Hassan S M, Dipeolu O O, Munyinyi D M
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi, Kenya.
Vet Parasitol. 1992 Jul;43(3-4):301-9. doi: 10.1016/0304-4017(92)90171-5.
Experiments undertaken on Rusinga Island, Kenya, indicated that Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (Neumann) was the predominant tick consumed on tick-infested cattle by chickens, followed by Amblyomma variegatum (Fabricius), Boophilus decoloratus (Koch) and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (Neumann). The number of ticks consumed by chickens released with cattle in a 3 h release period was not significantly different from ticks consumed in a 4 h release period. In a free management system, chickens 1-3 months of age consumed more ticks than older ones; in a confined management system however, chickens 4-6 months of age consumed more ticks than younger birds. Although the numbers of ticks consumed by local and exotic breeds of chickens were not significantly different, a period of 8-10 weeks was necessary for the exotic breeds to become behaviorally adapted to tick predation on cattle. Local chickens bred in environments where cattle were absent took a shorter period of 4-6 weeks to adapt. It was concluded that the relatively large number of ticks consumed by each chicken during the 3 or 4 h release period is an indication that a good reduction of ticks on cattle can be achieved through tick predation by chickens. The preponderance of R. appendiculatus over other tick species consumed was a reflection of its relative abundance on cattle on the island rather than a selective preference for tick species.
在肯尼亚鲁辛加岛进行的实验表明，鸡在采食蜱虫寄生的牛身上的蜱时，血红扇头蜱（Neumann）是最主要被采食的蜱种，其次是变异革蜱（Fabricius）、无色牛蜱（Koch）和埃氏扇头蜱指名亚种（Neumann）。在3小时的释放期内与牛一起释放的鸡采食的蜱数量与4小时释放期内采食的蜱数量没有显著差异。在自由放养管理系统中，1至3月龄的鸡比大龄鸡采食的蜱更多；然而，在圈养管理系统中，4至6月龄的鸡比幼龄鸡采食的蜱更多。虽然本地鸡和外来品种鸡采食的蜱数量没有显著差异，但外来品种鸡需要8至10周的时间才能在行为上适应捕食牛身上的蜱。在没有牛的环境中饲养的本地鸡适应期较短，为4至6周。研究得出结论，在3或4小时的释放期内，每只鸡采食的蜱数量相对较多，这表明通过鸡捕食蜱可以有效减少牛身上的蜱数量。血红扇头蜱在被采食的蜱种中占优势，反映了其在该岛牛身上的相对丰度，而非对蜱种的选择性偏好。
