Experimental Transmission of Babesia bigemina by Boophilus decoloratus in Cattle

Experimental transmission of B.bigemina between cattle and ticks Boophilus decoloratus were carried out in the laboratory. Body bags were applied on the bodies of two calves infected with B. bigemina.These were the four month old splenectomized male Friesian calf number 10B and the two month old intact male Ayrshire calf number 28B. B. decoloratus larvae were then introduced into these body bags to make contact with the calves, Engorged female ticks were then collected several days later as the dropped from the calves. Haemolymph smears of the engorged females B. decoloratus derived from calves 28B and 10B revealed 93 (35%) and 112 (34%) infection rates with kinetes of B. bigemina respectively. Twelve percent mortality rate was reported for ticks derived from calf 28B while 5% was reported for ticks derived from calf 10B before the commencement of egg laying. The blood of the two calves were found to show declining packed cell volume (PCV) values and red blood cell counts. B. decoloratus was found to transmit B. bigemina in cattle with a high level of success.