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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →The tick behind this warning is the invasive Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis). It can transmit Theileria orientalis Ikeda, a parasite that causes bovine theileriosis, a potentially serious cattle disease. Ticks can be difficult to spot, and the disease can resemble anaplasmosis, so a tick sighting or symptoms alone cannot confirm infection. Regular checks and tick-control measures can reduce risk; suspected illness needs prompt veterinary assessment and testing.
Which tick and disease are the concern?
The Asian longhorned tick is an invasive livestock pest. USDA APHIS reports that U.S. ticks transmitted Theileria orientalis in laboratory studies, and the parasite has also been detected in field-collected ticks. Transmission to cattle is primarily associated with this tick, though reuse of needles and blood transfusions can also spread the parasite, according to USDA’s January 2024 bovine theileriosis information sheet.
The parasite type identified by USDA as causing severe illness in U.S. cattle is T. orientalis Ikeda. Infection is a cattle-health concern, not a known human disease: the January 2024 USDA sheet says Theileria are not known to be human pathogens.
How to recognize the tick—and why a visual check can miss it
According to USDA APHIS’s Asian longhorned tick guidance, unfed ticks range from reddish-tan to dark reddish. Fed adult females become grey-green with yellowish markings and grow to about the size of a pea. Immature ticks may be sesame-seed-sized or smaller, so an animal that appears clear on a quick glance may still have ticks.
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APHIS says U.S. populations are parthenogenetic, meaning females can reproduce without mating. The agency reports collections across many areas in the Eastern half of the country, from New York south to Georgia and west to Missouri; its page includes a county map. Ticks are generally active from March through November, although activity varies by year.
What signs of theileriosis should cattle owners watch for?
USDA’s January 2024 sheet lists these possible signs of T. orientalis Ikeda infection:
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- Weakness or fever
- Reluctance to walk
- Loss of appetite
- Difficulty breathing or foamy nasal discharge
- Reduced milk production
- Abortion
- Pale or yellow mucous membranes, which may reflect anemia
The signs can resemble bovine anaplasmosis and other illnesses. USDA says a diagnostic test is required to confirm theileriosis. A veterinarian can assess the animal and select appropriate testing; the sheet says PCR may be the most specific test, while IFA and ELISA may also be used.
How serious is bovine theileriosis?
The January 2024 USDA information sheet reports mortality averaging 1–5% of infected cattle, with reports as high as 50%. These are reported figures in that dated sheet, not a current national forecast for an individual herd. USDA identifies pregnant heifers and calves as particularly susceptible.
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The same sheet says cattle may remain carriers for life after infection. It stated that no treatment for bovine theileriosis was approved in the United States at the time it was published. That date matters: the cited source does not establish whether treatment approval has changed since January 2024, so a veterinarian should advise on current options.
What can you do to reduce tick risk?
APHIS recommends a layered approach rather than relying on a single product or tactic. Its current guidance advises regular livestock checks and tick treatments, along with habitat changes where suitable.
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- Check cattle regularly. Look closely rather than relying on a quick visual scan, since immature ticks are tiny.
- Discuss treatments with a veterinarian or extension agent. Use only products labeled for the animal and intended use, and follow the current label, including handling and withdrawal directions. State and local requirements apply to acaricides used in tick habitats.
- Manage habitat where practical. APHIS identifies mowing grass, clearing understory, and reducing shade or removing trees where appropriate as ways to make habitat less favorable to ticks. The right choices depend on the property and its land-use needs.
- Use clean needles between animals. Reusing needles can spread the parasite, according to USDA’s disease sheet.
The September 2022 Successful Farming account described one Virginia producer’s practices, including pasture-edge mowing, pour-ons, sprays, ear tags, changing needles, and quarantining new cattle. Those are reported farm practices from 2022, not a universal protocol. Product selection and quarantine procedures should be tailored with veterinary advice.
There is no basis in the cited guidance for assuming that a pour-on, spray, or ear tag eradicates ticks, prevents infection completely, or treats the parasite. Product duration and permitted use vary by label and product; compare livestock species, herd class and production stage, application method, attachment sites, stated duration, withdrawal requirements, season, and local tick pressure before choosing an approach.
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Tick distribution is not the same as disease distribution
APHIS’s tick page describes where Asian longhorned ticks have been collected and provides a county map. Separately, USDA’s January 2024 theileriosis sheet listed 15 states with findings of T. orientalis Ikeda. That dated disease list is not a count of states where ticks occur, and it should not be treated as a current distribution update for either ticks or infection.
A Virginia herd account is a warning, not a prevalence estimate
In the September 2022 Successful Farming report, Virginia producer Steve Hopkins described a herd blood test that found Theileria in 95% of his herd. The report says initial suspected anaplasmosis did not respond to antibiotics, prompting veterinary evaluation and testing. This is one reported herd’s experience at that time; it does not show how common infection is nationally or establish the cause of illness in another animal.
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