Cattle tick in NSW

Cattle tick (Rhipicephalus australis) is a blood-sucking external parasite that attaches to cattle and other livestock. Adult ticks are small—about 4 to 10 mm long—and usually oval and reddish-brown to grey. They attach to the skin, feed on blood, and can cause irritation, hair loss, anaemia, reduced weight gain and milk yield, hide damage and in severe cases, death. Cattle tick threatens animal welfare, reduces farm profitability, and creates trade and movement restrictions.

The most significant risk from cattle tick is that it can transmit tick fever (bovine babesiosis and anaplasmosis), a serious and sometimes fatal disease that causes high fever, jaundice, abortion and death in cattle. Because of this, cattle tick is considered one of the most harmful parasites affecting the northern Australian cattle industry and is a notifiable pest in NSW.

Cattle ticks are a one-host species, spending about 21 days on the animal as larvae, nymphs and adults (parasitic phase) before dropping off into the pasture to lay up to 3,000 eggs. The eggs and larvae can survive in the environment (non-parasitic stage) for up to nine months, depending on environmental conditions. Cattle ticks thrive in warm, moist and humid conditions and are most active during spring and summer. While they can occur year-round, particularly with the mild winters on the far north coast, they are generally less active during the colder months.

In Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, cattle ticks are endemic. In these states, there are both cattle tick infested and free areas.

All of NSW is considered a cattle tick free area. NSW DPIRD works with livestock owners to prevent, detect and eradicate any cattle tick incursions in the state. Infestations are generally confined to the Far North Coast of NSW, with occasional outbreaks occurring outside this area.

Cattle, buffalo, bison and deer are the primary carriers because cattle ticks can reliably complete their life cycle on these hosts.

Horses and other equines, sheep, goats and camelids can also carry cattle ticks, but they are secondary hosts where the full life cycle is less likely.

Cattle tick spreads mainly when infested animals are moved or stray onto neighbouring properties and roadways, they cannot move far on their own.

Ticks drop off animals into the pasture where they lay eggs and produce another generation of ticks on the property.

On heavily infested cattle, ticks may be found anywhere on the body. In lighter infestations, check the escutcheon (between the hind legs), tail butt, under the flank, shoulder, dewlap, and ears - the most common attachment sites.

Equipment, vehicles, and feral animals can sometimes mechanically move ticks between properties, making strict biosecurity measures essential.

Cattle tick is notifiable in NSW under the Biosecurity Act 2015 and you must report within 1 working day.

*            Collect a sample of the ticks and take a clear photo of the specimens

*            Report immediately to the Cattle Tick Program via the Biosecurity Helpline on 1800 680 244 or

*            Submit a Notify a cattle tick detection form via the NSW Cattle Tick App and upload a clear photo

Do not move the infested animals off the property or from the yards (if they are recently introduced) until you speak with an DPIRD officer.

Following notification of cattle ticks, an officer will contact the property owner and/or stock owner. An Individual Biosecurity Direction (IBD) will be issued, setting out their obligations to prevent, eliminate or minimise a biosecurity risk. This includes a treatment program or destocking plan, fence maintenance and movement requirements. Movements can still be facilitated, but certain precautions are required to prevent spreading the infestation further afield.

Restricted holdings in NSW are properties that are either infested with cattle tick or are next to an infested property. These holdings are subject to movement restrictions to help prevent the spread of cattle tick.

Infested holding – land where cattle tick–infested animal(s) have been detected.

Reinfested holding – land where cattle tick-infested animal(s) have been detected, and where ticks have been found again after the completion of an eradication program.

Adjoining holding – a property that adjoins an infested holding, where cattle ticks have not been found.

When a property in NSW becomes infested with cattle tick, an approved eradication program must be carried out. This is necessary to remove the risk of ticks spreading to neighbouring properties and to reduce the potential for tick fever. Cattle ticks spend only part of their life on an animal; the remainder is spent in the pasture. After feeding, adult females drop off their host to lay eggs, meaning every potential carrier on the property must be included in the treatment program. Missing even one animal can allow ticks to continue their lifecycle and reinfest the environment.

