Association of Hard Ticks (Ixodidae) Infestation with Milk Production and Udder Health of Extensively Reared Dairy Goats

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Tick infestation and vector-mediated transmission of pathogens thereof challenge the production and health of extensively reared farm animals, causing substantial economic losses and poor welfare. Adverse effects of tick infestation have been documented in cows and sheep. However, relevant studies in goats are scarce. To address this dearth of knowledge, we investigated the association between hard tick infestation, milk production and udder health traits of extensively reared dairy goats in Greece. Tick infestation was significantly associated with impaired udder health, but not with milk yield and quality. Evidence-based tick mitigation strategies in goats are necessary to enhance animal health status and reduce the risk of public health issues deriving from tick-borne pathogen infections. ABSTRACT: Extensively reared ruminants are seasonally exposed to ticks. Tick-related production losses and health issues have been well documented in cows and sheep but not in goats where relevant literature is scarce. The objective here was to investigate the association of hard tick infestation with milk production and udder health of dairy goats reared extensively. A cross-sectional study was carried out during May and June, in two dairy goat farms. The farms were located in Central and Northern Greece and were representative of typical extensive production systems. A total of 304 goats (n = 152 from each farm) were randomly selected. Each goat was examined for presence of hard ticks. Daily milk yield and quality characteristics were recorded. Udder health status was determined by milk somatic cell count (SCC) and total viable count (TVC). Tick infestation prevalence was 28.6%; it was associated with a significant (p < 0.001) increase in SCC and TVC (84.0% and 78.6%, respectively). The latter meant that infested goats were 3.7 times more prone to udder health problems (p < 0.001). There were not any significant effects (p > 0.05) on milk production. Overall, results suggest that control of tick infestation in extensively reared dairy goat herds is important for enhancing health and welfare status.