Cattle tick
Changes in cattle tick climate suitability are likely to create challenges for the beef and dairy industries.
Cattle tick in NSW
Cattle ticks (Rhipicephalus australis) are a major pest of beef and dairy cattle in NSW, posing significant challenges to livestock health and productivity.
In NSW, cattle tick infestations are primarily found in the north-east of NSW (yellow area on the map), where warmer temperatures and high humidity create favourable conditions for tick survival and reproduction.
The lifecycle of cattle tick is divided into two distinct stages: parasitic and non-parasitic. During the parasitic stage, the tick resides on the host, feeding and developing. The non-parasitic stage (the egg stage to when they hatch into larvae) occurs on the pasture.
These parasites are responsible for a range of detrimental effects on cattle including blood loss, decreased weight gain, and a weakened immune system which can make the animals more susceptible to diseases. Additionally, cattle ticks are vectors for several diseases including cattle tick fever which is often fatal and can cause abortions.
What is the NSW DPIRD Climate Vulnerability Assessment? ⏷
Climate change is altering the biosecurity risks for many agricultural commodities across NSW. Primary producers need evidence-based information about the changing climate, and the risks and opportunities it may bring.
The NSW DPIRD Climate Vulnerability Assessments are enhancing the resilience of our primary industries by providing information and data to help the sector better plan for, and respond to, climate change. They have assessed climate change impacts for extensive livestock, broadacre and irrigated cropping, marine fisheries, forestry, horticulture and viticulture, and important biosecurity risks associated with these industries to inform sound planning, risk management and adaptation decisions.
How we assessed climate suitability ⏷
Climate projections were sourced from Climate Change in Australia’s ‘Application Ready Data’. This dataset is comprised of projections from an ensemble of 8 global climate models, each presenting a plausible future climate. Low confidence in the projected changes due to differences between the models is noted in the text. Care should be taken when interpreting these results.
The Climate Vulnerability Assessment is intended to highlight potential industry- or regional-level changes. Intermediate and high emissions scenarios were used in the assessments (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5), but these are not the only future scenarios possible. The inclusion of climate variables important to the commodities production was based on published research, expert knowledge and data quality and availability.
Climate suitability was assessed on a monthly timescale, with the reported climate suitability representing the average for a given month over all years in the dataset. This reflects the pattern of life stages for buffalo fly and the need to determine which months are likely to pose the greatest risk to host commodities.
Learn more in the Climate Vulnerability Assessment Project Framework.
Climate impacts: expected challenges for primary industries
Changes in climate suitability are likely across all key life stages of cattle tick by 2050, under both emission scenarios.
Changes to overall monthly climate suitability are likely to affect cattle tick in NSW in different ways:
- March to November – there are likely to be minimal to moderate increases in climate suitability in the cattle tick region. The increase is likely to be greatest under the high emissions scenario (moderate to high confidence).
- December to February – there are likely to be minimal to moderate decreases in climate suitability in the cattle tick region. The decrease is likely to be greatest under the high emissions scenario (low to high confidence).
The effects of cattle tick on beef and dairy industries in NSW will depend on the following:
- the future distribution of those industries,
- changes in production timings, and
- the overlap between the susceptible life stages of cattle and the lifecycle of cattle tick.
An increase in climate suitability south of the current cattle tick region may lead to a new and significant impact on the beef and dairy industries. These industries may need to consider adjusting control measures and implementing broad-reaching cattle tick education programs to provide management strategies for regions that have not previously been affected.
Where can I find the climate suitability maps?
Maps of historical and future climate suitability for biosecurity risks were produced to demonstrate where in the state a biosecurity risk is likely to thrive or else be limited by future climatic conditions. The maps are provided in the Cattle Tick Results Report (PDF, 4330.77 KB).
Cattle Tick Factsheet
(PDF, 729.24 KB)
Cattle Tick Results Report
(PDF, 4330.77 KB)
