Studies on tick(Ixodoidea) infestations of sheep, goats and cattle in Afyonkarahisar region.

This study was performed to determine the identity, seasonal activity and distribution of tick species of sheep, goats and cattle in the Afyonkarahisar region, Turkey between May 2008-April 2010. Şuhut, İscehisar, İhsaniye and Hocalar district were selected as the study cites. Structure of land, vegetation, temperature, precipitation, moisture are different and there are intensive animal population in these places.During the study 1920 sheep, 1920 goats and 1920 cattle were inspected in the aspect of ticks and their development stages. 669 (34.84 %) of sheep, 608(31.66 %) of goats, 348 (18.12 %) of cattle were found to be infested with different types of ticks. The infestation rate in sheep, goats and cattle were 28.21 %.During the study, 13660 ticks were collected from sheep, goats and cattle in Afyonkarahisar region. These were Rhipicephalus bursa (29.96 %), R. sanguineus (17.23 %), Haemaphysalis parva (16.88 %), Dermacentor niveus (15.09 %), R. turanicus (6.43 %), Hyalomma marginatum (4.93 %), Hae. sulcata (2.92 %), Hae. punctata (1.71 %), D. marginatus (0.46 %), H. detritum (0.2 %), H. anatolicum (0.09 %), H. excavatum (0.06 %), Ornithodoros lahorensis (2.35 %), Ornithodoros spp. nymph (1.09 %), Ornithodoros spp. larvae (0.05 %), Rhipicephalus spp. nymph (0.31 %), Rhipicephalus spp. larvae (0.04 %), Haemaphysalis spp. nymph (0.20 %) respectively.The highest infestation rates in sheep, goats and cattle were found in summer season, decreased gradually in spring, autumn and winter seasons. Rhipicephalus bursa adults were seem in November and April-September and adults of R. sanguineus and R. turanicus were encountered in April-August. The nymphs of Rhipicephalus spp. were only faced in June, November whereas Rhipicephalus spp. larvae were detected in November. Hyalomma marginatum adults were occurred February, April-October. H. detritum adults were determined August, April-June. Adults of H. excavatum were only seem May. Adults of H. anatolicum were August, May-June. Adults of D. niveus were encountered September-May. Adults of D. marginatus were detected July, September-May. Adults of Hae. parva and Hae. sulcata were determined September-May. Adults of Hae. punctata were observed September-April. Adults of Ornithodoros lahorensis and the nymphs of Ornithodoros spp. were detected January, November. Larval form of Ornithodoros spp. were only observed November.Correlations between the adults number of H. anatolicum and moisture was negative. The positive correlation with moisture for the adults number of Hae. parva, Hae. punctata (p ? 0.05).After controlling of 138 shelters and 103 sheepfolds inspected in the aspect of ticks and their development stages. In İscehisar district adults forms O. lahorensis were found cracks in the wall of barns. In Şuhut 30 Migrotus arvallis, 2 Spermophilus citellus gelengius, 7 Cricetulus migratoria, 2 Mus musculus were caught and examined for ticks but they were not found. In Hocalar district adult 5 D. niveus were found in a pasture on which sheep, goats and cattle were grazed.Key words: Afyonkarahisar, Sheep, Goat, Cattle, Tick