Study on Prevalence of Hard Ticks and Their Associated Risk Factors in Small Ruminants of Boloso Sore Districts of Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Ticks and tick-borne infections are the most serious health threats to small ruminants in Ethiopia, resulting in huge economic losses. METHODS: A cross-sectional study using a simple random sampling technique was conducted to determine the prevalence and potential risk factors of hard ticks in small ruminants of the Boloso Sore district of Wolaita Zone. Ticks were identified to species level under a stereomicroscope using morphological identification keys. RESULTS: From a total of 400 examined animals, 68.75% (275/400) of them were infested with hard ticks with the respective prevalence of 69.09% (152/220) in goats and 68.33% (123/180) in sheep. A total of 1192 (552 males and 640 females) adult ixodid ticks that belong to a total of four species, which were grouped under three genera: Amblyomma, Hyalomma, and Rhipicephalus, and one subgenus; Boophilus were collected from the head, ear, under tail and legs of goats and sheep. In this study, Amblyomma variegatum 44.97% (536/1192) was found to be the most abundant tick species followed by Boophilus decoloratus 30.79% (367/1192), Rhipicephalus pulchellus 20.47% (244/1192), and Hyalomma truncatum 3.77% (45/1192). The sex, age, and body condition score of animals with a high prevalence of hard ticks showed statistically significant differences (p<0.05). Male ticks dominated females in all cases except for Boophilus decoloratus. There was no statistically significant relationship (p > 0.05) between tick infestation and animal origin or species. CONCLUSION: Ticks were the most significant production and health constraints for small ruminants in the study region. Therefore, the increasing threat of ticks of small ruminants warrants urgent strategic application of acaricides and the creation of awareness among livestock owners to prevent and control tick infestation.