ABSTRACT

''Acaricide residues in whole bovine milk from Costa Rica''. Introduction: Because of the high per capita consumption of 216 kilograms, in Costa Rica, 681 million liters of milk are processed annually, and it is particularly important to avoid the toxic effects of contaminated milk, associated with vomiting, paralysis and cramps, and, in the long term, cancer, endocrine disorders, diabetes and chromosomal alterations, among others. Objective: To determine the residue levels of five acaricides used in Costa Rica: Amitraz, Coumafos, Chlorpyrifos, Cyfluthrin and Cypermethrin, in samples of whole bovine milk. Methods: From January to September 2018, we collected samples from 200 production systems in six provinces and applied gas and liquid chromatography techniques coupled with mass spectrometry. Results: We did not find residues of Coumafos and Cyfluthrin, but in 19 farms we detected Amitraz, Cypermethrin and Chlorpyrifos (the latter, 0.01mg/kg). Few managers know alternatives to chemical control, and most do not respect the withdrawal period of the tick, and do not rotate the active ingredient. Conclusion: Education and monitoring on tick control should be improved in dairy farms.

Keywords: Ticks; parasite control; safety; acaricide resistance; active ingredient; sanitary management; dairy cattle