Production effects of cattle tick (Boophilus microplus) infestation of high yielding dairy cows

Forty mid-lactation Holstein–Friesian cows, 100% lot fed, were assigned to four groups for 15 weeks. Two groups of 10 cows were infested each week with a gradually increasing number of Boophilus microplus larvae, while the other two groups were maintained free of ticks. Milk yield and composition (including somatic cell count, SCC), liveweight, dry matter intake, packed cell volume (PCV) and total plasma protein (TPP) were measured throughout the 15 week period. By week 15, control cows produced 2.86 l more milk and 0.14 kg more butterfat each day and had gained 10.6 kg more liveweight than infested cows. Each engorging female tick was estimated to be responsible for the loss of 8.9 ml of daily milk production and 1.0 g of bodyweight over the trial period. Milk composition, PCV and TPP were not significantly affected by cattle tick infestation. The dry matter intake of control cows was 0.83 kg greater than infested cows in week 12.