Identification of the prevalent ticks (Ixodid) in goats and sheep in Peshawar, Pakistan

Abstract

A study for investigation hard tick (Ixodid) infestation was carried out in the North-West region of Pakistan during summer 2011. Identification was confirmed in the Veterinary Research Institute (VRI) labs, Peshawar. Effects like age, status of body condition, housing and grazing system, post treatment effects of the acaricides were recorded. During the study of ectoparasites ticks have been recognized as main threat due to severe irritation, allergy and toxicosis, and diseases like bebesiosis, theileriosis and anaplasmosis etc. Out of 170 domestic animals, 95 goats, Bos taurus (Bojanus), 75 sheeps, Bubalus bubalis (Linnaeus), were studied for the parasite infestation. It was noticed that 5 genera of tick for infestation which were (i) Haemaphysalis (Koch) (27.40%) (ii) Rhipicephalus (Koch) (21.92%) (iii) Boophilus (Curtice) (11.89%) (iv) Amblyomma (Koch) (10.02%) (v) Ixodes (Latreille) (7.35%). It was concluded that the level of infestation caused by Haemaphysalis was maximum while for Ixodes it was minimum in goats, compared to sheep where the infestation level was minimum. It is concluded that appropriate control measures for ticks need to be employed in the study area for economical animal production.