Ticked Off

Well, this story is enough to make the cattle industry start checking behind its ears.

Tiny pest, big problem: The Asian longhorned tick has been moving westsince it was first found in the U.S. in 2017. It has already worked its way across the East Coast and is now creeping into places like Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. You know, just a casual tour of cattle country. Super polite.

Clone wars: This tick reproduces asexually, meaning one female can basically start a whole tick dynasty without dating, mating or even downloading an app. That makes infestations hard to stop and harder to spot, since the ticks are tiny enough to hide until the situation is already udderly annoying.

The real bite: The tick can carry Theileria orientalis, a blood parasite that causes theileriosis in cattle. Infected animals may show lethargy, anemia, pale gums, difficulty breathing, late-term abortions and, in severe cases, death. Young calves and pregnant cows are especially vulnerable.

No easy fix: The disease can look a lot like anaplasmosis, but the usual antibiotics do not work against this parasite. Making matters worse, there is currently no approved treatment or vaccine in the U.S.

Surveillance needed: NCBA is pushing Congress to fully fund stronger surveillance efforts so researchers and drug makers have better data to work with. Translation: we need to know where the little bloodsuckers are before they turn cattle health into a full-blown tick-ing time bomb.

Why it matters: This is not just another pasture nuisance. A fast-spreading tick with limited treatment options could mean higher herd health costs, more losses and a whole lot more scratching for producers who already have enough bugs in the system.