PREVALENCE OF HARD AND SOFT TICKS AMONG YOUNG AND ADULT CATTLE IN A RESEARCH FARM

Abstract

Ticks attach to the skin of cattle and feed on their blood, causing direct damage and transmitting diseases with resultant economic losses. Understanding the tick type that affect cattle predominantly necessitate this study in order to know how best to minimize economic losses resulting from various tick infestation. This study investigated the prevelance of hard tick and soft tick infestation in cttle in the teaching and research farm of the federal university of technology, minna, Nigeria using a stratified random sampling procedure in a cohort. The study also evaluated tick infestation in both adult and young cattle on the farm. A total of 53 cattle were evaluated for tick infestation over a four-week period and ticks were identified using standard protocol. Data collected were analyse using descriptive statistics and t-test. The result shows that hard ticks were significantly most prevalent in cattle (p<0.05) with Amblyoma being the most prevalent spp (54%). adult cattle were most significantly infested (p<0.05). the study concluded that hard ticks affect cattle more than soft ticks and adult cattle were most infested. It was recommended that emphasis should be more towards ctrolling hard ticks with emphasis on diseases they transmit.