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Rising tick pesticide resistance threatens South Africa’s cattle industry

14 August 2024 | Story Martinette Brits | Photo Supplied

Ticks that feed on South Africa’s cattle are developing resistance to the only effective pesticides, making them increasingly difficult to control. If this issue is not addressed, the spread of these parasites and their resistance to pesticides could significantly impact farmers' incomes and food security.

According to a study by Dr Luther van der Mescht, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Zoology and Entomology, many tick populations in South Africa are resistant to at least two of the three main types of acaricides (chemical classes) used in the country.

Dr Van der Mescht notes that with around 12 million cattle in South Africa, these ticks not only lower meat and milk production but also carry pathogens that can cause potentially fatal diseases. He estimates that the economic losses from tick-borne diseases and the use of acaricides could reach up to R670 million annually in the cattle industry alone.

He adds that South Africa's agricultural sector is unique due to its dual farming system, which includes both subsistence and commercial farmers, amplifying the impact of ticks. “The country is also home to a wide variety of tick species that transmit numerous pathogens across a diverse range of habitats and climates in which cattle are farmed. Consequently, the effects of ticks and tick-borne diseases in South Africa may be more severe compared to those in developed countries.”

Dr Van der Mescht highlights that ticks are developing resistance primarily due to poor farm management practices, such as underdosing, overdosing, and excessive use of acaricides. “Additionally, insufficient government support in educating farmers and managing resistance exacerbates the problem.”

Managing acaricide resistance

Dr Van der Mescht explains that while ticks will inevitably develop resistance to acaricides, this usually happens much slower if pesticides are used strategically. To slow the development of resistance, several measures can be implemented:

• Minimise the number of acaricide treatments.

• Assess tick diversity and acaricide resistance at the farm level and monitor it regularly. The study found that acaricide resistance was highly variable across South Africa, likely due to different farm management practices; hence it should be assessed at the farm level.

• Quarantine animals when transferring them to a new farm, ensuring they are free of ticks before releasing them.

• Rotate acaricides from different chemical classes, with a gap of at least two years between applications.

• Government veterinary services should raise awareness about acaricide resistance and provide support, particularly to under-resourced farmers. Establishing acaricide resistance testing laboratories would help monitor resistance and offer guidance to farmers.

Expert in parasitology

Dr Van der Mescht is particularly fascinated by the fact that most animals on earth follow a parasitic way of life. He graduated with a PhD in Conservation Ecology from the Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology at Stellenbosch University in 2015, focusing on rodent parasites.

Career highlights include receiving the Wilhelm Neitz Memorial Scholarship in Parasitology from the Parasitological Society of Southern Africa (PARSA) for study abroad, and the Blaustein Centre for Scientific Cooperation Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2016 from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel, to conduct research on the experimental evolution of host specialisation. He also received the Claude Leon Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2019 to study the cat flea at Stellenbosch University’s Department of Botany and Zoology.

With over four years of experience in the industry at a contract research organisation, he has conducted more than 40 clinical studies for international pharmaceutical companies and published over 50 peer-reviewed scientific articles.

Making research visible, impactful, and relevant to society

Dr Van der Mescht recently published an article for The Conversation and participated in interviews with eNCA, Newzroom Afrika, and Cape Talk to discuss his research. “This effort aligns with the Vision 130 strategy of being a regionally engaged university and supports one of the key pillars of research development at the University of the Free State (UFS), which is to make our research visible, impactful, and relevant to society.”

He also highlighted the significance of popular science, noting that it helps scientists communicate their research to a broader audience, build their professional reputation, enhance their funding opportunities, and improve their research outcomes.

News Archive

New SRC: Records of support and a victory for women

2014-09-04

Ms Mosa Leteane and Ms Louzanne Coetzee
Photo: Johan Roux

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While campuses across South Africa regularly report falling voter turnout in campus elections of student representatives, the University of the Free State, in its recently completed SRC elections, registered record levels of support across our campuses with a total voter turnout of 44%. At the Bloemfontein Campus 34,4% of students voted (5052 votes) and 53,3% (1583 votes) at the Qwaqwa Campus.

