Tick-borne disease on the move in Midwest cattle herds

Benjamin Herrold
Jul 25, 2025
Jul 25, 2025

Asian longhorned tick transmits a parasite, Theileria oreintalis Ikeda, which destroys red blood cells.
Photo courtesy Jim Occi/Rutgers University

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Cattle health this summer is a mix of old familiar challenges and new concerns.

kAmx? E96 DF>>6C 962E[ 72C>6CD 2C6 DE:== 7@4FD65 @? 962E DEC6DD 2?5 C6=2E65 :DDF6D[ 3FE E96J 2C6 2=D@ 724:?8 ?6H E9C62ED DF49 2D E96 pD:2? =@?89@C?65 E:4<[ H9:49 42? EC2?D>:E 2 5:D62D6 D:>:=2C E@ 2?2A=2D>@D:D E@ 42EE=6]k^Am

kAm&?:G6CD:EJ @7 |:DD@FC: s:C64E@C @7 '6E6C:?2CJ tIE6?D:@? rC2:8 !2J?6 D2JD E96 :?G2D:G6 =@?89@C?65 E:4< 92D @?=J 366? 7@F?5 :? |:DD@FC: :? E96 =2DE 76H J62CD[ 2?5 :E 92D 366? 4@?7:C>65 :? aa 4@F?E:6D] %96 E:4< 92D 2=D@ C646?E=J 366? 4@?7:C>65 :? x@H2 2?5 x==:?@:D]k^Am

kAm%96 E:4< 42? DAC625 BF:4<=J[ H:E9 76>2=6D AC@5F4:?8 a[___ 688D 2E 2 E:>6] x? 255:E:@? E@ 42FD:?8 :CC:E2E:@? 2?5 D:8?:7:42?E 3=@@5 =@DD[ E96 k^Am

kAmpD:2? =@?89@C?65 E:4< EC2?D>:ED 2 A2C2D:E6[ %96:=6C:2 @C6:?E2=:D x<652[ H9:49 56DEC@JD C65 3=@@5 46==D] %9:D 42? 42FD6 H6:89E =@DD[ =@DE AC68?2?4:6D 2?5 6G6? 562E9 :? 42EE=6] w6 D2JD E96 562E9 =@DD 2AA62CD E@ 36 `T E@ dT]k^Am

kAm!2J?6 D2JD E96 E:4< 2?5 5:D62D6 AC6D6?E 2 5:77:4F=E 492==6?86 3642FD6 E96C6 2C6 ?@ EC62E>6?ED 2AAC@G65 :? E96 &]$] J6E] xE 42? 2AA62C D:>:=2C E@ 2?2A=2D>@D:D :? 42EE=6[ 2?5 2 3=@@5 E6DE :D ?66565 E@ E6== E96 EH@ 5:D62D6D 2A2CE]k^Am

kAm“xE’D 2 492==6?86[” 96 D2JD] “xE 3692G6D G6CJ D:>:=2C=J E@ 2?2A=2D>@D:D :? E92E :E’D E:4< EC2?D>:EE65]”k^Am

kAm!2J?6 D2JD E96 >2A @7 4@?7:C>65 pD:2? =@?89@C?65 E:4< A@AF=2E:@?D 5@6D ?@E 2=H2JD =:?6 FA H:E9 H96C6 E96 %96:=6C:2 @C:6?E2=:D x<652 :D 7@F?5[ D@ AC@5F46CD D9@F=5 36 @? 2=6CE]k^Am

kAm“tG6?EF2==J[ H6’== 86E E@ E96 A@:?E H96? E96 5:D62D6 :D ;FDE 6?56>:4 :? |:DD@FC: 2?5 H6’== 92G6 E@ 562= H:E9 :E[” 96 D2JD] “%96 492==6?86 H:E9 :E :D J@F ;FDE 42?’E EC62E :E[ J@F ;FDE 92G6 E@ 562= H:E9 :E]”k^Am

kAm%96 36DE 4@?EC@= :D <66A:?8 42EE=6 2H2J 7C@> H@@565 2C62D 2?5 @E96C 923:E2ED H96C6 E:4<D =:G6 2?5 4=62C:?8 H665D 2?5 3CFD9 C68F=2C=J] !C@5F46CD 42? 2=D@ :?DA64E 42EE=6 7@C E:4<D 5FC:?8 92?5=:?8 6G6?ED]k^Am

