Vol.:(0123456789) Experimental and Applied Acarology (2019) 79:459–471 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-019-00446-5 1 3 Economic efciency of Rhipicephalus microplus control and efect on beef cattle performance in the Brazilian Cerrado Maria Paula Cavuto Abrão Calvano 1  · Ricardo Carneiro Brumatti 2  · Marcos Valério Garcia 3,4  · Jacqueline Cavalcante Barros 5  · Renato Andreotti 5 Received: 1 July 2019 / Accepted: 26 November 2019 / Published online: 30 November 2019 © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 Abstract The cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus causes signifcant economic losses to cattle pro‑ duction systems and is a main barrier to the introduction of Bos taurus breeds and their crosses in Brazil. These breeds have the genetic potential to generate animals that are more productive, but they are also more susceptible to R. microplus. One of the alternatives for conventional tick control is the use of strategic control, aiming at delaying or even pre‑ venting the development of its resistance to acaricides. The present study aimed to evalu‑ ate the economic losses caused by tick infestation on the productive performance of two breeds of beef cattle and to evaluate the economic efciency of tick strategic control and its impacts on beef cattle production systems. Animal weights were obtained from the lit‑ erature and were used to calculate the weight loss in kilograms (kg) and the economic loss (US$) caused by R. microplus infestation. The cost/loss ratio of performing strategic con‑ trol was also calculated. The data show that tick infestation causes economic losses to the breeds and groups of animals evaluated and reduces animal performance (weight loss). The results show a loss of US$34.61/animal in the backgrounding phase and US$7.97/animal in the fnishing phase for Brangus animals and its crosses. In conclusion, the data show that strategic control is economically efcient for Brangus animals in the backgrounding phase, independent of the methods used for acaricide application. Keywords Bos indicus · Bos taurus · Cost · Economic loss · Infestation · Strategic control * Renato Andreotti renato.andreotti@embrapa.br 1 Pós‑Graduação em Ciência Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, UFMS ‑ Univ. Federal Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil 2 Professor de Pós‑Graduação em Ciência Animal, FAMEZ ‑ UFMS, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil 3 Bolsista DCR, Fundect ‑ Governo do Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil 4 Laboratório de Biologia do Carrapato, Embrapa Gado de Corte, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil 5 Embrapa Gado de Corte, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil