Results of a study to determine economic impact of feeding female lone star ticks, Amblyomma americanum (L.), on stocker cattle (weaned cattle before going into a feedlot) indicated that ticks significantly reduced live weight gain in Bos taurus (L.) cattle. However, F1B. taurus × Bos indicus cattle supported fewer ticks, and rate of gain was not altered significantly. An average of 40 attached female ticks reduced live weight gain equivalent to ca. $40 per animal for B. taurus stocker cattle.
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Ervin et al. (1987) studied this question.
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