Skip to main content

Effects of a Novel Pesticide Resistance Management Strategy on Tick Control in a Smallholding Exotic-breed Dairy Herd in Kenya

Abstract

Effects of a novel pesticide resistance management strategy on tick control are evaluated in this study. The study is based on a temporal analysis of tick management practices on a smallholding in western Kenya. Results are reported of an innovation to tackle individual resistance in a pair of alternative pesticides using relay application. Incidence of tick-borne diseases at the farm were reduced from 79.6% per annum to 4.5% and no cases were observed in the last two years of the study. Negative cross-resistance is believed to be the mechanism in play for this effective tick control practice. Tick-borne disease control and management costs were halved in comparison to application of a single ineffective pesticide at the same treatment frequency. The acaricide relay strategy is suitable for smallholdings and is expected to significantly extend the useful lifespan of the pesticide pair.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Abbreviations

ECF:

East Coast fever

KES:

Kenyan shillings

NCR:

negative cross-resistance

PRM:

pest resistance management

References

  • Baker, J.A.F., Taylor, R.J., and Stanford, G.D., 1973. A new triazapentadiene compound active against cattle ticks of major importance in South Africa. Proceedings of the 7th Insecticide and Fungicide Conference, Brighton, 1973, 291–300

  • Georghiou, G.P., 1980. Insecticide resistance and prospects for its management. Residue Reviews, 76, 131–145

    Google Scholar 

  • Georghiou, G.P. and Taylor, C.E., 1986. Factors influencing the evolution of resistance. In: Pesticide Resistance: Strategies and Tactics for Management, (National Academy Press, Washington), 157–169

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, 1981. Recent research on the use of amitraz for the control of ticks on animals. In: G.B. Whitehead, and J.D. Gibson (eds), Tick Biology and Control, (Tick research Unit, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa), 123–127

  • Li, A.Y., Davey, R.B., Miller, R.J. and George, J.E., 2004. Detection and characterization of amitraz resistance in the southern cattle tick Boophilus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae). Journal of Medical Entomology, 41, 193–200

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mukhebi, A.W., and Perry, B.D., 1995. Socio-economic aspects of tick-borne diseases. A paper presented at the Post-conference Workshop on Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases held at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Pretoria, 4–7 September 1995

  • Mukhebi, A.W, Wathanga, J., Perry, B.D., Irvin, A.D. and Morzaria, S.P., 1989. Financial analysis of East Coast fever control strategies on beef production under farm conditions. The Veterinary Record, 125, 456–159.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mukhebi, A.W., Perry, B.D. and Kruska, R., 1992. Estimated economics of theileriosis control in Africa. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 12, 73–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Norval, R.A.I.. 1989. Tick control in relation to the epidemiology of theileriosis. In: T.T. Dolan (ed.), Theileriosis in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa, Proceedings of a Workshop on East Coast fever Immunization, Lilongwe, Malawi, 1988, (International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases, Nairobi, Kenya)

  • Okello-Onen, J., Tukahirwa, E.M., Perry, B.D., Rowlands, G.J., Nagda, S.N., Musisi, G., Bode, E., Heinonen, R., Mwayi, W. and Opuda-Asibo, J., 2003. The impact of tick control on the productivity of indigenous cattle under ranch conditions in Uganda. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 35, 237–247

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pegram, R.G., James, A.D., Oosterwijk, G.P.M., Killorn, K.J., Lemche, J., Ghirotti, M., Tekle, Z., Chizyuka, H.G.B., Mwase, E.T. and Chizyuka, F., 1991. Studies on the economics of ticks in Zambia. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 12, 9–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pittendrigh, B.R., Gaffney, P. and Murdock, L., 2000. Deterministic modeling of negative cross-resistance strategies for use in transgenic host-plant resistance. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 204, 135–150

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Siegfried, B.D. and Scharf, M.E., 2001. Mechanisms of organophosphate resistance in insects. In: I. Ishaaya (ed.). Biochemical Sites of Insecticide Action and Resistance, (Springer, New York), 269–292

    Google Scholar 

  • Soberrances, N.C., Santamaria, M.V., Fragoso, H.S. and Garcia, Z.V., 2002. First case of amitraz resistance in the cattle tick Boophilus microplus in Mexico. Técnica Pecuaria en México, 40, 81–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutherst, R.W, 1981. Is the Australian pest management approach to tick control relevant to Africa?. In: G.B. Whitehead and J.D. Gibson (eds), Tick Biology and Control, (Tick research Unit, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa), 79–85

  • Tabashnik, B.E., 1990. Modeling and evaluation of resistance management tactics. In: R.T. Roush and B.E. Tabashnik (eds), Pesticide Resistance in Arthropods, (Chapman and Hall, New York), 153–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, A.R., Bouattour, A., Camicas, J.-L., Estrada-Pena, A., Horak, I.G., Latif, A.A., Pegram, R.G. and Preston, P.M., 2003. Ticks of Domestic Animals in Africa: a Guide to Identification of Species, (Bioscience Reports, Edinburgh)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. E. Kamidi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kamidi, R.E., Kamidi, M.K. Effects of a Novel Pesticide Resistance Management Strategy on Tick Control in a Smallholding Exotic-breed Dairy Herd in Kenya. Trop Anim Health Prod 37, 469–478 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-005-2173-2

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-005-2173-2

Keywords

  • acaricide
  • dairy production
  • herd management
  • negative cross-resistance
  • tick control