Seasonal Activity of Tick Infestation in Goats and Buffalo of Punjab Province (District Sargodha), Pakistan

The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of tick infestation in buffalo and goats of Punjab Province (District Sargodha), Pakistan. There were a total of twelve hundred buffalo and goats examined from October 2012 to September 2013 to determine the prevalence of ticks infestation. The results showed that the prevalence of tick infestation in buffalo was 84.33% (1012/1200). The ticks were collected and identified. In buffalo, the higher prevalence rate was Hyalomma aegyptium (37.91%) followed by Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (22.59%), Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus (17.15%), Hyalomma marginatum (9.45%), Hyalomma anatolicum (9.03%) and Rhipicephalus sanquineus (3.84%) respectively. The breed wise prevalence was in Chenab breed (84.59%), Ravi breed (79.10%) and Hybrid breed (91.66%) respectively. The sex wise prevalence was in male (87.71%) and in female (83.53%). The prevalence based on age showed that the rate of infestation in buffalo having age group (1-4 year) was 85.48%, (4-8 year) was 86.02% and (> 8 year) was 66.66%, respectively. The prevalence based on grazing pattern showed that rate of infestation in intensive grazing 85.28%, extensive grazing 86.41% and both (intensive and extensive) was 81.94%. While in case of goats the tick infestation was 86.50% (1038/1200). In goats, the higher prevalence was Hyalomma anatolicum (31.56%), Rhipicephalus spp. (25.95%), Haemophysalis spp. (21.07%), Ixodes spp. (15.46%), and Ambylomma spp. (5.93%) respectively. The breed wise prevalence was in Desi breed (91.12%), Taidi breed (90.97%), Lail Poori breed (91.78%) and Hybrid breed (66.66%) respectively. The sex wise prevalence was in male (79.16%) and in female (88.81%). The prevalence based on age showed that the rate of infestation in goats having age group (1-4 year) was 86.17%, (4-8 year) was 91.66%, respectively. The prevalence based on grazing pattern showed that rate of infestation in intensive grazing 86.71%, extensive grazing 85.97% and both (intensive grazing and extensive grazing) was 87.12%. The present study showed that these epidemiological factors have a significant effect on the prevalence of tick infestation in buffalo and goats of Sargodha district, Pakistan. The results of this survey showed that the ticks are active throughout the year except January but highly active from June to August. It would be very helpful in devising the future strategies towards the eradication and control of ticks in other endemic areas of Pakistan.