ACCORDING to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, all cattle in tick infested areas are at risk of developing tick fever whether they were born and raised within tick areas or introduced from areas free of the parasite.
Graziers are advised to take an integrated approach when it comes to tick fever using the following considerations:
• Increasing Bos indicus content [any of the several breeds of Indian cattle] as this is associated with higher resistance to tick attachment
• Seek genetics from tick resistant cattle, it is estimated that selection of the right genetics could reduce the effect of ticks on live weight production by 60 percent.
• Use a combination of chemical treatments, and pasture spelling to control cattle ticks.
• Using the tick fever vaccine to prevent tick fever is the most reliable and practical tool for long-term control of tick fever in cattle.
Currently two forms of tick fever vaccine for cattle are available and both protect against all three organisms that cause tick fever.
These vaccines are mostly sold in chilled form.
According to the Department, there is a strong link between age and resistance with most outbreaks occurring in animals from 18 to 36 months of age.Calves exposed to tick fever organisms between three to nine months of age rarely show clinical signs and go on to develop a solid, long-lasting immunity.