As animals graze, they pick up larvae from the pasture. Chemical treatments work by killing, sterilising or disrupting tick development, but they must be applied consistently and at intervals that match the product’s protection period and the tick’s parasitic phase. The parasitic phase lasts around 21 days, while the environmental, non-parasitic phase can extend up to 9 months.

Because cattle ticks can persist in pasture for long periods, consecutive chemical treatments must be applied to maintain continuous protection and achieve 39 weeks without detecting ticks. This is required to ensure the infestation is fully eradicated from the property. If cattle ticks are detected at any point during this 39-week period, the chemical treatment program must restart and continue until 39 consecutive weeks of treatments have been completed with no detections.

The number and timing of treatments required will depend on the specific chemical products used.

12 weeks after the completion of a treatment program, an DPIRD officer will complete an examination of the livestock to access if the property can be cleared from infested status.

If the examination results in no cattle tick being found on the herd, the Individual Biosecurity Direction (IBD) will be revoked, and the property will be reclassified as tick free. All movement restrictions will be lifted pending the tick free confirmation of the adjoining properties. If a neighbouring property is infested, then the status will change to adjoining holding and a General Biosecurity Duty (GBD) notice issued.

Another eradication option is to completely destock the property for a minimum of 12 months. By removing all hosts for an extended period, ticks are unable to complete their life cycle, leading to natural eradication. In most cases, a chemical treatment program is recommended over destocking, as maintaining unused pasture and keeping animals off the property for an extended period can be challenging.

The Department is implementing the Owner Treatment Scheme as a treatment option across infested properties through the 2025 – 26 financial year.

Stock owners with new infested properties will be able to be assessed for inclusion in the Owner Treatment Scheme. If the Department determines you are eligble to enter this scheme, stock owners will have the option to complete an eradication program under the Department-led treatment program or via the Owner Treatment Scheme.

Under the Owner Treatment Scheme, a partial reimbursement of the chemical costs is available to support stock owners. With added flexibility to access the full range of over-the-counter chemicals available to treat cattle ticks and the freedom to schedule their own treatments, stock owners will have greater control to manage their own infestations.

Compliance with the scheme’s requirements will be closely monitored, and officers from the Cattle Tick Program will provide in field and administrative support throughout the treatment cycle.

Records for the Scheme can be submitted via the NSW Cattle Tick App, including:

• applying for reimbursement of cattle tick treatment chemicals
• submitting a treatment record

For more information about the Owner Treatment Scheme, you can contact the Cattle Tick Program via quarantine@dpird.nsw.gov.au or via 1800 680 244

Download the Owner Treatment Manual here - Cattle Tick

• Report suspected cattle tick infestations early. Assistance is available to help eradicate.
• Infested properties and the neighbouring properties have movement restrictions placed upon them to minimise animal movement-assisted spread of cattle ticks, ensure these requirements are met for all movements.
• Maintain good biosecurity measures:
• Maintain secure boundary fences to prevent animals straying onto or from infested properties.
• Consider double/buffer fencing if you border an infested property (ticks cannot travel far unassisted).
• Do not share yards with your neighbours
• Ask questions of vendors as to whether they have cattle tick when purchasing animals
• Ask the status and history of a property when purchasing or agisting.
• Quarantine new arrivals for at least 3 weeks in an easily accessible paddock and monitor for the presence of ticks or illness.

If your neighbour’s property is found to have cattle tick, the Department will notify you and other nearby landholders. You’ll receive a General Biosecurity Duty (GBD) Notice that outlines what you need to do to prevent the spread of ticks.

You’ll be required to:

• Regularly inspect any cattle tick carriers on your property.
• Maintain stockproof boundary fences to prevent livestock from straying between properties.
• Report any tick detections immediately to the Department.
• Follow movement requirements for any cattle tick carriers leaving your property.

