الوصف

Ticks are the most important ectoparasite of livestock. About *0% of the worlds cattle are economically affected by ticks. Tick control without any sound knowledge of the specie and its ability to adapt and overcome environmental challenges and chemical resistance, is a contributing factor to poverty in the developing world. The contribution these parasites have with the various growth inhabitant substances in their toxic saliva contributes to the under performance of many food providing livestock. Also a contributing factor to poor conception and fertility, milk production, poor quality hides and skin and quality product to sell in the market. 

 Tick statistics as a parasite is impressive. Some **7 species of ticks are identified and named. Their only food is blood of which some ticks consume relatively vast quantities (several hundred times their unfed body weight) Some take 2 weeks or more to feed and often they feed only 3 times during their whole lifecycle, (which may take 7 years to complete. Ticks feed on mammals, including humans, birds and reptiles. Their geographical distribution ranges from sub-artic through equatorial antartic regions and habitats. They even survive submersion in seawater as the feed on seabirds diving for fish.

Most importantly, ticks transmit pathogens (disease causing agents) to man and animal.

AGRICULTURAL LIVESTOCK ENGINEERING (Pty) Ltd, (ALE) with support from various researches in the scientific research community devise efficient and effective means of controlling ticks and tick-borne pathogens. Apart from continuous research in the disease causing agents to man and animal, the identifying of tick species and associated parasites suchs as flies, mites, lice and intestinal groups of parasites, means of controlling these notorious parasites of of great importance.

Three projects, based on the parasite itself and his poisionous nature, their lifecycles and the various acaricides on the market, dangerous in its various and unsafe exposures to man are manufactured. Added on, the question of labor exposure to chemicals and and labor availability, skilled labor and the economics of scientific parasite control are been incorporated in the products developed by ALE and manufactured by HMA Systems, a fine German precision making Engineering and Design firm. 

1. The Scorpion Dip Applicator for game (Completed to precision)

2.  The Scorpion Weighbridge Applicator for cattle ( to be launched in February ***4)

3. The Scorpion Sheep Module (To be launched is March/April ***4)

4. House and Stable Fly Control System for calf pens ( Launched in February ***4)

Apart from laboratory servives to identify tick species of economic importance and worms (nematdes, cestodes and trematodes), a scientific parasite management plan based on scientific values and chemicals, the prevention of chemical resistance is of the outmost importance.