Cameron County Livestock Under Cattle Fever Tick Quarantine

AUSTIN – The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have confirmed the presence of cattle fever ticks on Cameron County premises located outside the permanent quarantine zone.

In order to protect the land, premises, and animals from exposure to cattle fever ticks, the TAHC is creating a temporary preventative quarantine area (also commonly known as the “TPQA” or “Blanket Area”) in Cameron County. This TPQA, and its requirements, will become effective October 7, 2014.

The TPQA consists of approximately 223,000 acres. The TPQA will be in effect until all premises within it are released from fever tick quarantines and the area is determined to no longer be at risk of infestation. Within this area, all livestock (cattle & equine) and live or hunted wildlife (such as nilgai antelope and white-tailed deer) that are capable of hosting fever ticks, are subject to movement restrictions, inspections and treatment as prescribed by TAHC fever tick regulations.

Fever ticks, known scientifically as Rhipicephalus (formerly Boophilus) annulatus and R. microplus, are capable of carrying the protozoa, or microscopic parasites, Babesia bovis or B. bigemina. Infected fever ticks inject the protozoan into the bloodstream of cattle as they feed. The Babesia organism attacks and destroys red blood cells, causing acute anemia, high fever, and enlargement of the spleen and liver, ultimately resulting in death for up to 90 percent of susceptible naive cattle.

There currently exists a permanent cattle fever tick quarantine zone which ranges from 200 yards to 10 miles wide along the Rio Grande River. This strip of land extends 500 miles long, through eight South Texas counties, alongside the Rio Grande River from Devils River to the Gulf of Mexico. It was created as a buffer zone to Mexico, where fever ticks are common. This zone allows tick incursions from Mexico to be detected and eliminated quickly, so that cattle in the zone do not potentially spread fever ticks into the interior of the state.

For more information about the temporary preventative quarantine area and movement requirements, call 956-546-6004. For additional information about the Cattle Fever Tick visit, http://www.tahc.texas.gov/animal_health/fevertick/fevertick.html and http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_diseases/tick/downloads/pest_alert.pdf

Founded in 1893, the Texas Animal Health Commission works to protect the health of all Texas livestock, including: cattle, swine, poultry, sheep, goats, equine animals, and exotic livestock.