Tick Control and Management in Beef Cattle

Ticks are one of the most common and important challenges facing any cattle operation. Ticks are parasites that  feed on the blood of host animals, sometimes remaining on the same animal for the duration of their 21-day life cycle. Their quick reproductive process and hardy nature make them a difficult threat to overcome, but proper prevention and early detection can make a real difference in protecting your herd.  

General Behavior and Life Cycle 

Ticks affecting cattle do not necessarily interact with host animals in the same manner. While some ticks are classified as single-host parasites, remaining on the same host for the duration of their life (excluding the laying of eggs), other ticks will attach to multiple hosts throughout their life cycles (two host ticks and three host ticks). They are resistant to adverse environmental conditions and capable of adapting to varying habitats with broad geographic ranges. Additionally, female ticks are capable of laying anywhere between one and 14,000 eggs at a time — just one tick has the potential to cause an infestation.  

Many ticks can also transmit certain diseases to host animals, such as tick fever and heartwater. Moose ticks and American dog ticks can cause tick fever during feeding, potentially causing weight loss, anemia and death. Certain ticks can even cause paralysis in cattle due to a neurotoxin transmitted during feeding. Luckily, cattle can develop certain immunities to the effects of ticks, but young stock are especially susceptible to tick-borne ailments.   

The Economic Impact of Tick Infestations 

Tick infestations can have a drastic effect on productivity caused by a host of factors, including severe disease and death. They can make cattle uncomfortable and unproductive, resulting in significant live weight losses. One study demonstrated that cattle infested with 60 ticks showed a 10.4 kg reduction in live weight compared to non-infested cattle over a 16-week period.¹ Cattle tick infestations can also impact milk production and quality, having been shown to reduce milk production by 2.86 L per day. Additionally, tick bites diminish the value of skin and hides, potentially rendering them unusable as a direct result.   

While several types of ticks affect cattle worldwide, 80% of the world’s cattle population is exposed to the cattle tick alone. In Australia, the total cost of cattle ticks was estimated at AU$161 million annually in 2015 (AU$176 in 2020 after inflation). This makes cattle ticks the most financially impactful parasite or disease in the Australian cattle industry and among the costliest worldwide.  

Prevention and Management of Tick Infestations 

The most common means of managing ticks is the use of acaricides, chemicals that kill ticks, although timing of treatments is important. Applying treatment early, for example, is effective in reducing spring rises in tick numbers. An integrated management approach can reduce the need for frequent use of chemical treatments, including the regular monitoring of infected cattle and quarantining prior to herd introduction.  

Bayticol^® Pour-on is one of the most effective tools available for producers looking to prevent tick infestations. An easy-to-apply solution containing flumethrin, a synthetic pyrethoid, Bayticol^® involves little stress to the animal and a dual mode of action that has a direct lethal effect against ticks while also inhibiting production of viable eggs from exposed female ticks. This latter effect helps reduce the number of required treatments compared to other acaricides.   

Interested in learning more about the tick management and control solutions at your disposal? Contact your local Elanco representative today.