People are also reading…

Screwworm spreads into 4 more counties
Cereal rye smothers weeds
Better days for beets
Longtime dairy farmer leads state dairy organizations
Iowa dairy farm engages visitors while expanding operations
Revamped program offers one-year contract for cover crops
Interseeding outcompetes weeds, has host of other benefits
Simple changes make the difference in cooling off cattle
Montana Department of Livestock and MSU Extension issue guidance after New World screwworm detected in Texas
Downpour floods fields in south-central North Dakota as farmers finish planting
From the Fields: Sarah Pfaff-Cavadini
How Mitchell-based Trail King powers heavy haul across North America
Beet stands come through cold, windy spring
Nitrogen prices spawn interest in fertigation
Manage small acreage pastures before, after drought

kAm!2J?6 D2JD E96D6 AC24E:46D 42? 2=D@ 96=A H:E9 C65F4:?8 2?2A=2D>@D:D C:D<[ 2?5 :? 86?6C2= 4@?EC@==:?8 E:4< 2?5 7=J A@AF=2E:@?D @? 42EE=6 42? 92G6 962=E9 36?67:ED] !C@5F46CD 42? 2=D@ 4@?D:56C 2?E:3:@E:4 >:?6C2= E@ 96=A 4@?EC@= E96 :>A24ED @7 A6DED]k^Am

kAm“%96J 42? FD6 >:?6C2= >65:42E65 H:E9 49=@CE6EC24J4=:?6 2?5 7665 :E E9C@F89 >@?E9D E:4<D 2C6 24E:G6[” !2J?6 D2JD]k^Am

kAmu2C>6CD 42? 2=D@ 36 >:?57F= 23@FE 2G@:5:?8 EC2?D>:EE:?8 5:D62D6 H:E9 6BF:A>6?E]k^Am

kAm“(6 42? 2=D@ EC2?DA@CE 2?2A=2D>@D:D E9C@F89 3=@@5\4@?E2>:?2E65 6BF:A>6?E[” 96 D2JD]k^Am

kAmw6 C64@>>6?5D 492?8:?8 ?665=6D 36EH66? :?;64E:@?D :7 2?2A=2D>@D:D :D 2? :DDF6 H:E9 2 96C5[ 2?5 AC@5F46CD 42? 2=D@ 4@?D:56C 5:D:?764E:?8 6BF:A>6?E =:<6 E288:?8 A=:6CD 36EH66? FD6D]k^Am

kAm(:E9 2?2A=2D>@D:D[ !2J?6 D2JD :E 42? 36 2 >@?E9 @C EH@ 36EH66? 4@?EC24E:?8 E96 5:D62D6 7C@> 2 E:4< 2?5 D9@H:?8 DJ>AE@>D] %96 5:D62D6 :D >@DE @7E6? D66? :? 96C5D :? E96 =2E6 DF>>6C 2?5 72==]k^Am

kAmx? 86?6C2=[ DF>>6C :D 2 8@@5 E:>6 E@ E9:?< 23@FE 9@H E@ >2?286 962E DEC6DD 2?5 :?D64E\3@C?6 5:D62D6 :? 42EE=6] !2J?6 D2JD 9@C? 7=:6D 42? 42FD6 DEC6DD 2?5 64@?@>:4 =@DD 2D H6== 2D DAC625:?8 5:D62D6[ :?4=F5:?8 A:?<6J6\42FD:?8 A2E9@86?D]k^Am

kAm“%9@D6 7=J A@AF=2E:@?D[ :7 962GJ 6?@F89[ 42? 27764E A6C7@C>2?46[” 96 D2JD]k^Am

kAm!2J?6 D2JD AC@5F46CD D9@F=5 2=D@ 36 @? E96 =@@<@FE 7@C 7@@E C@E :DDF6D :? E96 DF>>6C[ 6DA64:2==J :7 42EE=6 DE2?5 :? A@?5D @C H6E 2C62D E@ 4@@= @77]k^Am

kAmr2EE=6 42? 2=D@ 7246 2 “DF>>6C D=F>A” @7 A6C7@C>2?46 :7 E96J 2C6 @? 76D4F6 A2DEFC6D H:E9 2? 6?5@A9JE6 E92E 42? 42FD6 3=@@5 G6DD6= 4@?DEC:4E:@?] %9:D 42? >2<6 42EE=6 >@C6 DFD46AE:3=6 E@ 962E 2?5 27764E 8C2K:?8]k^Am

kAm“%96J >2J DA6?5 >@C6 E:>6 DE2?5:?8 :? D92565 2C62D @C 2E A@?5D ECJ:?8 E@ <66A 4@@=[” !2J?6 D2JD]k^Am

kAm$F>>6C E6>A6C2EFC6D >2J 36 36J@?5 42EE=6 AC@5F46CD’ 4@?EC@=[ 3FE !2J?6 D2JD E96J 42? 96=A >2?286 E96 :>A24ED 3J AC@G:5:?8 42EE=6 H:E9 2446DD E@ D9256 2?5 A=6?EJ @7 H2E6C] w6 2=D@ C64@>>6?5D 2G@:5:?8 92?5=:?8 42EE=6 5FC:?8 E96 9@EE6DE 52JD 2?5 E:>6D]k^Am