These steps are part of a coordinated effort to contain and eradicate cattle tick infestations, protecting livestock health and preventing further spread in the region.

Keep your property identification code (PIC) details up to date, including PIC manager, a current phone number and email, so you don’t miss notifications about cattle tick infestations near your property. Contact your Local Land Services office for further information about PICs.

Neighbouring properties will be notified once the infested property has successfully completed its eradication program. Please note that if you have received another GBD notice relating to a different neighbouring infested property, the restrictions and requirements outlined in that notice will continue to apply.

All movements off a restricted holding require a cattle tick record of movement (CT ROM) to be completed via the NSW Cattle Tick App, prior to leaving the property, and attach a biosecurity certificate (if required).

High risk movements such as property-to-property movements will require a tick free manual inspection and chemical treatment by a DPIRD officer, who will issue a biosecurity certificate. You will need to contact your assigned officer at least 1 week prior to the movement to organise an appointment.

Cattle will need to be plunge dipped, and other animals will generally receive a spray treatment.

Movements to another property or a saleyard not under DPIRD surveillance:

• A tick free manual inspection by a DPIRD officer
• A supervised chemical treatment by a DPIRD officer
• Submit a CT ROM, and attach the biosecurity certificate

Movements direct to an Abattoir for slaughter:

1. The animal is to be manually inspected to be cattle tick free by the person responsible
2. Submit a CT ROM

Movements to an Agent sale at a Saleyard under DPIRD surveillance (Casino, Lismore, Murwillumbah or Grafton):

1. The animal is to be manually inspected to be cattle tick free by the person responsible
2. Submit a CT ROM

Tick fever is a potentially deadly red blood cell parasite affecting cattle, bison and buffalo and is caused by the three organisms: Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina, and Anaplasma marginale.

Tick fever is spread only by cattle ticks. When cattle ticks feed on an animal carrying the tick fever organisms (either due to prior natural infection or tick fever vaccination), they take in blood containing the tick fever parasites. These parasites are then passed on to other cattle either through the tick’s offspring or by the male tick moving between animals.

Other animals can carry cattle tick but are not affected by tick fever or transmit the disease.

Transmission of tick fever is difficult to prevent via tick control as chemicals are very short acting or work too slowly (or both). Apply a chemical treatment to help prevent further generations of infected ticks contaminating pastures (and continuing to spread tick fever). Spraying cattle with Amitraz can knock down ticks quickly. It is also important to start a chemical treatment program (with pour-on and injectable acaricides) as soon as possible to begin eradicating ticks from the property.

Eradicating ticks by regular, timed chemical treatments will prevent tick fever occurring in the future.

Tick fever is notifiable in NSW under the Biosecurity Act 2015.

• High fever
• Lethargy and weakness
• Jaundice (yellowing of eyes and mucous membranes in the mouth, vulva, sheath)
• Red or brown urine (‘red water’)
• Nervous signs such as circling, head pressing, mania and convulsions
• Sudden or unexplained deaths
• Sick or dead cattle near water or shade
• Aborted calves
• Calves (under 9 months of age) are less susceptible to becoming sick

Early intervention is key to minimising the impacts of tick fever, immediately contact:

• District Veterinarian contact details - Local Land Services or 1300 795 299.
• Emergency Animal Disease Hotline 1800 675 888.
• Cattle Tick Program via the NSW Biosecurity Helpline 1800 680 244.

A LLS District Veterinarian will visit your property to assess the cattle and collect appropriate samples, such as blood or post-mortem tissue, which are sent to a laboratory to accurately confirm a tick fever diagnosis.

Although the use of tick fever vaccine in NSW is no longer regulated, it remains important that producers only use the vaccine when it is genuinely required.

Contact a LLS District Veterinarian for further advice about when it may be appropriate to consider vaccination.

Early treatment with specific injectable drugs, such as imidocarb and oxytetracycline, can save sick animals. Only use these treatments after getting a proper diagnosis and advice from your vet. Your vet will advise if you should only treat sick animals, or blanket treat your herd.

