Since the first detection of fever ticks on a Live Oak County premises in late November 2016, the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) has confirmed seven additional infested premises in the county.
The additional premises were detected through systematic livestock and wildlife inspections conducted within the original Control Purpose Quarantine Area (CPQA), and the inspection of livestock moved to other premises as part of regular management practices.
As a result of detecting additional fever tick infested premises, the CPQA has expanded from approximately 12,587 acres on November 30, 2016, to 57,541 acres.
Premises located within the CPQA are subject to movement restrictions, systematic inspections and potential treatment in accordance with the regulations in Title 4, Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 41 Fever Ticks.
In addition to the Live Oak County CPQA, there are six other CPQAs located in portions of Jim Wells, Kleberg, Starr, Webb, Willacy and Zapata counties and one Temporary Preventative Quarantine Zone in Cameron County. There are approximately 541,462 acres under various types of fever tick quarantines outside the Permanent Quarantine Zone.
The TAHC continues to conduct epidemiological investigations related to the detection of fever ticks in the area, as well as ticks that may have been moved on cattle, horses, and exotic hoofstock shipped from infested premises. As part of this investigation, the TAHC will notify affected producers and inspect their livestock to ensure these exposed herds are fever tick free.
Cattle fever tick eradication in Texas is a corporative effort between TAHC and USDA.
For the latest information regarding Live Oak County and fever tick infestations in Texas, please visit http://www.tahc.texas.gov.
To learn more about fever ticks and quarantines, please visit http://www.tahc.texas.gov/news/brochures/TAHCBrochure_FeverTickFAQ.pdf.
