Farmers' perceptions, management practices, and economic impacts of cattle tick (Acari: Ixodidae) infestations in northwest Ethiopia.

Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are significant ectoparasites that impair cattle production and threaten the livelihoods of Ethiopian livestock producers. However, there is no evidence about farmers' perceptions, tick management methods, and the resulting economic losses. This study assessed cattle owners' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) about tick infestations and estimated the annual economic losses caused by ticks in northwest Ethiopia. Between March 2022 and June 2023, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire with 413 randomly selected cattle owners. A deterministic herd-level model was used to predict annual economic losses, which were based on one-year engorged tick burden data, production parameters, local market prices, and acaricide costs. All respondents recognised ticks, and 91.0% believed they were a substantial concern for cattle health and production. Most farmers reported that infestations peaked in the early rainy season (May-July), with grasslands seen as the main risk environment. The most commonly reported effects were lower milk yield (84.5%), weight loss (76.5%), hide damage (75.1%), and lower draft power (73.4%); only 5.1% linked ticks to tick-borne diseases. Overall, respondents had good knowledge and positive attitudes towards suggested tick management practices. Although acaricides, especially ivermectin and amitraz, were the main control methods, their usage was often inconsistent and supplemented with manual tick removal. The average annual economic loss was Ethiopian Birr (ETB) 4236 (about US$85) per household. Reduced live weight gain accounted for the most (78.4%), followed by milk production losses (11.4%), tick control expenses (6.0%), and draft power losses (4.2%). In conclusion, our data indicate that cattle owners have good practical knowledge regarding tick infestations but require better access to effective, integrated tick management choices. Combining farmers' local knowledge with evidence-based practices can minimise production losses and improve the sustainability of smallholder cattle production systems in northwest Ethiopia.