The effect of locality, breed and previous tick experience on seasonal changes in the resistance of cattle to Boophilus microplus (Ixodoidea: Ixodidae).

A seasonal cycle in the expression of resistance to the tick Boophilus microplus occurs in cattle in central and southeastern Queensland, Australia. This is due to a seasonal fluctuation in the capacity of cattle to mount an effective immune response against the parasitic tick and is manifest as a waning of the expression of resistance in autumn and early winter which occurs irrespective of breed or the nutritional state of the cattle.