Tick infestations can have a significant negative effect on the performance of production animals. Garlium^® GEM HC, a natural, garlic-based feed supplement, can assist in reducing the number of ticks attached to production animals.

1. Garlium^® GEM HC (Garlium^®) is a natural product consisting of concentrated garlic and other Allium Garlium assists in repelling ticks when consumed by ruminants, game and horses. Some customers observed a repellent effect on flies as well.

2. Garlium^® is compliant with EU regulations and free of animal products. Garlium^® is registered in South Africa (Act 36 of 1947: V27580).

3. A commercial study was done in South Africa to determine the effect of supplementing Garlium^® to beef cattle (backgrounding). The following results were observed:
   1. Garlium^® supplementation significantly reduced (72%, P<0.001) the number of attached Brown ear ticks for a period of 64 days.
   2. Garlium^® supplementation also significantly reduced (38%, P<0.001) the number of attached Bont ticks for a period of 64 days.
   3. This study was done over a 2 month period (February-March) in the Waterberg area, Limpopo.

4. Supplementing Garlium^® to springbok under experimental conditions was evaluated by the Veterinary Faculty of the University of Pretoria. They observed the following significant reductions when the tick load of Garlium^® supplemented springbok were compared to tick load of springbok not supplemented with Garlium:
5. 51% reduction (P=0.01) in the number of attached Red legged ticks in the ear.
6. 50% reduction (P=0.02) in the percentage of Red legged ticks alive 11 days after ticks were placed on the inside of the ear.
7. 67% reduction (p=0.02) in the number of engorged female Red legged ticks.

5. Supplementation of a garlic/sulphur-containing product via the feed to beef cattle lead to a significant decrease in the number (66.8%, P<0.05), weight (21.6%, P<0.05) and oviposition (12%; P<0.05) of engorged female Asian Blue ticks (Costa-Junio & Furlong, 2012).

6. Different concentrations of aqueous garlic extract where sprayed on tick infested cattle. 25% and 50% concentrated aqueous garlic extract reduced tick counts by more than 90% two days after application (Mgocheki, 2017, International Journal of Acarology).

7. Supplementing garlic powder to cattle via the trace mineral lick significantly reduced the number of flies sitting on animals by more than 51% (Furber. Canadian Cattlemen. June 30, 2017).

8. Insect repellent, insecticidal and/or acaricidal properties have been detected in extracts of numerous plants, including garlic (Heal et al., 1950; Osmani et al., 1972; Chungsamarnyart et al., 1988; Mansingh & Williams, 1998), and a range of scientific studies have confirmed the activity of garlic (Amonkar & Banerji, 1971; Bhuyan, 1974; Jarial, 2001; Stjernberg & Berglund, 2001; Alvarenga et al., 2004).

9. Brown ear ticks (Rhipicephalus appendiculatus) are found in the ears of cattle, other livestock, buffalo and antelope. Adults occur during the rainy season (December-March). Heavy infestations can cause anaemia, severe damage to the ears or a toxicosis that results in the loss of resistance to some tick-borne infections (College of Veterinary medicine, Iowa State university, 2009).

10. South African Bont tick (Amblyomma hebraeum) infests livestock and wildlife. The long mouthparts of the Bont tick can cause large wounds that may become infected by bacteria or infested by screwworms. Bont ticks can transmit the agents for both heartwater and African tick-bite fever. (College of Veterinary medicine, Iowa State university, 2006).

11. The Asian Blue tick (Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus), currently present in significant numbers in South Africa, is one of the major parasites of cattle because it not only causes reductions in weight gain, quality of coat, and production of calves and milk, but also has the capacity to transmit pathogens (Alonso et al., 1992; Peter et al., 2005; De La Fuente et al., 2008).

12. Infestation by the Asian Blue ticks are generally controlled using acaricides, but such approaches have led to selection for resistance, resulting in serious problems in many countries (Graf et al., 2004).

For more information, please contact Frans Hagg (Allied Nutrition): 072 037 0749 or frans@alliednutrition.com