University of Queensland researchers are calling on Australian cattle producers to help understand growing resistance to chemical control in cattle ticks.
Chemical treatments are an important tool for producers to control and manage ticks, but as ticks develop resistance to these chemicals, producers are left with fewer treatment options.
UQ Research Fellow Dr Hannah Siddle said the team needs ticks from across Queensland to test for chemical resistance.
“We would like producers to send us ticks even if they’re not particularly worried about resistance because we want to test as broadly as possible to gain understanding of chemical resistance in Australia,” Dr Siddle said.
“Cattle ticks are a costly pest on beef and dairy farms as they can affect weight gain, milk production, and carry disease, forcing producers to rely on chemical treatments to control them.
“Resistance to common chemical groups is a growing problem.
“Testing will help determine populations of ticks that are resistant and susceptible to a range of chemicals in different parts of the tick zone.”
The second step of the work is to sequence the genomes of resistant and susceptible ticks.
“We want to improve testing even further,” Dr Siddle said.
“The aim is to identify markers in the genome that we can use to make quick, reliable and cost-effective molecular-based tests.”
The samples will be tested using a novel type of testing kit, called the RaTexT, developed by researchers in the Netherlands and tested in Brazil.
“These kits provide results in 24 hours, which is faster than the 6-week turnaround for standard diagnostic testing,” Dr Siddle said.
“The RaTexT kit is not a replacement for diagnostic testing by biosecurity authorities, but they’ve been used in Africa and South America and are a powerful research tool to gain a better understanding of chemical resistance in ticks in Australia.”
Collaborator Dr Guilherme Klafke from Brazil’s State Centre for Diagnosis and Research in Animal Health, Desiderio Finamor, said the kits could help producers develop better strategies for controlling ticks.
“The advantage of this test is the quick turnaround in getting results,” Dr Klafke said.
“It’s complementary to the regular biosecurity testing, adding another level of information for farmers who need to make decisions about what products to use on infested animals.
“The genomic analysis can also help us to understand the population structure of ticks in the region.
“That means if there is any movement of ticks from one place to another, that sees resistance shift with the cattle.”
The project is part of widespread global cooperation on sustainable tick control and resistance management in livestock.
The work is supported by Dr Siddle’s Australian Research Council Mid-Career Industry Fellowship and is in collaboration with animal health companies, Boehringer Ingelheim and TBD International.
Producers who would like to participate in the trial need to complete a submission form and follow the instructions for collecting and sending ticks to UQ for chemical resistance testing. A flyer for distribution can be found here.
Producers can email Dr Hannah Siddle at h.siddle@uq.edu.au for details on how to participate in the trial, questions about the collection procedure, and any other testing enquiries.
Contact: Dr Hannah Siddle, h.siddle@uq.edu.au, +61 456 915 657; or QAAFI media, Natalie MacGregor, n.macgregor@uq.edu.au, +61 409 135 651.
The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation is a research institute at The University of Queensland, established with and supported by the Department of Primary Industries.
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