Tick resistance to acaricides is one of the main challenges faced by dairy farmers in Ibanda district and many other parts of Uganda.
This challenge, however, could be due to ignorance on the part of farmers and poor application of acaricides, experts say.
The head of Uganda Prisons farms, Dr Generous Behanura Bekunda, said farmers switch from one acaricide to another of the same class and complain of tick resistance, claiming the chemical was fake.
“If you change from Noratraz to Sangatraz, the ticks will not die because they have the same chemical composition and are only differentiated by trade names, she noted. Some farmers, she added, go for ‘cheap’ acaricides, which end up being ineffective against ticks,” she said.
Dr Bekunda made the remarks during a dairy farmers’ clinic organised by the Archdiocese of Mbarara Development Association (AMDA) and Ibanda district production department at Kihani Catholic Parish in Ibanda district on Friday.
Bekunda advised the farmers to always consult vets to guide them on the chemicals to use and how to apply them.
Herbert Tweshengyereze, a farmer, testified to having been one of the ‘culprits’, adding that he was saved by training on the proper use of acaricides four months ago.
“I was using a chemical of a higher class, but it was never effective, forcing me to add some pesticide to kill the ticks. However, after the training, I switched to that of a lower class and it has been effective since then,” he said.
