Do cattle exhibit avoidance behavior to Rhipicephalus microplus in a highly infested pasture?

Authors: Maestas, Lauren; GOOLSBY, JOHN - Retired ARS Employee; Garcia, Reyes; Zavala, Manuel

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/9/2024
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The study of animal behavior is ancient and the relationship between parasites, pathogens and animals has been long noted. The first recorded and recognized case of transmission of a disease agent, to livestock by a tick was made in 1893. This case involved Texas Cattle Fever and cattle ticks Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus. The relationship between parasites and their hosts leads to a continued state of change leading to behavioral advantages of one species or the other. In addition to genetic and immune function for the avoidance of parasites, cultural or behavioral responses also exist. Host avoidance behaviors range from birds abandoning nests to raccoons avoiding latrines and cattle avoiding ticks. Our goal was to revisit and evaluate the importance of host avoidance behavior to the southern cattle fever tick. Three naïve Hereford cattle were released into a pasture that was parsed into six quadrants within a fenced pasture and were infested with lab reared Rhipicephalus microplus larvae, six quadrants were left uninfested. Game cameras were set up to monitor cattle behavior, and cattle use was monitored from photographs. Counts of cattle visits per plot per day were recorded for each animal and pictures were checked every 30 minutes per 24-hour period. Data will be analyzed using mathematical models to evaluate patterns in cattle feeding behaviors in the presence of ticks. Preliminary results indicate that proximity to other animals and introduction is more important to cattle behavior than tick presence, regardless of tick density and presence. We will discuss how these findings align with previous reports of cattle avoidance behavior and will expand on what patterns, if any, the models reveal.

Technical Abstract: The relationship between animals, and their parasites and associated pathogens is one that predates modern science. The first recorded and recognized case of transmission of a disease agent, to livestock by an arthropod was made in 1893. This case involved Texas Cattle Fever (Bovine babesiosis) and cattle ticks Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus. The coevolution of hosts and parasites leads to a continued state of evolutionary warfare for parasites or pathogens and their hosts. In addition to genetic and immunological functionality for the avoidance of parasites, cultural or behavioral responses also exist. Host avoidance behaviors range from birds abandoning nests to raccoons avoiding latrines and cattle avoiding Rhipicephalus spp. ticks. Our goal was to revisit and evaluate the importance of host avoidance behavior to the southern cattle fever tick Rhipicephalus (B.) microplus. Three naïve Hereford cattle were released into a pasture that was parsed into six quadrants within a fenced pasture and were differentially infested with lab reared Rhipicephalus microplus larvae, six quadrants were left uninfested. Game cameras were set up to monitor cattle behavior, and cattle use was monitored from photographs. Mean number of visits per plot per day were recorded for each animal and pictures were checked every 30 minutes per 24-hour period. Data will be analyzed using generalized mixed models to evaluate patterns in cattle feeding behaviors in the presence of ticks. Preliminary results indicate that proximity to other animals and introduction is more important to cattle behavior than tick presence, regardless of tick density and presence. We will discuss how these findings align with previous reports of cattle avoidance behavior and will expand on what patterns, if any, the models reveal.