Research project for integrated control of the southern cattle fever tick in Puerto Rico

Authors: Miller, Robert; SOLTERO, FRED - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); URDAZ, JOSE - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); CASTRO-ARELLANO, IVAN - Texas State University; TEEL, PETE - Texas A&M Agrilife; Guerrero, Felicito; MESSENGER, MATTHEW - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); OLIVER-CANABAL, CARMEN - Puerto Rico Department Of Agriculture; COMAS-PAGAN, MYRNA - Puerto Rico Department Of Agriculture; Perez De Leon, Adalberto - Beto

Submitted to: Livestock Insect Worker's Conference Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/27/2015
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Puerto Rico (PR) is infested with the southern cattle fever tick (SCFT), Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, which is considered the most economically important external parasite of livestock worldwide. A research coalition involving the livestock industry in PR, the PR Department of Agriculture (PR-DA), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was established to develop an integrated SCFT control program. Several technologies will be combined to mitigate the direct impact of SCFT, and its indirect effects as vector of bovine babesiosis and anaplasmosis. Novel anti-SCFT vaccine technologies researched by the USDA-Agricultural Research Service Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory (USDA-ARS-KBUSLIRL) in collaboration with animal health industry partners are pivotal to this project. The use of other technologies that recently became commercially available will be combined with an anti-SCFT vaccine. This approach addresses food safety and environmental health concerns with the ecological impact, and residue levels of synthetic acaricides in cattle products like milk. The project contemplates the implementation of good acaricide management practices through the acknowledgement of parasite economic thresholds prior to treatment and the use of novel pesticide formulations containing natural products, which are labeled for use in, and around lactating cows. Through this project, dairy and beef cattle producers in PR will have access to an integrated tick control program allowing them to manage in a sustainable manner the economic impact of the SCFT on their operations as a result of the concerted efforts taking place between the animal health industry, and federal and state regulatory agencies. Presented here will be the results from the first year and a half of our three year project and projected plans for future work.