Tick-borne and other vectortransmitted diseases can be very costly to livestock farmers. South Africa, in terms of greatly varying biomes, climatic zones, and land altitudes, is a land mass with different parasite challenges. Heartwater, for example, is a potentially deadly livestock disease caused by ticks.
In respect of counteracting pests such as the tick that spread diseases, farmers need to introduce biosecurity measures when transporting livestock to and from heartwater areas. This can be undertaken by ensuring
