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Journal of Agriculture and Biological Sciences Vol. 2(5) pp108-113, August 2011.
Available online http://www.globalresearchjournals.org/journal/?a=journal&id=jabs
Copyright ©2011 Global Research Journals.
Full Lenght Research.
ECTOPARASTIES OF GOATS IN ETINAN, AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA
*1M.S Ekanem, 1K.N Opara, 1D.P Bennie and 2Udo I.O
1Department of Zoology,Faculty of Science,University of Uyo, Uyo Nigeria.
2Faculty of Agriculture,University of Uyo, Uyo Nigeria.
*Corresponding author’s E-mail: mfoneka2004@yahoo.com
Accepted 5th June
| Abstract |
In Etinan, a town in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, 492 goats were examined for ectoparasites. Of this number 212 bucks and 173 does were infested Goats penned in homesteads were 76 (15.4 %) while 416 (84.6%) were on free range. Of the total penned goats only one was infested with ectoparasites. The ectoparasites were characterised and identified based on their morphological characerstics. Two lice species-Linognathus africanus and Damalinia caprae, six tick species- Ixodes ribicundus, Haemaphysalis punctata, Rhypicephalus appendiculatus, Boophilus decoloratus, Dermacentor andersoni, and Amblyomma variegatum, and a flea- Ctenocephalides sp were collected. L. africanus was statistically, the commonest ectoparasite infesting goats in Etinan (P<0.001). Does were statistically more infested (t(18) = 2.62*; t<0.05) with L. africanus than bucks. Similarly, I. ribicundus infestation of bucks was significantly higher (t(14)=3.90**; t<0.01) than infestation of does. Most of the goats (66.0%, 194/294) were monoinfested. Monoinfestation with only L. africanus was the highest (74.2%, 144/194), and was statistically the commonest. There were 82 (27.9%; 82/294) cases of double infestations, 13 (4.4%, 13/294) of triple infestations, and five cases (1.7%, 5/294) of quadruple infestations. Only L. africanus infestation increased significantly (P<0.01) with age of goat. No significant preferences for body regions of host were shown by ectoparasites. In view of the health and economic implications of ectoparasites infestations of goats, there is need for advocacy programmes on control of ectoparasites in small ruminants.
Key words: Goats, ectoparasites, infestations, Nigeria.