ABSTRACT

 Ectoparasites are vectors of many animal diseases and they impact adversely on nutrition, income and public health. A survey was prevalence of ectoparasites at NRCRI, Umudike animal farm between June and August, 2018. A total of 1,050 animals comprising of 700 chickens, 100 grasscutters and 250 rabbits were evaluated. Data collected were converted to means and percentage using Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet. The study showed that 45.53% of the animals were infested with lice, ticks, flea and/or mites. Chickens were infested with more lice (83%), followed by mites (66.67%), but had no ticks. More lice were found on the wings and body regions in adults. A total of 57% of grasscutters were also infested with higher incidence offlea (61.4%) and tick (47.37%) than mites (29.82%) or lice (17.54%). Mites were only found on the head, while the fleas, lice and mites were on the body regions and legs. Rabbits had 40% infestation mostly of mite (63%) but no ticks. The mite Demodex spp. and the lice, Pediculus spp. were found on all regions of the animal body. The data also show that adults were most infested in all the examined animals.

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page i

Approval Page ii

Declaration iii

Dedication iv

Acknowledgements

Table OfContents vi

List OfTables viii

Abstract ix

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Justification of Study 2

1.2 Aim ofthe Study 2

1.3 Objectives of Study 3

1.4 Literature Review 3

1.4.1 Selected Ectoparasites Infesting Chicken, Grasscutters and Rabbits 3

141.1 Lice 3

1.4.1.2 Fleas 4

L4.1.3 Ticks 5

1.4.1.4 Mites 6

1.5 Economic Importance and Classification ofChicken, Grasscutters and Rabbit 8

1.5.1 Chicken 8

1.5.2 Grasscutter 9

1.5.3 Rabbit 10

CHAPTER TWO: MATERIALS AND METHOD

2.1 Study Area 12

2.2 Study Animals 12

2.3 Samples Collection 12

2.4 Ectoparasites Identification and Enumeration 13

2.5 Statistical Analysis 13

CHAPTER THREE: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Result 14

3.2 Discussion 18

CHAPTER FOUR: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

4.1 Conclusion 20

4.2 Recommendation 20

REFERENCES

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Infestation ofChicken, Grasscutters and Rabbits by Different Ectoparasites. 14

Table 2: Ectoparasites Infestation ofChicken at Different Stages ofDevelopment (Ages). 15

Table 3: Distribution ofEctoparasites on Body Regions ofChick in Pen at NRCRI, Umudike. 16

Table 4: Distribution of Ectoparasites in Grasscutters at Different Stages ofDevelopment (Ages)16

Table 5: Prevalence of Ectoparasites in Body Regions of Grass cutters in Pens at NRCRI,

Umudike

Table 6: Ectoparasites Infestation ofRabbits at Different Stages of Development (Ages).

Table 7: Distribution ofEctoparasites on the Body Regions ofRabbits in Pens at NRCRI,

Umudike.