Resumen
- Ticks have a negative effect on dairy and beef cattle production systems around the world, with the concomitant risk they represent for the transmission of some important infectious diseases. Colombian cattle breeds are distributed across different agroecological regions and are exposed to different environmental challenges. In humid and warmer climates such as those from the tropics, tick burden and heat stress are important factors that can compromise livestock performance. The aim of this study was to characterize tick burden in four Colombian cattle breeds and evaluate the relationship between heat stress and tick burden in Bos taurus cattle under tropical conditions. Tick counting was conducted in 1332 cattle from Romosinuano (ROMO), Costeño con Cuernos (CCC), San Martinero (SM) and Blanco Orejinegro (BON) breeds, located in the Caribbean, Orinoquia and Andean regions. Vital signs and environmental variables were taken to calculate an adaptability index (AI) and a temperature humidity index (THI). An AI < 2 indicates maximum adaptability while an AI ≥ 2 indicates a state of lower adaptability. In beef cattle, productivity starts to be affected by heat stress when environmental conditions allow an estimation of a THI > 75.