Tick Infestation Rate in Cattle and Buffalo in Different Areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

†A. Khan, †M. H. Mushtaq, †M. Ahmad, ‡Y. Tipu, *A. Khan and †Munibullah

†Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, ‡Department of Pathology, *Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.

ABSTRACT

Ectoparasites have a major impact on the production and health status of livestock. An active surveillance study was conducted to estimate the tick infestation rate and its geographical distribution in relation to climate change along altitudinal gradients in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The study was conducted in the form of two clusters of climate; hot arid area at an average of 500m and cold hilly area at an altitude of 1110m above the sea level. Total of 1223 (48.35%) cattle and 1306 (51.65%) buffaloes were examined in the study at different altitudes in the same season and tick infestation rate was observed. The results showed that in the hot arid area, the tick’s infestation level was higher at the lower altitudes. Cumulative ticks infestation rate was found significantly higher (34.79%) in hot arid plane area than that of (18.63%) in cold hilly area (p>0.05). The tick overall infestation rate in cattle (33.36%) was significantly higher than that of buffaloes (22.58%). This approach will help in defining recommendations for the future research priorities that will help in designing policies aimed at spatially integrated major gears of the biological cycles of tick borne diseases.
Key words:Ectoparasites, Tick, Climate change, Impact, Cattle, Buffalo.