Identification Of Ticks Species On Cattle In Ungwan Rimi, Kaduna North Local Government Area, Kaduna State

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify the tick species prevalent on cattle from Ungwan Rimi, Kaduna North L.G.A., Kaduna State. Oral interview and questionnaire were used to get information on age of cattle, effects of tick infestation on cattle. Percentage was used to determine the prevalence of ticks on cattle and chi-square was used to determine the association of tick infestation with age and sex of cattle. Ticks were picked with tweezers from the body of the cattle and preserved in 10% formalin and taken to Zoology laboratory of department of Biological Sciences of Kaduna State University for identification. Out of 152 cattle examined, (57.24%) were infested with ticks. Eight species of ticks were identified with R. microplus having the highest prevalence (52.95%) while R. decolaratus had the least (2.17%). In terms of tick infestation in relation to sex, (49.28%) of the males were infested while (63.86%) of the females were infested. The infestation in respect to age showed that (73.81%) of the young cattle were infested while (50.91%) of the adults were infested. The prevalence of ticks in relation to predilection site showed that the head had the highest number of ticks (42.5%), while the body had the least (6.10%) About the effects of tick infestation on cattle, most of the respondents (70.5%) said that damage of hides and skins of cattle was the common effect of tick infestation. In conclusion, the prevalence of tick infestation is high in this study; so awareness creation is recommended.