Jim Musto, Alexandria Oos Kaap

Ek gaan twee skrywes nou hier plaas. Die skrywe is, soos onderneem, van Jim Musto. Dit word gedoen sodat aankopers wat ook met Jim besigheid doen, sien dat hy gehalte diere versorg en dat dit parasietgewys goed bestuur word in die uitdagende omgewing van die Oos Kaap. 

Ons wil die minumum dip toepas. Hierdie mense het in die verlede tussen 36 en 46 keer per jaar gedip en ons trek nou by sowat 5 keer vir die jaar.

Jim se bloubosluisweerstandigheid was ook sowat 'n jaar gelede teenoor al die akarasiedes op die mark, sowat 90%.  Ons trek nou by 'n skaflike 50% weerstandigheidsprofiel ongeveer, soos laaste getoets by Ellie van Dalen by die Pesticide LAB in Bloemfontein.

Ek plaas sy skrywes in Engels, uit respek vir hom.

Ek plaas kort hierna Philip Labuschagne van Mooirivier, van die boerdery Twishoek se kort skrywe en verduidelik hoekom ons nou by net 4 dippe en die jaar gaan verbygaan met die 5 dip teenoor sy 30+ dipsessies in die verlede per jaar.

Hierna gaan Denys Wells, John du Preez, Johan van die Watt van SandSonia Boranne, Wynand Coetzee en ander ook kom.

Hi Pierre,

Herewith the treatments schedule for Kaba beef herds. We have been clean for the last 6 weeks or so. We are now starting to see some tail ticks on some of the Game section cows. They were lasted treated for multihost ticks as well as blue ticks, as per your recommendation on the 14th June 2010. 

The calving herd on Rocklands is still clean but we are watching closely as the weather warms up.They were last treated on the 18th May 2010 for blue ticks.

In general cows with calves have lost some condition, pregnant cows (no calves at foot) are maintaining ok. We are now very short of grass in all areas. June was wet but too cold for growth. July was dry. We are warming up but now lack moisture for growth.

I look forward to your recommendations. I think we must do something in the next week for the tail ticks.

Keep well,

Jim

Antwoord

Hi Jim 

A few things;

Apply the recommended product for multihost ticks soonest to all the cattle, as the warmer weather would bring the hatching of all ticks species. The product used for blue ticks should still be effective for another 2-3 weeks, eliminating those blue tick larvae who will hatch these days and will seek a bloodmeal to feed upon.

The product used for blue ticks will have no to very little effect on multi host ticks effectively.

All the other ticks, bont ticks, red legged, and brown ear ticks nymphs should hatch as well now or very soon in days, seeking a blood meal and it would be them already on the tail. Remember, these species only feed on a hosts for 4-6 days before dropping off to moult to the next stage.

The product for multihost ticks, as we have found these days, last for up to 40 days and would eliminate those nymphs seeking a blood meal, preventing them to reach adulthood and therefore sexual maturity.

We have to eliminate them as far as possible early season, ensuring they do not reach sexual maturity, mating and laying eggs, which we knew will hatch in February/March next year. We will have a strategic onslaught on them as well, as well with you blue ticks.

Remember that we starve the bont ticks also in this way, as females will not attach to an animal if a adult male does not secrete pheromones to attract females. If eliminated, females will not attach and feed.  Remember, multihost ticks will have game as their natural host but the game gave a natural resistance to their feeding practices. 

Multihost ticks prefer cattle as a first choice to feed upon.

Also important to know that agents in the blood of cattle, do not naturally suppress the growth and survival of these ticks as in their natural hosts do effectively to a greater extend.

Have a rather conservative approach on the multi host ticks. For at least this year still. We will knock them seriously but we have to protect your advantages and gain on the blue tick resistance we have broke so far, ala the Lab results.

We must not expose the blue ticks to the chemicals they have selected themselves resistant to.  Therefore, the products we have with good control we must use correctly as we only have a 3 years advantage before resistance selection would kick in.

Lastly, I have been invited on the 17^th of Sept to Humansdorp to SandSonia Boran. I would like to visit you and Dennis and whoever is interested just before or after their auction. I hope it is possible. 

Thank you

Pierre

Antwoord

Hi Pierre,

Thank you for that. Very interesting to get some understanding of the system. We will do all stock early next week. I am away in Zim from 16th to the 22nd. I hope that I can see you down here before or after that?

Cheers,

Jim  

----- Original Message -----

From: Pierre van Niekerk

To: 'Jim Musto'

Sent: Friday, August 06, 2010 11:33 AM

Subject: RE: Kaba treatments schedule