The Asian longhorned tick, an invasive species, was recently positively confirmed on a cow in north central Georgia. The ticks can cause severe anemia and tick fever in livestock.
If an animal has one tick it’s probably our common Lone Star Tick. If a cow [or other animal] shows up with hundreds of ticks on it, we’re going to be very suspicious that we’re looking at an Asian Longhorned Tick infestation.” – Nancy C. Hinkle, PhD
Source: IFAS Extension, University of Florida, October 8, 2021. Link. A severe infestation could potentially kill the animal from excessive blood loss. In other countries with established ALT populations, the species can transmit bovine theileriosis (infectious anemia) to cattle and babesiosis (tick fever) to several domestic animal species, according to APHIS.
INSIGHTS: The Centers for Disease Control offers more information about the ALT, including the 17 other states where the species can be found here.