Ectoparasitic identification study on livestock mammals of some regions of districtChitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract Background: India is prime country in agricultural practices like livestock rearing and animal husbandry. Most of the Indian population depend on agriculture and associated areas for financial support to the family. Livestock and their products are major contributor in country's economy. Pathogens, most commonly hematophagous ectoparasites like tick, mites, lice, flies and flea are highly notorious to livestock because they induce itching, rubbing, scabies, irritation, dermatic damage, pediculosis and mental health problems in animal. These arachnids and insects are reside on external body parts such as whole skin, ear, lower abdomen, neck, brisket, udder region, tail tip, vulvar region, and hooves for food and shelter which also provide suitable place for reproduction. In district Chitrakoot, approximately 1 million livestocks are reared which gives pillar of farmers livelihood and livestock industry also benefited. But these ectoparasites suck the blood of livestock, causes dermatitis, anaemia, hair loss, weight loss, reduces milk production, even animal death if not properly treated at right time. Therefore Ectoparasite are major evil for livestock production industry. Many treatment methods are available but due to lack of proper ectoparasitic identification exact care are unspecified in Chitrakoot district, Uttar Pradesh, India. By visiting selected villages and towns we were collected some ectoparasites from Bos indicus, Bubalus bubalis, Capra hircus and Ovis aries to identify them as ticks, mites, lice, flies, and fleas. For collection of ectoparasites different techniques like hand picking, dragging, visual searching and trapping were performed. Collected samples were taking in the laboratory, indentified and preserved in 70% ethyl alcohol with proper labelling for further studies. Some ectoparasites are carrier of protozoan, bacteria and viruses which cause diseases like Surra, Bovine anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Rickettsiosis, Bovine leucosis, Theileriosis. Results: Overall findings revealed that all livestocks were infested by at least two of these ectoparasites. Rural areas were more and required proper hygiene and awareness about livestock rearing. Flies were found throughout the district and ticks were rarely absent. Lice were more frequently found on buffaloes than cattle and other livestocks. Conclusions: District Chitrakoot are at higher prone to ectoparasites and required immediate attention to eradicate ectoparasites or treatment of livestocks. These study will be helpful for various purposes mainly in livestocks rearing, veterinary treatment and the animal caring cost which significantly increases the revenue from livestock.