Identification and analysis of ticks on Brahman and Friesiansahiwal cattle in an institutional teaching farm in Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia

Abstract

Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are highly prevalent in cattle raised in the tropics. The study aims to identify and determine the prevalence of tick infestation and associated factors in cattle from an institutional teaching farm in Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia. Physical examination was conducted on 84 cattle from the teaching farm and recovered ticks were identified. Factors such as breed, sex, age, and bodyweight of the cattle were recorded. The prevalence of tick infestation was 62.4%, with a total of 229 ticks isolated from 56 cattle. The tick species were identified as Rhipicephalus microplus. Most of the recovered ticks (60.3%) were from the ear, followed by the pin (13.5%) and elbow (6.6%). Friesian-Sahiwal breed had a higher infestation rate (26.3%; P<0.05) compared to the Brahman breed (12.3%). In conclusion, R. microplus is the only tick species found in cattle from the institutional farm and their prevalence is influenced by the age and weight of the cattle host.