Also, for the first time under the new SRC constitution, students elected a woman to lead the student body – Ms Mosa Leteane was elected as President. Another first was the election of a blind woman to the SRC – Ms Louzanne Coetzee. She will be responsible for student accessibility of our Bloemfontein SRC. This marks a victory for women in student governance.

Mr Tulasizwe Sithole was elected as the President of the SRC at our Qwaqwa Campus.

The election of Ms Leteane as President underscores the progress achieved for gender equality with near half of her SRC consisting of women (48%).

These successes are all the more significant, since this is the 4th year of elections under newly adopted SRC constitutions that allow for broader participation of diverse student constituencies in student governance.

This means that the crucial 3-year mark to test a new approach and method in governance and elections was not only successfully reached, but also in its 4th year shows the constitution as one that sustains its impact to deepen democracy and citizenship among our 30,000-strong student body.

“The results of the SRC elections across campuses show that our students are not only ready to lead our campus communities on issues relating to justice, freedom and democracy beyond our societal legacies of race and gender, but do so also for the student movement nationally. We’re immensely proud of our students, who show courage and resilience to choose leaders not for expediency, but for significance, and to lead not for some, but for all”, the Dean of Student Affairs, Rudi Buys, said.

The Qwaqwa SRC was installed on 2 September 2014, while the Bloemfontein SRC will be installed on 5 September. The Central SRC will be established on 14 September by joint sitting of the two SRCs.

The SRC members 2014/15 at the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses are as follows:

Bloemfontein Elective portfolios:
President: Ms Mosa Leteane
Vice Pres: Mr Waldo Staude
Secretary: Ms Dineo Motaung
Treasurer: Ms Maphenye Maditsi
Arts & Culture: Mr Stefan van der Westhuizen
Accessibility & Student Support: Ms Louzanne Coetzee
First Generation Students: Ms Mpho Khati
Media, Marketing & Liaison: Ms Lethabo Maebana
Legal & Constitutional Affairs: Mr Lindokuhle Ntuli
Sport: Ms Dominique de Gouveia
Student development & Environmental Affairs: Mr Victor Ngubeni
Transformation: Mr Tumelo Rapitsi

Bloemfontein Ex officio Portfolios
Dialogue & Ex officio: Associations Student Council: Mr Piet Thibane
Academic Affairs & Ex officio: Academic Affairs Student Council: Mr Jonathan Ruwanika
Residence Affairs & Ex officio: Campus Residences Student Council: Ms Melissa Taljaard
City student Affairs & Ex officio: Commuter Student Council: Ms Kerry-Beth Berry
Post graduate Affairs & Ex officio: Post Graduate Student Council: Ms Masabata Mokgesi
International Affairs & Ex officio: International Student Council: Mr Makate Maieane
Student Media Affairs & Ex officio: Student Media Council: Mr Samuel Phuti
RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Fundraising Council: Mr Johan du Plessis
RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Community Service Council: Mr Manfred Titus

Qwaqwa Elective portfolios:
President General: Mr Thulasizwe Sithole
Deputy President: Ms Zethu Mhlongo
Secretary General: Mr Vukani Ntuli
Treasurer General: Mr Langelihle Mbense
Media & Publicity: Ms Nongcebo Qwabe
Politics & Transformation: Ms Nkosiphile Zwane

Qwaqwa Ex officio Portfolios
Student Development & Environmental Affairs: Mr Ndumiso Memela
Academic Affairs: Mr Simon Mofekeng
Arts & Cultural Affairs: Ms Samkelo Mtshali
Off-Campus Students: Mr Khanyisani Mbatha
RAG, Community Service & Dialogue: Mr Njabulo Mabaso
Religious Affairs: Mr Mfundo Nxumalo
Residence & Catering Affairs: Ms Ntombifuthi Radebe
Sports Council: Mr Luvuno

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