ABSTRACT
Ticks are obligate haematophagous (blood-feeding) ectoparasites that feed on a variety of vertebrate host animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles and sometimes amphibians. They transmit a wide range of disease-causing organisms and are of great medical and veterinary importance. Ticks have been known as a nuisance and a pest of humans and animals for centuries. From June 2023 to August 2023, a tick infestation study of cattle was conducted at the Federal Government College road livestock market (in Egor Local Government Area Benin City, Edo state, Nigeria). Tick prevalence in connection to different bodily sections of the host was investigated. A total of 30 cattle were evaluated, with 25 (83.33%) of them afflicted with ticks. Hyalomma impressum, Amblyomma variegatum, Boophilus geigyi, Rhipicephalis sanguineus, and Dermacentor marginatus were recognized as tick species. A. variegatum showing the highest prevalence in all predilection sites (leg56.67%, tail 50.00%, and belly 50.00%), followed by H. impressum (leg 53.33%, tail 60.00%, and belly 46.67%), B. geigyi (leg 23.33%, tail 33.33%, and belly 30.00%), R. sanguineus (leg 0%, tail 0.00%, and belly 3.00%) and the least prevalence being D. marginatu (leg 0.00%, tail 0.00%, and belly 0.00%) and for mean intensity. A. variegatum had the highest in all predilection sites (leg 2.82, tail 1.73, and belly 2.80), followed by H. impressum (leg 1.88, tail 2.00, and belly 2.80), B. geigyi (leg 1.86, tail 2.50, and belly2.22), R. sanguineus (leg 0.00, tail 0.00, and belly 1.00) and the least prevalence being D. marginatu (leg 0.00, tail 0.00, and belly 0.00). Based on the tick dispersion pattern and the factors that contribute to it, an effective tick control program should be created and implemented.
