Prevalence of Parasitic Infestation of Poultry Presented at Guder Mamo Mezemir Campus Veterinary Teaching Clinic, Guder, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

Poultry suffers from many diseases of various etiologies resulting in morbidity as well as mortality in birds. Poultry plays a crucial role in the livelihoods of rural households in Ethiopia, contributing to income generation and food security. This cross-sectional study, conducted from September 2023 to March 2024 at the Ambo University Guder Mamo Mezemir Campus Veterinary Teaching Clinic in Guder town, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia, aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of parasitic infestations in poultry. A total of 1123 local and exotic breed poultry were randomly selected and examined for ectoparasites, revealing a 63.0% overall prevalence. Fleas (41.1%) and lice (21.9%) were the most prevalent ectoparasites. Local breeds exhibited higher infestation rates (38.1%) compared to exotic breeds (24.9%), and females (53.2%) were more affected than males (9.7%). Adult poultry was more prevalent (53.9%) than young poultry (9.0%). Ectoparasite infestations were more common in rural areas (47.2%) than in urban areas (15.7%). The statistical analysis indicated significant associations with age and origin but not with breed, sex, or management system. These findings underscore the need for improved management practices and targeted ectoparasite control measures to enhance poultry health and productivity in the study area.