Susceptibility to ticks

Certain cattle breeds are more resistant to cattle tick infestation than others. Typically, Bos indicus (tropical breeds) are more resistant than Bos taurus cattle (European breeds). Selecting a resistant cattle breed for tick infected areas will naturally reduce tick populations and is a low cost, permanent solution to control ticks.

Breed for tick resistance

Figure 1: Hereford x Shorthorn animal which is very susceptible to ticks. Image source: CSIRO Rockhampton

Both animal and environmental factors can impact on an individual animals susceptibility to cattle tick, see Table 1. Within breed variability also exists at a genetic level (heritable traits), however, measuring a resistance score for a single animal is difficult. This constraint applies in both beef and dairy cattle. As described in the ‘Within breed selection’ and ‘EBVs’ sections, research is underway to find simpler, more cost-effective measures to identify cattle that are resistant to ticks, with the aim of genetically improving cattle breeds grazed in tick-endemic regions of the world.

Table 1. Animal and environmental factors (excluding breed) that can impact on resistance to cattle ticks.