A cross sectional study was conducted from October 2010 to June 2011 in and around Gondar town to identify the species and determine prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in donkeys and horses. Gross examination, direct fecal smear, sedimentation and floatation techniques were utilized to identify the eggs and larvae of parasites in feces. A total of 384 horses and donkeys were examined for gastrointestinal parasites. The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was 92.71% (356 from 384) with 80.95% (85 from 105) and 97.13% (271 from 279) in horses and donkeys, respectively. Prevalence of Strongyle, Parascaris equorum, Oxyuris equi, Gastrodiscus aegyptiacus and Gastrophilus intestinalis was 66.67%, 43.8%, 0.95%, 2.86%, and 0.95%, respectively in horses. Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was 87.81%, 42.29%, 4.30%, 5.73%, 1.43%, 3.58% and 0.72% for Strongyles, Parascaris equorum, Oxyuris equi, Fasciola, Tricuris, Gastrodiscus aegyptiacus and Gastrophilus intestinalis in donkeys, respectively. There was a statistic-cally significant difference between species, housing and among feed types in prevalence of equine gastrointestinal parasites (p < 0.05). However, there was no statistical significant difference in prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites between age, sex and among body condition. Donkeys were at higher risk of acquiring parasites than horses (OR = 7.97, CI = 3.39 -18.75) and animals that fed only pasture and lived in poor house were at increased risk of acquiring infection (OR = 9.59, CI = 3.25 -28.25). In conclusion, the present study revealed higher prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in horses and donkeys. Therefore, continuous deworming, improvement of housing and feeding management were recommended.

A cross sectional study was conducted from July to October 2013 to estimate prevalence and identify different species of ectoparasites infesting chicken in semi-intensive and backyard chicken farms in and around Ambo Town, West Shewa, Ethiopia. A total of 390 chickens were randomly selected. Age, sex, breed and management system of the study population was simultaneously recorded. Ectoparasites were collected from different parts of the body including shank scraping and identified with stereomicroscopy or light microscopy. An overall 67.95% (265/390) prevalence was recorded and five species of ectoparasites under three orders (Phthiraptera (lice), Siphonaptera (flea) and mite were identified. The prevalence of pediculosis, flea infestation and mange were 52.1%, 44.36% and 34.62%, respectively. Three species of lice (Cuclotogaster heterographa (50%), Menacanthus stramineus (1.28%) and Lipeurus caponis (6.15%)), one species of flea (Echidnophaga gallinacean (44.36%)) and mite (Cnemidocoptes mutans (34.62%)) were identified. Higher prevalence rate was recorded in male (83.89%) than female (58.09%), young (74.45%) than adult (61.79%) and local (87.55%) than exotic (26.4%) breed chicken. There was no infestation of chicken with ectoparasite in semi-intensive farming system while 87.46% (265/303) of chickens kept under extensive management system were infested. Statistically, there was significance difference between categories of sex (χ 2 =28.145, p<0.05), age (χ 2 =8.083, p<0.05), management (χ 2 =2.37, p<0.05) and breed (χ 2 =1.458, p<0.05) groups in prevalence of ectoparasite infestation (p<0.05). Male, young and local breed chicken groups were 3.757 (CI=2.265-6.234), 1.883 (CI=1.214-2.921) and 19.6 (11.427-33.618) times more likely infested by ectoparasite than female, adult and cross breed groups, respectively. In conclusion, infestation of chicken with ectoparasites was important constraint in poultry production sector. Therefore, application of integrated control strategy, good management practices, creation of awareness and further detailed study were recommended.