Bovine babesiosis, also known as cattle fever, is caused by the protozoan parasites Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina. It is transmitted by ticks of the genus Rhipicephalus, primarily R. microplus and R. annulatus. The disease caused major economic losses to the cattle industry in the southern United States in the late 19th century. While tick eradication programs were successful in eliminating the disease from most of the US, it continues to be a threat where cattle and ticks interact along the US-Mexico border. Effective vaccines and approved anti-babesial drugs for cattle in the US are still lacking.