title: Indigenous and crossbred cattle--a comparison of resistance to ticks and implications for their strategic control in Zimbabwe.
abstract: A comparison of the tick resistance of indigenous Mashona and crossbred Afrikander x Sussex oxen following natural tick infestation indicated that significantly more African blue ticks Boophilus decoloratus were found on the crossbred than the indigenous cattle (P < 0.05). The two groups of cattle were exposed to Babesia bigemina and Theileria taurotragi as indicated by high antibody titres on the indirect fluorescent antibody test, but no antibodies could be demonstrated to Anaplasma marginale and T. parva bovis despite the presence of their vectors. Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Hyalomma truncatum and H. marginatum rufipes showed a seasonal distribution. The implications of the findings in terms of strategic tick control are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Fivaz
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: de Waal
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lander
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000712:Anaplasmosis / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000276:immunology; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000662:veterinary; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D012621:Seasons; D013045:Species Specificity; D013801:Theileriasis / Q000276:immunology; D013983:Tick Control; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015030:Zimbabwe
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan