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Journal of Veterinary Advances
Survey of Tick Infestation in Cattle in Zaria Abattoir,
Nigeria
Obadiah H. I. and Shekaro A
J Vet Adv 2012, 2(2): 81-87
Online version is available on: www.grjournals.com

ISSN: 2251-7685
Abstract
81 J. Vet. Adv., 2012, 2(2):81-87
OBADIAH AND SHEKARO
Survey of Tick Infestation in Cattle in Zaria
Abattoir, Nigeria
*1 Obadiah H. I. and 2 Shekaro A
1 Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State
2 National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
Nigeria has a high herd of cattle population, majority of which are in the hands of pastoralists. Apart from
the direct effect of tick infestation on animal production and productivity, ticks are inevitably efficient vectors
of many pathogens, like protozoa, viruses, bacteria, and rickettsiae to man and domestic animals. A survey on
ticks (arthropods) was carried out in Zaria abattoir in December 2009. 120 animals were samples, out of which
66 (55 %) were males and 54 (45 %) females. Four species of ticks were collected from three breeds of cattle
and their prevalence showed; Amblyomma variegatum 27 (22.5%) as the commonest, followed by Boophilus
decoloratus, 21 (17. 5%), Hyalomma sp 8 (6.7 %) and Rhipicephalus sanguineus 4(3.3 %). We also noted that
19(15.8%) of the animals examined had skin lesions in addition to ticks infestation. We therefore recommend
in strong term a control of ticks in our environment to prevent spread of diseases and improve animal
production in this region.
Key words: Cattle, ticks, abattoir
* Corresponding author: hagbike@yahoo.com
Received on: 18 Jan 2012
Accepted on: 28 Jan 2012
Online Published on: 01 Feb 2012
Original Article

SURVEY OF TICK INFESTATION IN CATTLE IN ZARIA …
Introduction
Nigeria had a mean cattle population of
13.9million in 1990, of which 11.5million of this
population were kept under pastoral system (Okoli
et al., 2012) and 2.4 million in the villages (Roger,
1999). Furthermore, these cattle were
predominantly zebu, such as, Bunaji (White Fulani),
Rahaji (Red Bororo), Sokoto gudali and others. The
author reported a seasonal change in the relative
proportion of these animals in various ecological
zones of the country.
Apart from trypanosomosis and other disease
agents, ticks also affect the production of animals.
Ticks are obligatory blood-sucking arachnid
arthropods infecting mammals, birds, reptiles and
amphibians. They are vectors of disease agents
(such as babesiosis, cowdriosis, anaplasmosis),
causing anaemia, dermatitis, paralysis, otocariasis,
as well as loss of production (Schmidt and Roberts
1989). Three families of ticks have been identified,
but two of them are well known and of veterinary
importance, Ixodidae (hard ticks) and Argasidae
(soft ticks) (Sonenshine 1991; Luqman et al., 2007).
Once they attach to a host for a blood meal,
they can cause skin irritation and anemia.
According to Radunz (2003), cattle ticks transmit
the organisms that cause tick fever, which is a
serious blood parasite disease of cattle. This disease
can be lethal to susceptible animals, and others may
suffer severe loss of condition. They are vectors of
pathogens, such as Babesia, Theileria, and
Anaplasma spp. to animals in the world (Soulsby,
1982).
Because of the diseases they transmit in
addition to induce paralysis or toxicosis and cause
physical damage to livestock, animals in poor
condition are especially vulnerable (Radunz, 2003).
Previously unexposed cattle become heavily
infested until they build up a degree of resistance.
Bos indicus cattle (tropical breeds) and their crosses
develop a greater degree of resistance than do Bos
taurus (British and European breeds) (Radunz,
2003).
According to Robert et al. (2009), the winter
tick is a one-host species that feeds primarily on
large hoofed animals. The larvae attack host
animals from early October through April, molt to
nymphs on the host, feed and then molt to the adult
stage while still on the host. Both males and females
take a blood meal, mate, and then the engorged
female drop to the ground and lays eggs. Tick
populations on the host get to a peak between late
October and mid-February.
The economic impact of tick infestations is
enormous worldwide. In 1984, the United Nation
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
estimated the global cost of Ixodidae tick infestation
to be US$7.0 billion annually. The one-host tick
Boophilus microplus is reported to have caused
losses of more than US$1.0 billion and US$1.0
million annually in South America and Australia,
respectively (Radostits et al. 2000).
