An Overview of Ectoparasites onDomestic Animals in Ethiopia

Domestic animals are important contributors to food production in Ethiopia, providing meat, milk and an income generation for the country's farming system. Rearing of domestic animals are practiced by the majority of the farming communities in which they are considered as an investment and insurance against risk and to meet seasonal and emergency purchases such as crop, improved seed, fertilizers and medicine. Animals that have high fertility and short generation interval which means that milk production begins five or six month after initial mating and that the first carcass may be on sale in less than one year is their economic, managerial and biological advantages. Besides that domestic animals are also source of manure to fertile soil and skin, the most important items that generate foreign currency to the country. However, animal's production is constrained by compound effect of disease, poor feeding and poor management. Parasitic disease is among the major problems of domestic animals causing serious economic impact. Information obtained indicates that external parasites of domestic animals are widely distributed with variable degree of prevalence in Ethiopia and are important in causing serious economic loss on the farming community, tanning and leather industry and the country as a whole, demanding effective control measures.