Simulation of rotational grazing to evaluate integrated pest management strategies for Boophilus microplus (Acari: ixodidae) in Venezuela. Academic Article

abstract

• Ranchers in Venezuela historically have controlled the cattle-fever tick, Boophilus microplus (Canestrini), with acaricide treatments of cattle but no technical planning. We developed a simulation model to evaluate cattle-tick population dynamics in systematic pasture rotation systems and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approaches to managing ticks in the tropical dry-forest ecological zone of Venezuela. Model output showed five generations of cattle-ticks produced each year throughout the dry and rainy seasons that occur in this zone. Sensitivity analyses showed disproportionately large changes in on-host B. microplus populations in response to small changes in larval mortality rates, such as those resulting from differences in the innate resistance of cattle to tick parasitism. Simulation results with 1-6 pasture systems suggest that adjusting the graze:rest sequence with systematic rotation among 4-6 pastures could suppress, but not eradicate, tick populations.

authors

• Grant, William
• Teel, Pete

published proceedings

• Vet Parasitol

author list (cited authors)

• Hernndez-A, F., Teel, P. D., Corson, M. S., & Grant, W. E.

citation count

• 17

complete list of authors

• Hernández-A, F||Teel, PD||Corson, MS||Grant, WE

publication date

• January 2000

publisher

• Elsevier  Publisher

published in

• Veterinary Parasitology  Journal

keywords

• Animal Husbandry
• Animals
• Cattle
• Cattle Diseases
• Computer Simulation
• Female
• Insect Control
• Models, Biological
• Seasons
• Tick Infestations
• Ticks
• Venezuela

PubMed Central ID

• 10946137

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1016/s0304-4017(00)00282-x

start page

• 139

end page

• 149

volume

• 92

issue

• 2

URL

• http%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1016%2Fs0304-4017%2800%2900282-x