By JIMMY LAWTON

CANTON – With tick populations and Lyme disease on the rise, some St. Lawrence County residents are using livestock to fight back.

St. Lawrence County Cornell Cooperative Extension Kristen Colarusso says she has received an increasing number of phone calls from people interested in keeping animals, some with a special interest in controlling ticks.

“This year people seem to be really interested in keeping poultry,” she said.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Coordinator Brent Buchanan said keeping fowl and goats is an effective way to reduce tick populations in small proximities.

Tick fighting team

Buchanan says fowl and goats are a common team for reducing ticks. He says goats eat grass along brush lines, which is a popular home for ticks.

“The nice thing with the goats is they are browsers, they are going to do more eating of greens,” he said. “Goats like to nip the ends of buds and shoots. They pluck off seed heads and kill back weeds that tend to be overshadowing,” he said.

Buchanan says opening up brush lines is a key to controlling the ticks, because it allows the fowl to access areas they would normally shy away from.

“The goats clean up the canopy so the birds can get in there. They feel safer in more open areas,” he said.

Buchanan said chickens are happy to feed on ticks, but prefer open areas due to fear of predators.

He says the combination is an effective means of reducing their numbers.

A better bird?

Buchanan says chickens are popular for fighting ticks, because they can also provide eggs and meat, but they are not the only suitable bird for the job.

Buchanan says he keeps guinea fowl for the job. He said the birds are similar to chickens, but are heartier, more nimble and capable of flying up to 18 feet in the air. Buchanan says their ability to fly makes them more elusive to predators as their cages can be built on stilts and made inaccessible to some stalkers.

“They are very fast on their feet,” he said. “Unlike chickens they mate up in pairs that hang out together. They hunt in pairs and range around together,” he said.

Buchanan said guinea fowl are also more aggressive foragers and are less selective about the insects and arachnids they eat, when compared to most chicken breeds.

“It’s hard to know exactly what they are foraging on. They tend to eat things that are sitting on some sort of herbage,” he said.

Buchanan said the birds lay edible eggs and can also be eaten.

“I’ve never eaten them but heard they are a delicacy,” he said. “I’ve been told they are very tasty.”

Buchanan said goats aren’t the only option for brush control, he said sheep would also be an effective animal for controlling brush and ticks.

Growing problem

While controlling ticks was unnecessary 10 years ago in the North Country, St. Lawrence County has seen populations rise dramatically since 2007 and with the increased numbers, comes the a rise in Lyme disease.

St. Lawrence County confirmed its first case of Lyme disease in 2002 and the number of infections did not hit double digits until 2007 when 10 cases were confirmed. In 2008, infections rose to 25 and have not dropped below 30 since.

This summer St. Lawrence County Public Health urged campers, hikers and gardeners to take precautions against ticks.

While public health suggested long sleeve shirts and repellents, the county’s more agriculturally minded folks are taking a different approach.

“We’ve really seen a rise in the number of ticks and the number of people with Lyme disease,” he said.

Left untreated, Lyme disease can produce severe arthritis, or cause neurological or cardiac problems. However, with early detection and treatment with antibiotics, recovery from Lyme disease is usually complete.

Lyme disease is carried by white tail deer and field mice, but is transferred by female deer ticks.

Animal care

Buchanan said that the tick fighting team works well for some people, but is not for everyone. He says all animals require care, time and money. He said none of the animals come with a particularly high cost, but there is some investment required.

“When ever you have livestock, you need to be around, or make arrangements for other people to be around,” he said.

Buchanan said the animals also serve many purposes. Aside from landscaping, tick control and food, the animals can be fun to play with.

“The kids are happy to play with the goats. They play soccer with them in the yard,” he said.

For more information on animal care contact St. Lawrence County Cornell Cooperative Extension at 379-9192.