Vet World Vol.18 March-2025 Article - 20
Research Article
Veterinary World, 18(3): 746-754
https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2025.746-754
Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) and tick-borne diseases affecting communal cattle and the control methods practiced by farmers in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa
2. Department of Agriculture, Döhne Agricultural Development Institute, Private Bag X15, Sutterheim 4930, South Africa.
3. Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, 6201, South Africa.
Background and Aim: Ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) pose significant threats to cattle farming, impacting livestock health, productivity, and economic sustainability. In communal farming systems, the challenges of tick control are exacerbated by limited resources, acaricide resistance, and climate change. This study assesses communal cattle farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding ticks, TBDs, and the control measures implemented in the Eastern Cape Province (ECP) of South Africa.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using structured questionnaires administered to 100 cattle farmers across 20 communities in four vegetation types: Albany coastal belt (ACB), Amathole montane grassland (AMG), Bhisho thornveld (BT), and Great fish thicket (GFT). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s Chi-square tests, and Kruskal-Wallis tests to determine associations between farmer demographics, livestock management practices, and the prevalence of TBDs.
Results: Most respondents (85%) were male, with an average age of 60 years, and 65% had only primary education. Livestock ownership varied across vegetation types, with cattle numbers ranging between 12.8 ± 1.17 and 15.6 ± 1.35 per farmer. Tick infestation was perceived as a major constraint, with adult cattle more affected than calves (χ2 = 15.98, p < 0.001). The most commonly reported TBDs were redwater (100%), gallsickness (90%), and heartwater (43%), with heartwater absent in AMG. Tick control methods included plunge dipping (90%) and the use of alternative treatments such as used motor oil (54%) and Jeyes fluid (35%). Acaricide inefficacy, poor mixing practices, and the uncontrolled movement of cattle were identified as major constraints to effective tick management.
Conclusion: Communal cattle farmers in the ECP recognize ticks and TBDs as critical challenges, with variations in TBD prevalence linked to vegetation type. Ineffective acaricide use and resistance are growing concerns, necessitating improved extension services and farmer education. Sustainable tick management strategies should integrate scientific knowledge with indigenous practices to enhance livestock health and productivity in communal farming systems.
Keywords: acaricide resistance, climate change, communal cattle, South Africa, tick-borne diseases, ticks.
How to cite this article: Nyangiwe N and Matthee S (2025) Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) and tick-borne diseases affecting communal cattle and the control methods practiced by farmers in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, Veterinary World, 18(3): 746-754.
Received: 2024-07-16 Accepted: 2025-02-27 Published online: 2025-03-31
Corresponding author: E-mail:
DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2025.746-754
Copyright: Nyangiwe and Matthee, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/ publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.