Zaria and it’s environ has a special climate
(Guinea Savannah), with its rainy (range from April
to October) and dry (from November to March)
seasons favorable to agriculture and animal
husbandry (Mortimore, 1970). Many cattle graze in
the pastures and forests, and the probability for
them to be exposed to tick infestation is very high.
However, so far, only few studies have been done
on ticks, particularly encountered at the slaughter
house which is the true picture of those in the field.
The aim of this study was to determine the
frequency of tick infestation in cattle observed in
Zaria abattoir.
Materials and Methods
Study Area
A study of ticks was carried out in Zaria
abattoir. Zaria (11° 3' N; 7° 42' E) is located about
83km North of Kaduna, along the Kaduna-Kano
highway (Mortimore, 1970). Zaria comprises of two
Local Government Areas namely; Zaria and Sabon
Gari. By the existing pattern of settlement, Zaria
urban is composed mainly of four districts namely;
Zaria City, Tudun Wada, Sabon Gari and Samaru.
Zaria is made up of a natural and stable
ecosystem in the Northern Guinea Savannah zone,
with a discontinuous layer of sparsely distributed
short trees followed by relatively continuous layers
of tall, medium and short grasses; rainfall is below
125mm (Mortimore, 1970). Zaria is an old
commercial, administrative and academic town in
Northern Nigeria, but most parts have poor
environmental hygiene as evident by heaps of
refuse dumps coupled with indiscriminate disposal
82 J. Vet. Adv., 2012, 2(2):81-87

of human and animal wastes, even by the side of
streets (Aina, 2002, Unpublished B.Sc. project of
Department of Geography, A.B.U. Zaria).
Sample Collection
120 cattle were randomly selected and
ectoparasites specimen were collected from them.
All parts of the body of cattle were carefully
examined. Using hand gloves, the ticks were
removed from the body of the host with all
necessary precautions to avoid damage to the
mouthparts of the ticks and skin of host. Specimens
collected were put in folded white paper (each
sample/ animal) with little space to allow the ticks
have access to air. The specimen containers were
carefully labeled to indicate: breed of cattle, site of
tick location in the body of the animal and sex of
the animal. The samples collected were then
transported to the Veterinary Entomology
Laboratory, ABU, Zaria and directly preserved in
70 % alcohol before examination.
Morphological identification
The live ticks were placed in petri dish
containing 70% alcohol using forceps and the
samples were examined with low power dissecting
microscope (Nikon, made in Japan) and identified
by using the key of morphological characters as
described by Service (1979).
Statistical Analysis
The data collected were tabulated according to
the number of visits to the abattoir. The students ttest
were used to compare the means, correlation
analysis was also used to compare between types of
ticks and the lesions, the sex and breed of cattle;
using the SPSS version 16.
Results and Discussion
Presented in Tables 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, about 120
heads of cattle were sampled, out of which 66 (55
%) were males and 54 (45 %) females. Among the
breed in the same population, the White Fulani
breed was the most frequent breed with 90 (75 %),
followed by Red Bororo, 20 (16.7 %) and Sokoto
Gudali 10 (8.3 %). The result showed that inguinal
region was the most common predilection site for
83 J. Vet. Adv., 2012, 2(2):81-87
OBADIAH AND SHEKARO
the ticks, with 53 (44. 2 %) and the chest had the
least with 5 (4.2 %).
Table 1: Sex variation in with tick infestation
Sex Frequency Prevalence (%)
Male 66 55.0
Female 54 45.0
Total 120 100
Table 2: Breed associated with tick infestation
Breed Frequency Prevalence (%)
White Fulani 90 75.0
Sokoto Gudali 10 8.3
Red Bororo 20 16.7
Total 120 100
Table 3: Predilection site associated with tick infestation
Predilection site Frequency Prevalence (%)
Inguinal 53 44.2
Chest 5 4.2
General body surface 62 51.7
Total 120 100
Table 4: Types of ticks observed in the animals
Type of tick Frequency Prevalence (%)
Amblyoma sp. 27 22.5
Boophilus sp. 21 17.5
Rhipicephalus sp.
Hyalomma sp.
Others
4
8
60
3.3
6.7
50
Total 120 100
Table 5: Lesions observed associated with tick
infestation
Lesion Frequency Prevalence (%)
Present 19 15.8
Absent 202 84.2
Total 120 100
Four types of ticks were identified:
Amblyomma variegatum, Boophilus decoloratus,
Rhipicephalus sanguineus, and Hyalomma sp. The
frequency of occurrence in the study showed that
Amblyomma variegatum 27 (22. 5 %) was the
commonest ticks observed in cattle in Zaria abattoir
followed by Boophilus decoloratus, 21 (17. 5),
Hyalomma, 8 (6.7 %) and Rhipicephalus
sanguineus 4 (3.3 %). In addition, 19 animals had
skin lesions similar to that described for
Dermatophilos infection while 101 animals had
none. Some of these lesions were associated with
ticks’ infestations, while some were not (Table 4).

Ticks identifications (External morphology)
The external morphology of the four genuses of
ticks were examined and identified based on the
descriptive terminology of Service (1979) and
lecture notes of Agbede (2009, Advanced
Entomology course for postgraduate students,
2008/09 session). The body had four pairs of legs
which were segmented (coxa, trochanter, femur,
genu, tibia and tarsus) and terminated in a pair of
claws. The ticks were observed to have the
capitulum (where the head and mouthparts are
located) exposed and easily visible from the top.
The upper side of their body bears a distinctly
sclerotized shield or scutum. This structure covered
most of the upper body surface in the male tick, but
was restricted to a much smaller area (immediately
behind the capitulum) in the female.
The engorged female had her abdomen
increased to many times its normal dimensions and
the scutum appeared to be extremely small in
relation to the body size. Male ticks were not so
large when engorged like the female. These features
were presented as documented in the text by Service
(1979).
Ticks and tick-borne diseases affect animals
and human health worldwide and are the cause of
significant economic losses in livestock. Animal
ticks have been reported from all over the world and
the various species in domestic ruminants have been
identified to include: Amblyomma variegatum,
SURVEY OF TICK INFESTATION IN CATTLE IN ZARIA …
Boophilus decoloratus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus,
and Hyalomma sp and Dermaginatus marginatumas
(Agbede, 2009 Lecture notes for Advance
Entomology course for postgraduate students,
2008/09 session).
In Nigeria, James and Jidayi (2004) had an
investigation on ecto-parasites of livestock from
Maiduguri Metropolitan and its environs and
Nangere in Yobe State. They examined 1,600
camels, 2,200 cattle, 500 sheep, 400 goats, 230 dogs
and 250 pigs for ectoparasites. The results showed
that the species of ticks found were all from the
Family Ixodidae. In addition, in cattle, infestation
with Boophilus decoloratus, Hyalomma tuncatum,
Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Haemaphysalis leachii
and Amblyomma lepidum are predominant in that
order.
Based on the above finding, the most widely
distributed genus in our study was Boophilus
decoloratus, followed by Amblyomma, Hyalomma,
and Rhipicephalus sp in that order. Radunz (2003)
in the same vein reported that Boophilus microplus
was the most serious external parasites of cattle in
the Northern Australia. This tick favors cattle, but
infestations also occur in buffaloes, deer, horse, and
sheep he explained. In Nigeria, Garba et al. (2011)
documented the incidence of ticks like
Rhipicephalus spp 20 (87%) and Boophilus spp 3
(13%) to be associated with the horses.
Contrary to our findings, Durrani and Shakoori
(2009) studied the ecological growth conditions of
cattle ticks in Punjab, Pakistan, out of 120 tick
specimens, the results showed that, Hyalomma sp
(12%) ticks have the highest prevalence, followed
by Boophilu sp, (8.1%), Haemaphysalis sp (5%)
and Rhipicephalus sp (3.1%) in that order. Also in
another study, Durrani and Kamal (2008)
demonstrated that Hyalomma sp, Boophilus sp,
Rephicephalus sp and Haemaphysalis sp in that
order were genera that infested domestic animals.
Khan et al. (1993) also documented the prevalence
in Hyalomma sp to be 28.2% (1269/4500) in cattle
and 14.7% (662/4500) in buffaloes in Faisalabad
district of Pakistan.
A number of factors are said to affect the
prevalence of tick infestation in animals; the tick
species involved, suitability of the local
environment, seasonal conditions and susceptibility
of the host to tick infestation in that region. For
84 J. Vet. Adv., 2012, 2(2):81-87

example, Wahid (2004) reported that high density
of ticks were recorded in the month of August,
September, and October, when the mean
temperature was (27 0 C) and relative humidity as
Skin lesions
85 J. Vet. Adv., 2012, 2(2):81-87
OBADIAH AND SHEKARO
84%. In our study, despite the weather being cold
with harmattan winds, the presence of ticks means
that they have become adapted to the environmental
condition of the Zaria region.
A B
Fig. 2: Tick infestation in cattle associated with skin lesions in the forelimb (A) and inguinal
region (B).
Ticks
C D
Fig. 4: Infestation of the ticks without corresponding skin lesions of female Sokoto Gudali and Red
bororo male on the inguinal regions respectively.
the host. Both males and females take a blood meal,
The positive association of ticks with the mate, and then the engorged female drops to the
raining season has been documented by Koney et al. ground and lays eggs. Tick population on the host
(1994). Several species of ticks that attack cattle in reaches its peak between late October and mid-
Oklahoma in winter is said to be a one-host species February (Robert et al., 2009). December period in
that feed primarily on large hoofed animals. Larvae our study corresponded with the observation on the
attack host animals from early October through life cycle of ticks in animals.
April, molt to nymphs on the host, feed on blood We observed 19 (15.8 %) of ticks associated
meal and then molt to the adult stage while still on with the skin lesions in this study. These lesions
Tick
Skin lesions
Ticks

esembled the clinical picture of bovine
Dermatophilosis. The distribution of the lesions of
this disease according to many authors varied and
could be found on the head, neck, back, sides,
hindquarters, ventral abdomen, udder and legs. For
example, Awad et al. (2008) described the lesions
of bovine Dermatophilosis to include; thick greasy
scabs with protruded hairs distributed on the neck,
back, sides and ventral abdomen (Fig 2).
In another study, there was an association with
tick (identified as Boophilus annulatus) infestation
in 13 (76.5%) out of 17 cases with dermatophilosis,
but another researcher reported a negative
correlation between Boophilus species and
dermatophilosis and that Amblyomma variegatum
was the most important tick involved in the
pathogenesis of the disease (Koney et al., 1994). In
Ethiopia (Berhem et al., 1999), the association of
dermatophilosis with ticks was recorded as 45.2%.
Infection with D. congolensis occurs when the
integrity of the skin is impaired, as in long exposure
to rain or traumatic injuries resulting from
arthropod bites, e.g. from ticks, flies and
mosquitoes (Berhem et al., 1999).
It has been suggested that, the arthropods also
serve as mechanical transmitters of D. congolensis
into epidermal layers, where germination of
zoospores takes place to form multi dimensional
branching filaments (Jones et al., 1997). The
isolation of the organism from the mouthparts of
ticks removed from infected and-apparently noninfected
skin of cattle had been reported (Kruger et
al., 1998). The hard tick Amblyomma variegatum
had been associated with transmission of
dermatophilosis (Morrow et al., 1993) as a result of
their immunosuppressive effect on the host.
Nutritional deficiency also predispose to
Dermatophilosis (Lloyd, 1971), so even in the
absence of ticks, according to the author, clinical
cases could still occur.
No breed was completely resistance to ticks in
our study, because all the breeds were infested.
Experimental studies on the resistance of host to
tick infection have been documented. For example,
in Nigeria, Dipeolu and Haruna (1984) observed
that rabbits which were previously unexposed to
ticks acquired resistance to larval, nymphal and
adult forms of Amblyomma variegatum. The degree
of acquired resistance was lowest in rabbits exposed
SURVEY OF TICK INFESTATION IN CATTLE IN ZARIA …
to the larval form and highest in rabbits infested
with the adult form.
From the oral interview the author had with
some of the butchers, it was noted that most of the
animals brought to the abattoir were from Fulani
herd, while some from farmers who kept them in
their houses for fattening purpose before they sell
them, particularly the males. Those who kept these
cattle for the purpose of fattening are said to take
care of them by application of acaricides,
deworming and daily check up, unlike those from
the Fulani herd.
Control of tick infestation has been difficult
because ticks have few natural enemies. And the
use of acaricides has had limited efficacy in
reducing tick infestation and is often accompanied
by serious drawbacks, including acaricides resistant
ticks, environmental contamination and
contamination of milk and meat products with drug
residues (Graf et al., 2004). Other approaches
include; the use of hosts with natural resistance to
ticks, pheromone-impregnated decoys for attracting
and killing ticks, biological control agents and
vaccines (Sonenshine et al., 2006; Willadsen, 2006).
These methods are lacking in our environment, as a
result ticks burden in our animals is high especially
during the raining season.
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