grass species. Natural infestation levels increased in summer and decreased in winter, with a peak in fall. Four strategic dippings, realized at 21 days interval just after the spring count, reduced tick infestation in the following season. Males were more susceptible than females. Unweaned calves aged 2-3 months were highly resistant to the tick, while those aged 8 to 12 months and more than 4 years old were more susceptible. Animals grazing on newly-formed or spelling pastures had lower tick infestation than those on continuous grazing pastures. Animals grazing on pastures of €œcolonião€ grass (Panicum maximum Jacq cv. Colonião) had the lowest tick counts. Overall means of tick counts and heritability were 10 and 0.089 ±0.030, respectively.

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Published

2013-12-05

Issue

Section

ANIMAL BREEDING

How to Cite

Resistence and susceptibility of crossbred dairy herd to the cattle tick Boophilus microplus. (2013). Bulletin of Animal Husbandry, 54(2), 1-10. http://bia.iz.sp.gov.br/index.php/bia/article/view/958

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