Abstract

In Uganda, control of ticks and tick-borne diseases (TTBDs) largely depends on the use of chemicals applied using different methods. This cross-sectional study assessed 17 factors to determine the effectiveness and limitations in the use of the recently adopted acaricide application methods on dairy cattle farms in south-western Uganda. The average annual morbidity and mortality due to tick-borne diseases were 42.6 and 30.0% for farms using bucket pumps, 9.3 and 4.2% for those using motorised pumps and 3.0 and 1.0% for spray races, respectively. For a 20-year period, the estimated cost of acaricide application for a herd of 80 head of cattle was US$ 71,042, US$ 38,694 and US$ 28,710 when using a bucket pump, spray race and a motorised pump, respectively. Bucket pump method may only be cost-effective on farms of 40 to 112 head of cattle, while a motorised pump was only economical for farms of 35 to 170 cattle and a spray race being a better option at farms of 100 to 600 cattle. Farmers should make the most appropriate choice of acaricide application method to achieve the most effective control of TTBDs on their farms.

Key words: Effectiveness, acaricide application methods, tick-borne diseases, Uganda.