A study of the effect of tick infestation on liveweight gain of cattle in the Sudan

Abstract

Sixty-four cattle ot tne Kenana Dreed were exposed to natural tick challenge near Abu Naama (450 km south of Khartoum) for 121 days. Thirty-three of these were treated with acaricide which reduced their Amblyomma lepidum mean adult tick burdens to 3.9 animal. The untreated 31 animals averaged 47 A lepidum adults/animal. During the course of the experiment the treated group achieved a liveweight gain of 13.1 kg (108g/day) whereas the untreated group gained 11.5 kg (95 g/day); the difference between groups was nonsignificant Other tick damage effects are discussed to assess the economic benefits of tick control.