Eleven young indigenous sheep and 11 goats in an extensive rangeland were kept virtually tick free for six months with a long acting synthetic pyrethroid ‘pour‐on’ formulation. Their performance in terms of liveweight gain (LWG) was compared with an untreated group. All animals in the trial were intensively dewormed. The total LWG in sheep was 0–7 kg and in goats 0·8 kg greater than the control groups (P= 1·0), despite the significantly different tick numbers they were carrying. Tick control did not increase productivity. The ‘pour‐on’ ectoparasiticide was a more economical and effective method than dipping. However, the results do not suggest any economic need for tick control on indigenous small ruminants in this environment.