Tick Resistance in Cattle: Its Stability and Correlation With Various Genetic Characteristics

Abstract

Summary. Ticks were counted on 51 Droiigbtmaster ancl 12 Bos taurus cattle on about 120 occasions during 1962-64. The mean tick count on the Bos taurus cattle was 15-94 in 1962 which fell to 2-10 by 1964. The respective figures for the Droughtmaster cattle were 2-62 and 0-18. The steady fall in numbers was attributed to the relatively small proportion of female ticks whicli reach maturity on Droughtmaster cattle.Within the group of 51 Droughtmaster cattle the tick burden carried by an individual varied with environmental and other factors, bvit did not alter much relative to other individuals (simple correlation 0-7). Similar results were obtained with the Bos taurus cattle. It is assumed that average tick numbers on the various individuals within a group were inversely related to the tick resistance of the animals concerned.There was no significant correlation between tick infestation and the distribution of alleles at the following loci: haemoglobin, albumin, transferrin, post-albumins and soluble J antigen.There was a signiflcant association between the distribution of amylase genes and tick burden in the Droughtmaster cattle, and a similar but not significant association in the Bos taurus eattle.There was a significant difference in both the mean erythrocyte potassium concentration [K+^J and packed cell volume betweeu the Bos taurus and Droughtmaster cattle, but these characteristics were not correlated with tick burden within the Droughtmaster cattle.

Relationship Between Resistance to Boophilus Microplus, Nutritional Status, and Blood Composition in Shorthorn X Hereford Cattle

“…Francis and Ashton (1967) found an association between the distribution of amylase genes and tick burden which reached significance in Droughtmaster but not in B08 taurus cattle. In a study of grazing Zebu and Shorthorn X Hereford cattle in a tropical environment O'Kelly (1968a) found that within breeds, animals with high plasma cholesterol carried significantly fewer mature cattle tick.…”

Breeding strategies for tick resistance in tropical cattle: a sustainable approach for tick control

“…Understanding the biological and physiological mechanisms of these resistance genes could help to develop new and more effective acaricides and vaccine. First such effort was made by Francis and Ashton (1967) who found an association between the distribution of biochemical polymorphic amylase genes and tick burden which reached significance in drought master but not in B. taurus cattle. Recently, acute-phase proteins (haptoglobin, serum amyloid A, alpha-1 acid glycoprotein and transferrin) were re-evaluated by comparing the response of Holstein (B. taurus) and Nellore (B. indicus) animals under natural infestation (Carvalho et al 2008).…”

An Association Between Serum Amylase Phenotype and Tick Infestation in Cattle

“…The results reveal a significant difference overall in the tick burden carried by C cattle compared with non-C cattle. Preliminary results (Francis and Ashton 1967) had prompted the suggestion that animals with the allele Am B may carry fewer ticks than animals lacking it. The more extensive data presented here support this conclusion.…”

“…Although the chances of finding meaningful associations between specific phenotypes and quantitative characters appear small, Francis and Ashton (1967) nevertheless examined the relationship between tick count and phenotype in several known polymorphisms, viz. serum transferrins, serum post-albumins, serum amylases, haemoglobins, and J-antigens within one herd of Droughtmaster cattle.…”