Prevalence, severity, and heritability of Stephanofilaria lesions on cattle in central and southern Queensland, Australia
R. W. Sutherst A B D , A. S. Bourne A , G. F. Maywald A and G. W. Seifert A CA CSIRO Entomology, Long Pocket Laboratories, 120 Meiers Rd, Indooroopilly, Qld 4068, Australia.
B Present address: School of Integrative Biology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4067, Australia.
C CSIRO Belmont Research Station, Rockhampton, Qld 4702; Current address: 3 Ray St, Yeppoon, Qld 4703, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: b.sutherst@uq.edu.au
Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 57(7) 743-750 https://doi.org/10.1071/AR05265
Submitted: 20 July 2005 Accepted: 20 January 2006 Published: 14 July 2006
Abstract
Observations of cattle in central and southern Queensland are collated to define the prevalence and area of Stephanofilaria lesions associated with infestations of the buffalo fly, Haematobia irritans exigua. The observations were made on herds that were being used for other purposes. In a survey of ~1500 animals at Belmont in central Queensland in 1982, 98% of cows and 70% of calves had lesions. Most lesions were on the neck and dewlap and 10% were raw and weeping at the time of sampling. The total area of lesions per animal was strongly related to cattle breed and age. Old Bos taurus animals had the greatest area of lesions, whereas young Bos indicus had the least. Heritability estimates were low, averaging 0.01 for calves and 0.18 for cows. A smaller survey of cows and steers at Craighoyle in central Queensland in 1986 showed a higher numbers of lesions and positive correlations between the total lesion area and animal size. The lesion area increased with tick survival, suggesting that tick-resistant animals are also resistant to Stephanofilaria infection. Steers had smaller areas of lesions than cows, as found previously with cattle ticks. Long-term monitoring observations in central and southern Queensland between 1981 and 1986 showed that the total area of lesions was seasonal with a peak in late summer, consistent with the seasonal incidence of buffalo fly. Animals segregated into Low and High lesion herds maintained their differences over time. The lesions penetrated the dermis of the cattle hides and rendered the affected area unusable, but few lesions occurred on valuable parts of the hide so such economic effects are likely to be insignificant. One animal nearly died of a haemorrhage from a lesion on the dewlap and had to be treated. The results can inform policy on buffalo fly control, and biosecurity preparations in relation to the potential establishment of the Old World screw-worm fly, Chrysomyia bezziana, in Australia, which will be facilitated by the lesions. The results emphasise the significant animal welfare and biosecurity risks posed by the lesions in northern Australia.
Acknowledgments
Messrs B. M. Kelley, J. B. Whiteman, I. D. Sutherland, D. A. Stegeman, R. S. Tozer and Dr A. Macqueen assisted with the observations, and Mr K. G. Bean assisted with the preliminary analysis. The Australian Meat Research Committee contributed funding. The staff of the Belmont Field Station co-operated by making the cattle available for examination. The management of Packer Associated Tanners of Narangba is thanked for their cooperation in processing the samples of cattle hide. Dr Ian Sutherland gave some helpful feedback on the manuscript.
Anziani OS, Volpogni MM
(1996) Incidence of bovine myiasis (Cochliomyia hominivorax) in the central area of Argentina. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 791, 432–433.
| PubMed |
Bean KG,
Seifert GW,
Macqueen A, Doube BM
(1987) Effect of insecticide treatment for control of buffalo fly on weight gains of steers in coastal central Queensland. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 27, 329–334.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Guglielmone AA,
Gimeno E,
Idiart J,
Fisher WF,
Volpogni MM,
Quaino O,
Anziani OS,
Flores SG, Warnke SG
(1999) Skin lesions and cattle hide damage from Haematobia irritans infestations. Medical and Veterinary Entomology 13, 324–329.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Haufe WO
(1987) Host-parasite interaction of blood-feeding dipterans in health and productivity of mammals. International Journal for Parasitology 17, 607–614.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Johnson SJ,
Arthur RJ, Shepherd RK
(1986) The distribution and prevalence of stephanofilariasis in cattle in Queensland. Australian Veterinary Journal 63, 121–124.
| PubMed |
Johnson SJ,
Parker RJ,
Norton JH,
Jaques PA, Grimshaw AA
(1981) Stephanofilariasis in cattle. Australian Veterinary Journal 57, 411–413.
| PubMed |
Johnson SJ, Toleman MA
(1988) Prevalence of stephanofilariasis in young Bos indicus cattle in northern Australia. Veterinary Parasitology 29, 333–339.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
O’Kelly JC, Seifert GW
(1970) The effects of tick (Boophilus microplus) infestations on the blood composition of Shorthorn × Hereford cattle on high and low planes of nutrition. Australian Journal of Biological Sciences 23, 681–690.
Seifert GW
(1971) Variations between and within breeds of cattle in resistance to field infestations of the cattle tick (Boophilus microplus). Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 22, 159–168.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sutherst RW,
Kerr JD,
Maywald GF, Stegeman DA
(1983) The effect of season and nutrition on the resistance of cattle to the tick Boophilus microplus. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 34, 329–339.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sutherst RW,
Maywald GF,
Bourne AS,
Sutherland ID, Stegeman DA
(1988) Ecology of the tick (Boophilus microplus) in subtropical Australia. II. Resistance of different breeds of cattle. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 39, 299–308.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sutherst RW,
Spradbery JP, Maywald GF
(1989) The potential geographical distribution of the Old World screw-worm fly, Chrysomya bezziana. Medical and Veterinary Entomology 3, 273–280.
| PubMed |
Sutherst RW,
Sutherland ID,
Bourne AS,
Maywald GF, Stegeman DA
(1988) Ecology of the tick (Boophilus microplus) in subtropical Australia. I. Introduction and freeliving stages. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 39, 285–297.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sutherst RW, Tozer RS
(1995) Control of buffalo fly (Haematobia irritans exigua de Meijere) on dairy and beef cattle using traps. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 46, 269–284.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wharton RH
(1975) Resistant cattle for biological control of cattle tick. Animal Quarantine 4, 13–17.
Williams JD,
Sutherst RW,
Maywald GF, Petherbridge CT
(1985) The southward spread of buffalo fly (Haematobia irritans exigua) in Eastern Australia and its survival through a severe winter. Australian Veterinary Journal 62, 367–369.
| PubMed |
