In this video, K-State Extension veterinary entomologist Cassandra Olds urges Kansas cattle producers to be on the lookout for signs of bovine theileriosis, a protozoan disease caused by ticks that has no treatment and no vaccine.
“Once an animal is infected, it stays a carrier of this disease for life, and any stress event can cause a relapse,” Olds said.
The disease is now prevalent over much of the United States. Olds said it seemed to originate on the East Coast, “but now we’re seeing it move westward, especially here in Kansas.”
Producers can help to reduce tick populations by burning pastures this spring. “Pay attention to Eastern Red Cedars; they are tick hot spots,” Olds said.
“Keep an eye on your animals; keep an eye on your pastures,” she adds. “And keep in mind that ticks will attach to you, too.”
The full video is available to view online at https://youtu.be/vzCfpZyYzhQ?si=vqvUpUUcYyu38DFW.
PHOTO: An adult female Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, on a blade of grass. (Photo courtesy James Gathany via the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.)
