Texas AgriLife Extension has conducted various educational activities to support fever tick eradication efforts since 2007. County Extension Agents have held 29 educational meetings attended by over 750 people. Agents have also produced newsletters, conducted ranch visits, and assisted officials. Regional specialists have conducted over 24 programs reaching over 1,000 ranchers. Educational efforts will continue through posters targeting hunters and ranchers to increase fever tick awareness.

1. Texas Agrilife Extension
Activities in Support of Fever
Tick Education
Joe C. Paschal
Livestock Specialist
Texas AgriLife Extension

2. County Extension Programs
• In collaboration with the TAHC, since 2007
19 County Extension Agents have
conducted 29 educational meetings where
the fever tick situation was presented
– 2007 9 meetings (167 attendees)
– 2008 10 meetings (179 attendees)
– 2009 10 meetings as of 10/01/09 (404
attendees)
– One meeting in Bastrop Co. reported an 86%
increase in knowledge of the situation (2009)

3. Counties Reporting Fever Tick
Eradication Educational Efforts
• Bastrop • Jack
• Bexar • Jim Wells (2)
• Caldwell • Jim Hogg (2)
• Dallas • Limestone
• Dimmitt • Maverick (2)
• Duval • Presidio
• Frio • Starr (2)
• Guadalupe • Victoria
• Hidalgo • Webb (3)
• Zapata (4)

4. Other County Extension Efforts
• In addition to county educational programs
County Extension Agents have produced
numerous news letters or news releases,
conducted ranch visits and assisted
elected officials or agencies engaged in
the fever tick eradication effort

5. Regional and Statewide
Extension Since 2007
• Livestock Specialists based in Uvalde and
Corpus Christi have conducted over 24
educational programs with County Extension
Agents in which the fever tick eradication issue
was addressed to over 1,000 ranchers and
landowners
• The issue was also covered at 2008 and 2009
TAMU Beef Cattle Short Course to a total of over
2,800 participants
• Texas AgriLife Research Center at Uvalde is
planning a research project in Webb County to
evaluate the potential for wildlife to carry fever
and other ticks

6. Regional and Statewide
Extension
• In 2009, a joint effort among several agencies is
producing two posters that will be widely
distributed to increase awareness and education
• One will enlist the aid of hunters in fever tick
awareness and be distributed to hunting supply
stores that sell licenses (ready to be sent)
• The second will be directed at ranchers and
landowners and will be displayed in livestock
markets and County Extension offices through
out the state (in process of development)

9. Concluding Comments
• Ranchers in and along the PQZ and TQZ understand the
fever tick problem and its associated costs
– One rancher in Webb County documented a $165 per head cost
to ranch in and along the PQZ (over and above usual cow costs)
• New ranchers/landowners and hunters in South Texas
often do not understand the implications of having the
fever tick outside the PQZ
• Ranchers outside the South Texas area have little
understanding of the fever tick or the problems and costs
of the eradication effort
• Texas AgriLife County Extension Agents are assisting in
the educational effort with other agency partners,
especially the Texas Animal Health Commission