A new study revealed that the Asian blue tick, a carrier of deadly African redwater disease, is becoming resistant to common treatments in South Africa, threatening cattle health. The African blue tick shows similar resistance, prompting an urgent need for better strategies to protect livestock.
A recent study by Dr Luther van der Mescht, senior lecturer at the University of the Free State’s department of zoology and entomology, has raised concerns about the levels of resistance to common tick treatments used on cattle farms across South Africa. The research focused on the notorious cattle tick rhipicephalus microplus (Asian blue tick).
“We found in Heylen et al. (2024) that the invasive Asian blue tick developed resistance to the most commonly used acaricides in South Africa. This is concerning as this tick species is a vector of pathogens (babesia bigemina and babesia bovis) that cause the severe African redwater disease in cattle,” he said.
Impact on communal farms worrying
Van der Mescht tested ticks from various regions using the larval packet test (LPT) and found widespread resistance to key acaricides, including chlorfenvinphos, fipronil, deltamethrin, amitraz, and ivermectin.
“My predecessor and colleague also found that the endemic African blue tick (rhipicephalus decoloratus) developed similar acaricide resistance patterns across South Africa on commercial farms.
“What is further worrying is that the Asian blue tick seems to displace the African blue tick on many communal farms, suggesting that the impact on these farmers might be greater than on commercial farmers,” he said.
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The study highlights the need for more targeted, region-specific strategies to combat this growing problem.
Northern Cape cattle farmer, Maungo Mokgoje, shared that tick control is usually a concern during the rainy season.
“There are tick problems that we normally face during the rainy season in our area but they are manageable,” he said.
Rotating pesticides to reduce resistance
Meanwhile, Khomotso Mashiloane, livestock technical advisor at Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS), advised farmers to rotate between different active ingredients, such as alpha-cypermethrin and deltamethrin, to prevent resistance.
“The issue that we are facing with emerging farmers or small-scale farmers is that they don’t understand the concepts of rotating pesticides. They think that they are rotating by changing the product name without really understanding the active ingredients,” he said.
In addition, Mashiloane suggested biological tick control methods like rotational grazing to help disrupt the tick life cycle, thus reducing resistance. He also stressed the importance of controlling ticks on all animals, such as dogs and sheep, to prevent cross-species tick infestation.
Mashiloane explained that farmers must give accurate dosages based on the animal’s weight, as incorrect measurements can contribute to resistance issues. “Proper dosing and understanding of acaricide use are crucial to effective tick management,” he said.
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