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Tick distribution and abundance on pastures & cattle
Project Details
Project Lead: Kateryn Rochon, University of Manitoba
Collaborators: Neil Chilton, University of Saskatchewan
Years: 2021-2022
Project Status: Complete
Funding & In-Kind Support: Manitoba Beef Producers, Mitacs, Association of Manitoba Community Pastures, participating beef producers, Canadian Agricultural Partnership, Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives
Location: Brookdale Farm, First Street Pasture
Scope: Research
Keywords: Livestock Pest Management, Grazing Management, Smart Ag
Approach
Previous work demonstrated the changing geographic distribution of American Dog Ticks and Rocky Mountain Wood Ticks. As both tick species can transmit Bovine Anaplasmosis, this project was designed to explore tick distribution on a pasture scale. Can areas of a pasture be identified, based on habitat and site characteristics, to have higher risk for ticks? Using this information, producers could manage their cattle and pastures to avoid areas with high density of ticks, thereby lowering the risk for Bovine Anaplasmosis.
Three sites, including MBFI, were monitored for tick distribution and abundance on pasture and on the cows. Several GPS collars were used for each group to monitor distribution of cattle in a pasture.
For More Information
Please contact Dr. Kateryn Rochon
Lysyk TJ, Dergousoff SJ, Rochon K, Chilton NB, Smith AM. Distribution of Dermacentor andersoni (Acari: Ixodidae) in Grassland Regions of Alberta, Canada, Journal of Medical Entomology, Volume 58, Issue 4, July 2021, Pages 1750–1761, https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjab019
Related Projects at MBFI:
Industry Resources:
Timely treatments key to tick control - Western Producer
Tick Control - Merck Veterinary Manual
Bovine Anaplasmosis - Manitoba Agriculture
Avoiding the spread of tickborne diseases in cattle - Canadian Cattlemen