Cattle farmers in Cameroon recently met in Bamenda where they were introduced to a new drug “Tophine” that will combat animal disease, especially ticks.

Ticks are small arachnids, mites, and constitute the subclass of a carina; they suck the blood of cows, birds and sometimes reptiles and amphibians.

Speaking at the one day seminar to sensitise and empower cattle rears on how to apply the new drug, the Northwest Regional Delegate of Livestock, Dr. Atanga Heinendez, said cattle disease is a big concern in the Northwest because thousands of cattle die each year from all kinds of attacks on animals.

“This new drug called “tophine” is most welcome because there were already fake drugs in the market. He appreciated the efforts of an international NGO MERIAL, a world leading, innovation- driven animal health company that provides a comprehensive range of products to enhance the health, well-being and performance of a wide range of animals.

He thanked MERIAL for choosing Bamenda to host this seminar. He said MERIAL Company has experts in both veterinary pharmaceutical products and vaccines for production of animals.

The Ruminant Technical Director of MERIAL, David Homer, said his organisation was created in 1997 through the merger of Rhone merieux and MSD AgVet, it is the leading company in animal health, in vaccines and in foot and mouth diseases.

The Sub-Director in charge of Private Veterinary medicine in the Ministry of Livestock Department of veterinary services, Dr. Zephyrin Kamnga, explained that there are 869 different species of ticks worldwide. The food and Agricultural Organisation, FAO, had listed 180 ticks which can transmit diseases to humans and animals, of which, 30 species are really dangerous for animal health in the tropics.

Participants were told that ticks have three harmful actions; they suck blood of animals and provoke anaemia; ticks injure animals and create opportunity for bacterial or viral infections. This is especially the case of dermatophilosis, a very common and dangerous skin disease, well known by cattle farmers as “ngunya”. Such diseases may devalue the hides. “But the most devastating effects of ticks are tick borne disease, which are diseases transmitted by ticks to humans or animals”.

Farmers were advised to desist from buying fake drugs that instead cause resistance of the ticks to the drugs efficiency. To help solve this problem, MERIAL, came with Tophine drug that has successfully been in use for 10 years in Brazil, Latin America and Central America.