COMPARATIVE STUDY ON ECTOPARASITIC TICK ABUNDANCE AND DIVERSITY ON GOATS AND COWS

Abstract

Ectoparasitic infestation is one of the threats to the growth of the livestock industry. Ticks, one of the most notorious groups of ectoparasites on livestock, create issues for cattle rearers by causing a wide range of diseases like babesiosis, theleriosis, anaplasmosis, KFD, CCHF, etc. In addition, conditions like tick worry, metabolic debilitation, secondary infections, and loss of large quantities of blood due to parasitic feeding also pose severe health issues. The current study analyzed the ectoparasitic tick infestation on goats and cows, the common domesticated animals in south India. Gaining from rearing these animals support the economic status of the rural peoples of the region. The study discussed the abundance, diversity, and host selectivity of the ticks recorded from the area. Additionally, the role of each species in transmitting various diseases in animals and humans is also discussed.