USDA Veteran Patrols For Ticks
FROM THE DOPPLER 10 FORECAST CENTER… A HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES UNTIL 7 PM FRIDAY… McLENNAN, WILLIAMSON, AND SAN SABA…AFTERNOON HEAT INDEX VALUES TODAY AND FRIDAY WILL RISE TO BETWEEN 105 AND 110 DEGREES...WHILE OVERNIGHT LOWS TONIGHT WILL STRUGGLE TO FALL BELOW 80 DEGREES…PERSONS INVOLVED IN VIGOROUS OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES ARE URGED TO TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER…
USDA Veteran Patrols For Ticks Save Email Print
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(April 19, 2008)—U.S. Department of Agriculture Veteran Fred Garza has been patrolling a piece of the Rio Grande for 16 years usually on horseback in search of stray livestock that might be carrying a tiny pest and its cargo of a deadly disease.

Garza is a veteran of the 61-member USDA "Tick Rider" force, which keeps watch over a 700-mile buffer zone along the Rio Grande from Brownsville to Del Rio, inspecting both foreign strays and native ranch animals for the fever tick.

The parasite, which was eradicated from America more than 60 years ago, can transmit disease to cattle and could spread to the entire southeastern United States if not controlled.

The tick has managed lately to migrate beyond the 862-square mile permanent quarantine zone.

To move cattle out of any quarantine zone and into the "free area," they must first be inspected for ticks.

Experts say tick fever can kill up to 90 percent of infected cattle, causing anemia, weight loss and bloody urine before death.

Click Here For USDA Web Site
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Posted by: Gringo Location: Everywhere on Apr 19, 2008 at 07:33 PM
Ticks at the Rio Grande? Wonder where they came from? lol :-)
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