PREVALENCE OF ECTOPARASITES AMONG SMALL RUMINANTS IN AND AROUND BAHIR DAR TOWN, ETHIOPIA

External parasites are the major causes of skin diseases, which hamper small ruminant production. Lice, keds, mange mites and ticks are the major ectoparasites of small ruminants. A cross sectional study was conducted from November 2013 to April 2014 with the objectives of determining the prevalence of ectoparasites infestation in small ruminants and identifying the major risk factors associated with the occurrence of external parasites in small ruminants. A total of 400 small ruminants were sampled, out of which 56.80 % of the animals (i.e. 60.00% of Ovine and 51.30% of Caprine) were found to be infested with one or more of the ectoparasites. The major ectoparasites of small ruminants identified in the study area were lice (24.40%), ticks (12.40%), sheep ked (11.20%), mange mites (2.80%) and mixed infestation (9.20%) in Ovine; whereas in Caprine; ticks (22.70%), lice (13.30%), mange mites (6.00%) and mixed infestation (9.30%). The differences in prevalence of lice infestation between species, age, body condition, management and flock types of small ruminants were found statistically significant (P<0.05). The difference in prevalence of tick infestation was statistically significant (P<0.05) between groups of risk factors like between species, between age groups and between management types. The difference in prevalence of M. ovinus between age groups (?2 =7.39; 3.5% in young and 15.20% in adult), different body conditions (?2 =14.85; 18.1% in poor and 2.70% in good) and varying hair sizes (?2 =24.51; 0.80% in hairy and 20.60% in woolly) were found to be statistical significant (P<0.05). The high prevalence of ectoparasites infestation in small ruminants in and around Bahir Dar may be due to favorable climates, poor level of management, poor awareness of farmers and poor animal health extension services and the increasing threat of ectoparasites to small ruminant production may necessitate urgent prevention and control intervention.