Decision-making on tick control practices is linked to the level of knowledge about livestock farming and to the social context in which individuals practice them. Tick infestation is one of the main problems in tropical livestock production. The objective of this study was to characterize tick-control related practices in two tropical livestock areas and their potential association with the level of tick infestation. A total of 139 farms were included in this survey. To determine this association, a multivariate logistic regression model was used. A stepwise model selection procedure was used and model validation was tested. Cattle husbandry as a main activity, the use of external paddocks, the use of amitraz, and the lack of mechanization on the farm were related with high tick infestation. On the other hand, owner involvement in the preparation of acaricide solution was identified as a protective factor against high tick infestation. At animal level, age (old), body condition status (thin), and lactation were also associated with high tick infestations, while Bos primigenius indicus cattle and their crosses reduced the probability of high tick infestations. The factors studied, such as herd size, education level of the owners, and veterinary guidance, varied from farm to farm. Nonetheless, these differences did not generate changes in the level of tick infestation. According to the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC), the model at farm level predicts a high level of infestation, with an accuracy of 72.00% and high sensitivity. In addition, at animal level, crossbreeding with indicus cattle and breeding selection for host resistance will be useful against high tick infestation. Likewise, the implementation of programs of capacitation and research on tick control for farmers, cowboys, and vets in these areas is necessary.

The application of tick control strategies on tropical dairy cattle strongly relies on farmers’ uptake, knowledge, and perceptions of the efficacy of control measures. This study aims to identify common and uncommon tick control practices employed by dairy farmers in subtropical areas of Ecuador and associate them with the presence of infestation and acaricide resistance. Data were collected through a cross‐sectional survey and participatory meetings. Multiple correspondence analysis was used to explore the association between management variables and the level of tick infestation and resistance. It was determined that the main method of acaricide control is still chemical, mainly using spray baths. Generally, when this form of application is used, acaricides are overdosed, in contrast to the pour‐on method with underdosage. Among the measures farmers adopt when chemical treatment has failed is to use overdoses of products, mix different acaricides, and use focused treatments (wipe cloth) with irritant substances. The absence of a high level of infestation was related to acaricide dips every 3–4 weeks and the use of intensive grazing. On the other hand, the high infestation was related to the use of organophosphates, wipe cloth application, and the report of tick‐borne diseases (TBDs). A small group of farmers have good knowledge and seek alternatives to chemical control, experimenting with biological controls, herbal extracts, manual tick removal, and paddock control. Additionally, farmers reported the presence of TBDs (47%) and the presence of animals poisoned by acaricides (6%), which died in 75% of those cases. Farmers frequently mentioned that tick infestation induces milk drop production and weight loss and is associated with the presence of TBDs. This information is crucial to improve tick control management in Ecuador, particularly through implementing practices that mitigate resistance to acaricides and ensure long‐term solutions that help maintain the efficacy of tick control treatments.

Land use conversion is the main cause for soil degradation, influencing the sustainability of agricultural activities in the Ecuadorian Andean region. The possibility to identify the quality based on the spectral properties allows remote sensing methods to offer an alternative form of monitoring the environment. This study used laboratory spectroscopy and multi-spectral images (Sentinel 2) with environmental covariates (physicochemical parameters) to find an affordable method that can be used to present spatial prediction models as a tool for the evaluation of the quality of Andean soils. The models were developed using statistical techniques of logistic regression and linear discriminant analysis to generate an index based on soil order and three indexes based on the combination of soil order and land use. This combined approach offers an effective method, relative to traditional laboratory methods, to derive estimates of the content and composition of soil constituents, such as electrical conductivity (CE), organic matter (OM), pH, and soil moisture (HU). For Mollisol index.3 with Páramo land use, a value of organic matter (OM) ≥8.6% was obtained, whereas for Mollisol index.4 with Shrub land use, OM was ≥6.1%. These results reveal good predictive (estimation) capabilities for these soil order–land use groups. This provides a new way to monitor soil quality using remote sensing techniques, opening promising prospects for operational applications in land use planning.

El estudio es en el cantón Cayambe, de la provincia de Pichincha del Ecuador, que se ha identificado como cluster florícola, producción de lácteos y cluster turístico. Todas estas actividades han provocado un crecimiento poblacional que está causando un incremento en el índice de contaminación ambiental por descargas líquidas y sólidas de origen doméstico y agropecuario a los ríos sin tratamiento, lo que indica una relación directa sociedad-ambiente, a lo que se suma cambios en el clima como son las precipitaciones (fenómenos atmosféricos) y la temperatura (factor ambiental), componentes que inciden en la dinámica del recurso hídrico, estableciendo una relación directa sociedad-salud-ambiente. El proyecto tiene como finalidad, conocer la variabilidad climática de la zona en base a los datos de precipitación, temperatura, humedad relativa, así como, calcular índices de erosión, déficit hídrico e índice ombrotérmico mediante la aplicación de Sistemas de Información Geográfica. Primero, se realizó el cálculo de la pendiente. Luego, en base a los datos de las estaciones meteorológicas, se aplicó el modelo geoestadístico kriging ordinario de predicciones, para realizar la interpolación y así obtener un modelo de precipitación y temperatura del Cantón. Con los resultados se calculó el déficit hídrico, aplicando la herramienta “Algebra de Mapas”, para finalmente calcular la “Erosión” y el “Índice Ombrotérmico” en todo el cantón. El Índice Ombrotérmico, indicó que el Cantón Cayambe posee un clima lluvioso. Aunque, debido a varios factores que han contribuido al cambio climático, en los últimos 20 años, la zona presenta incremento en la temperatura, al igual que se han observado ligeras variaciones en la intensidad y frecuencia de la precipitación. Es decir, las variables calculadas permiten tomar atención a la disponibilidad hídrica durante la estación cálida.