In vivo Comparative efficacy of Calpurnia aurea aqueous extract and Diazinon against goat tick infestation in Gondar Zuria District, Ethiopia

Abstract

Tick infestation poses a major threat to livestock production, as ticks act as vectors for numerous pathogenic diseases. The widespread reliance on chemical acaricides for tick control has led to growing interest in exploring plant-based alternatives. This field study was conducted from January 2020 to February 2021 in the Gondar Zuria District, Central Gondar Zone, Ethiopia, to evaluate the in vivo acaricidal efficacy of Calpurnia aurea leaf aqueous extract compared with Diazinon 60% Emulsifiable Concentrate against tick infestations in goats. A completely randomized design with four treatments and six replications was employed using twenty-four naturally infested goats that had not received any acaricide treatment within the preceding month. The treatments included Calpurnia aurea aqueous extracts at concentrations of 50, 100, and 200 mg/mL, and Diazinon 60% EC, applied using a one-liter hand sprayer. Tick counts were conducted on Day 0 (pre-treatment) and on Days 7, 14, and 21 post-treatments. Results revealed that Calpurnia aurea extracts exhibited significant acaricidal activity, with the 200 mg/mL concentration achieving 88.4% mean tick reduction by Day 21, comparable to Diazinon 60% (98.9%). Tick reduction increased significantly (p < 0.001) with higher extract concentrations and over time. The findings suggest that Calpurnia aurea possesses promising potential as a natural, plant-based alternative to synthetic acaricides for goat tick control. To advance the practical application of Calpurnia aurea-based acaricides, further research is recommended to identify and quantify the bioactive constituents responsible for their acaricidal activity, elucidate their mechanism of action, and ensure consistency in efficacy.