Study on prevalence and associated risk factors of mange mite infestations in cattle in Damot Woyde District, Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia

A cross sectional study was conducted from October 2017 to April 2018 in Damot Woyde District of Wolayta Zone to estimate the prevalence of mange mite infestation in cattle and identify the associated risk factors. Out of 375 animals examined, 41 (10.9%) were found positive for mange mite infestations. No statistically significant difference was noted among sex, age, breed and management categories (p>0.05); however, the prevalence differences noted between animals with different body condition score were statistically significant (p<0.05). The highest prevalence was recorded in animals with poor body conditions (27.71%), followed by those with medium (9.97%) and good body conditions (0.83%). Four mite genera were found in the area namely; Sarcoptes 19 (46.3%), Psoroptes 5 (12.2%), Demodex 13 (31.7%) and Chorioptes 4 (9.8%). Mange was frequently recovered from dewlap, followed by neck, tail head, face, brisket and leg. The overall prevalence (10.9%) shows that mange is an important disease that needs attention in the area. Therefore, farmers need to be made aware on the strategic use of acaricides following veterinary recommendation. Moreover, there is a need for regular research on the sensitivity of the parasites to the drugs in use. Key words: Damot Woyde, dewlap, cattle, mange mites, sarcoptes.