Success or Failure? - Caribvet

An overview of future tick controlstrategies for Caribbean Islands

• Focus on National, rather than Regionalapproaches• Focus on Tick Control but not theEradication of TBT• Consider other tick species in designingappropriate strategiesCaribVet Meeting on Ticks & TBD

• Types of Tick Control• Methods of Tick Control• Essential pre-requisites for Tick Controlprogrammes

• Intensive• Regular close interval treatment (e.g. weekly)• Seasonal or Strategic• Based on scientific data of seasonality of tickspecies to be controlled• Threshold / Targeted (Species & Hosts)• Based on economically damaging numbers ofdefined tick species(e.g. TBT or Boophilus)

• Opportunistic• Occasional control when convenient &/orcoinciding with other interventions such astagging or worming• Haphazard• “There is no reason for it … its just the wayit is!”

• Dipping• Inappropriate in most of Caribbean islands• Spraying• Hand-spraying most suitable / Inexpensive• Pour-on• Expensive but most practical & effective• Applicators, Rollers, Tags, etc

• Define if Public or Private (Who pays?)• If Government, is funding available?• Appropriate legislation agreed upon, andimplemented (Problem!)• Viable livestock industry /B-C study• Full support of Livestock Producers• Commitment of Ministries of Agriculture

• Public information campaigns• Use of proven technical methods• Effective acaricide• Sound strategies• Known distribution• Adequate quarantine facilities• Adequate handling facilities

• Defined goals• Standardized monitoring systemsOR …• Totally private and each to their own!• Livestock owners do what they wantindependently of any Government body

Island Experiences in TBT Eradication: Success or Failure?Island S or F CommentsAnguilla S Eventually : Loose Livestock problem resolved becauseof TourismAntigua F Never really got going / Stray Livestock problemsBarbados S Effective management / minimal problems / SugarMontserrat S Helped by Volcano!St Lucia (N) S Why? Ecology & Management?St Lucia (S) F Why? Don’t know!St Kitts F At first Ok, then out of Sugar and poor management ofproblems and resourcesNevis S/F Difficult because of Loose Livestock / but verydetermined!

NevisSt KittsSt Lucia (S)St Lucia (N)Monts’tBarbadosAntiguaAnguillaDefine if Public or Private (Who pays?)PrIf Government, is funding available?NAppropriate legislation agreed /imp’d (Problem!)YBenefit / Cost Study: Viable livestock industry?NFull support of Livestock Producers ?Commitment of Ministries / Vet DeptsYPublic information campaigns organizedYUse of proven technical methods: Effective acaricide Y Known distribution of hosts and target species ? Sound & defined strategies YAdequate handling facilitiesNDefined goalsYStandardized monitoring systemsNAdequate quarantine facilitiesN