Infection of Farm Animals by Different Types of Lice (Anoplura and Mallophaga) in Saudi Arabia PDF

Keywords

Infestation rates, Lice Anoplura and Mallophaga, Saudi Arabia, camels, goats, sheep, Bovicola (Damalinia) ovis (Schrank, 1781) Linognathus africanus (Kellogg and Paine, 1911).

Abstract

Farm animals are highly important in the economic world. Their products are of high nutritional value; therefore, animals affected by disease pathogens result in heavy losses, most importantly Mallophaga and Anoplura . The study included the most important types of lice ( Mallophaga, Anoplura ) that infect camels, goats and sheep of different age and genus., in the local Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The study recorded the average monthly and seasonal lice numbers on sheep and goats. The study showed that the highest percentage of sheep infection during July was 3.99 % for young sheep and 4.01 % for old sheep, both of the male sex, while the female sheep's rate was 3.08 % (young) and 4.03 % (old). The study also showed that the highest percentage of young male goat infection during August was17.93 % and 9.93 % for the old ones, while young infected female goat rate was 14.81 % and 10.08 % for the older ones. The study recorded the presence of two genus of lice (Mallophaga, Anoplura ) only: Bovicola (Damalinia) ovis (Schrank, 1781) and Linognathus africanus (Kellogg and Paine, 1911). The study showed that the local camel is not infected by lice (Mallophaga, Anoplura).