There is a tick fever vaccine for cattle which is the chilled trivalent (3 germ) vaccine, providing protection against all three tick fever parasites (B. bovis, B. bigemina, A. marginale).

It contains live, weakened versions of each parasite to help cattle build immunity.

Herds made up of naive cattle (those never exposed to tick fever) and cattle with past exposure (either from natural infection or vaccination) may be at greater risk if cattle ticks are on the property. Cattle born and raised in endemic tick areas (such as the QLD cattle tick infested zone) often develop natural immunity or may have been vaccinated with the trivalent tick fever vaccine.

When purchasing cattle from areas where cattle tick is present or has previously occurred, producers should confirm whether the animals have had prior exposure to tick fever or have been vaccinated against it.

Cattle tick is a notifiable pest in NSW. To prevent its spread, there are strict controls on the entry of all cattle tick carriers into NSW under the Biosecurity Order (Permitted Activities) 2019. To support compliance, the NSW DPIRD operates surveillance cameras along the QLD-NSW border to monitor livestock vehicle movements entering NSW.

Any animal that can carry cattle tick must meet inspection and/or treatment requirements before entry.

• Primary carriers (cattle, buffalo, bison and deer) pose the highest risk and must meet the most stringent inspection and treatment rules.
• Animals going directly to abattoirs or feedlots have less stringent conditions than animals moving to other properties.
• Secondary carriers (horses and other equines, sheep, goats and camelids) also have requirements, though some movements can be certified by a veterinarian or eligible for self-certification.

By ensuring these requirements are met every time, you stop cattle tick from crossing into NSW.

All movements of cattle tick carriers entering NSW, from or via the cattle tick endemic areas, can be declared using the digital Cattle Tick Record of Movement (CT ROM) form, and submitted with a photo or scanned image of a biosecurity or veterinary certificate.

General requirements

• All movements of cattle tick carriers must comply with risk minimisation requirements.
• Evidence of compliance (certificates, ROM forms, records) must travel with the animals.
• Failure to comply is a breach of the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 and may result in penalties.

Primary carriers: Cattle, buffalo, bison and deer.

• Certification is always required  (biosecurity certificate) before entry.
• Animals must be inspected and, if required, treated in line with approved procedures.
• Records of inspections/treatments must be kept for 2 years and produced if requested.

Secondary carriers: Horses and other equines, sheep, goats and camelids (e.g. alpacas, llamas).

• A Biosecurity or Veterinary Certificate is required for most movements to a property or community venue (e.g. showgrounds).
• Animals must be inspected and, if required, treated in line with approved procedures.

In some low-risk situations, movements may be eligible under self-certification, where owners complete a training module and can conduct their own inspections and chemical treatments. These movements are only between low-risk land in QLD and low-risk land in NSW.

Risk status of land

• Low-risk land in QLD: Any land in the infested zone in Qld, or cattle tick restricted land in the free zone in Qld, which is either pasture free or has not had any cattle graze it for the previous 12 months.
• Low-risk land in NSW: Any unrestricted land in NSW which is either pasture free or will not have cattle graze it for the next 12 months.
• If the grazing use of the land is unknown or uncertain the land is considered high-risk.
• Venue management (e.g. showgrounds) may apply for low-risk land status (self-certification) by emailing cattletick@dpi.nsw.gov.au to request an application.

See NSW Entry Requirements – Cattle Tick for the full list of movement conditions.

• Open the Cattle Tick App
• Create a login.
• Select start on the Cattle Tick ROM form

Have the following information ready to enter in the form:

• Origin and destination Property Identification Code (PIC)
• Origin and destination address
• Destination name & contact details
• Vehicle/trailer registrations
• Animal quantity & description
• Self-certification certificate number (if applicable)
• Written verification of low-risk land status
• Biosecurity or veterinary certificate (if applicable)
• Confirm you meet all requirements.

Once submitted, you’ll receive a digital copy, summary report, and reference number by email.

