Boophilus microplus tick burdens on grazing cattle in Colombia

This study was conducted at Carimagua Research Centre in a well-drained savanna area in the eastern plains of Colombia. The objectives were to note the effect of ecological factors on tick burdens, principally the effect of the environment given by four grasses on the seasonal variations of tick populations. Adult female tick counts were carried out on heifers grazing four pastures and tick larvae on the grass detected by cloth dragging. Tick counts were significantly higher on animals grazing Brachiaria decumbens than those grazing Andropogon gayanus, Melinis minutiflora or native pastures. Tick larvae counts on the grass showed a similar tendency. Introduced grasses and intensification of production will require greater care to control tick infestations since increases in stocking rate and ground coverage could augment tick populations.