Spatial and temporal dynamics of tick infestation of sheep in mixed grazing (sheep and cattle) areas of the Bamboutos Division, West region of Cameroon

Abstract

Several species of ticks represent the health and productivity problems of sheep in Cameroon. This study aimed to investigate the dynamics of tick infestation on sheep in mixed grazing sheep and cattle areas of the Bamboutous Division, West region of Cameroon. A longitudinal study was carried out from April 2022 to February 2023 on 504 sheep reared in mixed grazing with cattle. Sheep were selected using standard sampling methods, characterized by gender and age, and inspected for tick collection. All visible ticks were collected on each animal, preserved in 70% ethanol, counted and identified morphologically. In total, 2470 ticks belonged to 14 species and grouped in 4 genera were identified namely: Rhipicephalus (79.51%), Amblyomma (12.75%), Ixodes (7.53%) and Haemaphysalis (0.2%). 05 species were cattle species namely: R. guilhoni, I. pilosus, R. muhsamae, R. lunulatus and R. sinus. The invasive tick R. microplus was found on sheep during the two seasons. Of the 504 animals examined, 306 (60.71%) were infested and the mean tick count was 9.77 ± 1.37. The frequency of some species was significantly different according to altitude. Animals were more infested in the rainy season (71.2%) than in the dry season (28.8%). This assessment showed that many tick species hinder the development of sheep productivity in the mixed grazing area of the Bamboutos Division. Farmers must be made aware of the importance of tick control to reduce or avoid losses due to ticks.