Integrated control of the cattle tick, Rhipicephalusaustralis (Acari: Ixodidae), in New Caledonia through the Pasture and Cattle Management method

Development of the Pasture and Cattle Management (PCM) method is a priority to control the cattle tick, Rhipicephalusaustralis, in New Caledonia. The PCM method provides the foundation for sustainable integrated tick control because approximately 95% of cattle ticks in infested pastures are off the host in the non-parasitic life stages, and the practice of treating cattle intensely with chemical acaricides is a risk for the emergence of resistance to these active ingredients in commercial acaricidal products available for veterinary use. Here, we report the findings of an assessment survey to document the utility of the PCM method. Analyses of questionnaire data provided by 21 beef cattle producers describing their management of 37 herds informed how to (1) assess the ability of PCM to reduce acaricide use and (2) prioritize best practices and define recommendations to breeders promoting efficient tick control with minimum acaricide use. Boosted regression tree analysis showed a significant (p = 0.002) reduction of approximate to 33% in the number of acaricide treatments from 7.9 to 5.3 per year by using PCM. Of the 24 factors identified as potentially affecting acaricide use, six factors accounted for approximate to 86% of the variability in number of acaricide treatments applied annually. The six most influential factors involved farm characteristics as well as pasture and herd management recommendations. These results demonstrated the usefulness of PCM for integrated control of R. australis infestations while reducing acaricide use to improve cattle production in New Caledonia.

Automated summary

The development of the Pasture and Cattle Management (PCM) method is crucial for controlling cattle ticks in New Caledonia, as it reduces acaricide use and improves cattle production efficiency. By analyzing questionnaire data from beef cattle producers, the study found a significant 33% reduction in acaricide treatments per year using PCM, demonstrating its utility for integrated control of R. australis infestations.