Longhorned Ticks and Theileria can Change the Way We Graze Cattle in the United States
Animal Science
Timothy McDermott
Ext. Educ., ANR
Columbus
Abstract
There is an emerging animal health threat that may fundamentally change how we graze cattle in the United States for the foreseeable future. The invasive Longhorned tick has shown the ability to kill cattle as large as a full-grown bull from blood feeding, kill calves in as fast as five days on the animal, and transmit a protozoal disease, Theileria orientalis IKEDA, which has no treatment, can exist as an asymptomatic carrier, and has an estimated 5-10% fatality rate. This is just one of the challenges faced by producers, their families, and their animals from the spread of tick-borne disease. If we include the data from Lyme disease in Oho alone, there has been a 10x increase in Lyme cases diagnosed in the past 10 years with our most diagnosed cohort being our children aged 5-9 and 10-14 years old. The Longhorned tick was first discovered in high numbers on a farm in New Jersey in 2017. Since then, it has rapidly expanded to 19 states and counting, affecting nearly the entire eastern half of the United States. The Longhorned tick is the vector for Theileria so where the tick goes, so goes the disease. The key to producer awareness is an Integrated Pest Management approach that includes robust educational programs that promote awareness on scouting, treatment options, and tick phenology. This educational outreach is well-received by producers. At the 2022 Beef and Forage Field Night, tick information/awareness was the single most important thing 23 of 34 (68%) of producers reported learning about. This educational outreach has proven effective at saving the lives of cattle, with three producers being able to scout, identify, and treat their herds in with no loss of life after tick programs in their county. This presentation will detail the state of Longhorned ticks, the impact of Theileria in cattle, and where you can find information to create your own program to impact the lives of cattle and the economic sustainability of cattle production for your producer clients.
Authors: Timothy McDermott DVM
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Timothy McDermott DVM Ext. Educ., ANR, The Ohio State University, Ohio, 43210