Self-certification is only available to eligible low-risk movements of secondary cattle tick carriers (equines, sheep, goats and camelids), rather than requiring an accredited certifier or veterinarian to perform the required inspections and treatments.

Self-certification only applies to YOUR secondary carriers and YOUR own movements from a low-risk origin in QLD to a low-risk destination in NSW. You must not certify other cattle tick carriers that are not your responsibility. Under self-certification, you cannot go through other states.

If the low-risk land status is a public venue, the venue must have DPIRD approval for this status. This can be done through a low-risk status application by venue management. Approved venues hold the status for a 12-month period.

To be eligible for self-certification you (the stock owner) must have completed the Cattle Tick Training and Education Module every three years and been approved to examine/treat your secondary cattle tick carrier in accordance with the (Biosecurity Order (Permitted Activities) 2019). On completion of the training module, you will be issued a certificate number. You are required to record this number on all Record of Movement forms submitted under self-certification.

• All movements of cattle tick carriers must comply with risk minimisation requirements.
• Evidence of compliance (low-risk land declarations, ROM forms, records) must travel with the animals.
• Failure to comply is a breach of the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 and may result in penalties.

See NSW Entry Requirements – Cattle Tick for the full list of movement conditions.

You are required to complete a Risk Management Plan (RMP), at least two weeks prior to the event and obtain approval by submitting the RMP to cattletick@dpi.nsw.gov.au.

The RMP is to be reviewed by Venue Management and NSW DPIRD annually.

A template RMP is available under Resources.

Event organisers can apply for a biosecurity permit to declare a venue as a Tick Free Area within the Queensland cattle tick infested zone. This permit allows cattle tick carriers to be inspected and cleared by an accredited certifier when they arrive at the event. Once cleared, the carriers are approved to move into NSW at the end of the event.

When a permit application is approved, NSW DPIRD will issue a Group Biosecurity Permit that sets out the specific conditions and biosecurity requirements for the event.

Events that commonly apply for this type of permit include the Magic Millions Sales and the Royal Queensland Show (Ekka).

The Biosecurity Permit application is available under Resources.

DPIRD officers carry out regular surveillance at the Casino abattoir and high-risk saleyards across Northern NSW - including Casino, Lismore, Grafton and Murwillumbah.

Livestock at saleyards are inspected for cattle tick prior to the sale commencing, and cattle sold and returning to a property are plunge dipped before leaving the saleyards to prevent the spread of cattle tick.

If a DPIRD officer identifies infested stock at the saleyards, the animals will either be:

• returned to the property of origin, or
• transported directly to the nearest abattoir for immediate slaughter, or
• held at the saleyard and re-dipped after four days before being moved to another property or offered for sale again.

You are required to implement a Risk Management Plan (RMP) in order to be eligible for concessional movement requirements for cattle moving to an abattoir or feedlot in NSW from cattle tick infested areas.

This plan will be audited regularly by a DPIRD officer.

Cattle entering an abattoir or feedlot from cattle tick infested areas under concessional movement requirements are only required to undergo a tick free manual examination, or a visual examination and chemical treatment (acaricide or endectocide). These cattle are also permitted extended timeframes for movement prior to entry.

To access concessional entry arrangements, an abattoir or feedlot must have a written Cattle Tick Risk Management Plan (RMP) in place and must fully implement all requirements outlined in that plan.

RMP templates are available under Resources.

This locator database contains historical information regarding cattle dip sites in the Northern Rivers region that the NSW Government was involved with. The actual number and known locations of cattle dip sites in this region are almost complete and should not change.

DPIRD has an ongoing interest in the accurate location and general condition of the sites in case of possible environmental risk due to natural activity. However, development or change in the status of those sites, physical, legal or planned, is outside DPIRD's control, so DPIRD cannot maintain current information. The relevant local Shire Council is the appropriate authority.

• Visit the Cattle dip site locator.

Cattle Tick Consultative Committee Communiques # 1