WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Cattlemen’s Assoc. (USCA) has requested up to $6 million to help offset the costs of eradicating cattle fever ticks currently concentrated in Texas and preventing the disease from becoming a significant threat to the U.S. cattle industry.

 

“Since (last) November, the presence of the fever tick has expanded beyond the permanent quarantine ‘buffer zone’ established between Mexico and the U.S.,” said Dwight Keller, USCA Animal Health Committee chair, in a May 19 letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, signed by Keller and Kenny Graner, USCA president.

According to the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), cattle fever ticks, known scientifically as Rhipicephalus, are a significant threat to the U.S. cattle industry, capable of carrying the protozoa, or microscopic parasite, Babesia bovis or B. bigemina, commonly known as cattle fever.

The Babesia attacks and destroys red blood cells, causing acute anemia, high fever and enlargement of the spleen and liver, ultimately resulting in death for up to 90 percent of susceptible naive (meaning, no exposure to the parasite) cattle.

The letter told Perdue the request for funding is based on increasing concerns from the TAHC of the expanding presence of the fever tick beyond the buffer zone between Mexico and the United States. “Costs associated with both treating the fever tick and preventing its spread have increased exponentially as producers find themselves in the path of an ever-expanding affected area,” it stated.

Since last November, an infected area in excess of 80,000 acres has been discovered approximately 120 miles outside of the buffer zone. In December, the TAHC also confirmed the presence of cattle fever ticks after a suspect tick was found on a bull on a Live Oak County ranch.

The infested premises were located about 110 miles outside the Permanent Fever Tick Quarantine Zone. The infested premises were placed under quarantine and all cattle on the premises have started treatment for fever ticks. In addition, the TAHC conducted an epidemiological investigation to determine the source of the fever ticks and trace-outs from the premises.

As of Feb. 1, more than 500,000 acres in Texas have been under various quarantines outside of the permanent quarantine zone, in response to the outbreaks last fall and earlier this year. Because there is no cure for tick fever, a series of quarantine levels are used to prevent animal movement and the spread of a fever tick infestation, and to permit animal treatments for tick elimination, according to Texas A&M University.

After an infected area is discovered, the

USCA said the TAHC inspects every facility

within a 2-mile radius of the infected

site. If an infected animal is found within

this zone, the cattle is traced back to

its origins and another 2-mile inspection

zone is implemented from this location.

“For each infected animal, the TAHC will treat and work that animal and its herd mates for a minimum of 6-9 months,” the letter stated. “If a producer within an inspection zone is planning to take their cattle to market, the producer must contact TAHC to schedule sprays, dipping vats or another approved treatment option.”

Keller and Graner said although the TAHC covers the cost of the treatment options, the cost to the producer is the time required for gathering their herd and the requisite facility needed for treatment.

“The treatment options must typically be conducted every 28 days,” the letter said. “Once the producer’s herd has completed the required six- to ninemonth treatment period and fever ticks are no longer being found, the producer is still required to undergo inspection for at least 6 months thereafter to ensure fever ticks have been eradicated.” 

 

“Cattle fever tick is a horrible sight; you can’t miss the swarms of ticks covering an animal, and it is easily spread throughout the herd.”

On April 26, the TAHC confirmed the presence of cattle fever ticks on cattle originating from premises located in portions of Webb and Zapata counties. The fever ticks were found on two calves undergoing voluntary inspection and treatment at a dipping vat.

The infested premises were quarantined and the TAHC conducted an epidemiological investigation to determine the potential source of the fever ticks and destination of cattle moved from the premises.

Pete Teel, Texas A&M AgriLife Research entomologist at College Station, said the vigilance and cooperation of regulatory agencies, namely the TAHC and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, in collaboration with the livestock and wildlife industries, are needed to detect, contain and eliminate cattle fever ticks.

He said the historic cattle drives from Texas to railheads in Missouri and Kansas in the late 1800s brought unwanted attention when local cattle died of a strange fever associated with the arrival of Texas cattle.

“Texas cattle fever was ultimately linked to ticks brought along by the Texas longhorns,” he explained. “These ticks were appropriately named Texas cattle fever ticks, due to their ability to transmit a fever-causing agent from infected to uninfected cattle.”

Currently, more than half of imported Mexican cattle carry the blood-borne parasite that causes tick fever, Keller and Graner said. While these cattle are mostly immune to the related diseases, they pose an immediate threat to pass this disease onto American cattle through the fever tick.

“This funding is critical to preventing the spread of cattle tick fever; a disease that will cause enormous economic losses to the U.S. cattle industry and inflict irreparable harm to the safety and health of the U.S. cattle herd,” they said.