Determination of prevalense external parasite on different species

Ethiopia has the largest livestock inventories in Africa including about 40.7millions cattle, 25.5millions sheep and 23.4million goats (CSA. 2004). Its resource of cattle, sheep, and goats ranks 1st, 3rd and 2nd respectively in Africa.1 The development of leather industry requires great quality of raw materials of various origins, the principal source of which is livestock industry. Although the livestock production and tanning industry of the world are increasing in number, the source of the material for the tanning industry is limited both in quantity and quality.2 Ethiopia produce about 2.7millions of hides, 8.1millions of sheep skin and 7.5millions of goats skin per annum and is the leading export time of the country next to coffee with its finished and semi finished leather products.3 Although the number of tannery involved in production of this products increasing from time to time, the sectors and the country are losing revenue due to decline in leather quality and fall in export price.4 Of the total skin processed of tanneries, one fourth to one third of it is unsuitable to export due to various defects, 65%, which occur in pre‒slaughter, stage.5 The existence of various skin diseases (Dermotophillosis, Demodicosis, Sarcoptes and psoroptes manges, ticks and lice infestations affecting cattle, sheep and goats are frequently reported from different parts of Ethiopia.6 These different diseases in Ethiopia are documentable for considerable economic losses culling and occasional mortalities and related with cost of treatment and prevention disease.7 The potential economic losses necessitate the nationwide investigation on the distribution of skin disease and organize efforts between farmers, trader, tanners and government to at least minimize these enormous loses. Hence in socio‒economically important city like Kutaber words so far limited studies has been made to investigate the overall prevalence of the skin diseases in domestic ruminants. Therefore, the objectives of these studies are: