Identification of Ixodide ticks of cattle in and around Hararamaya district, Eastern Ethiopia

We conducted a survey to determine the prevalence of Ixodide ticks, their predilection sites and relation to breed, sex, and age group of animals. A total of 560 animals were examined of which 186 (33.21%) found infested with one or more ticks. Among the total 1446 ticks collected three generas; Amblyomma, Boophilus, and Rhipicephalus, and five species identified. The relative prevalence of each species was Amblyomma variegatum (38.87%), Amblyomma coherence (8.30%), Boophilus decoloratus (31.54%), Rhipicephalus pulchellus (6.64%), and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (14.66%). A.variegatum and A. coherence shows higher preference to axial, scrotum/ udder, and groin & belly. B. decoloratus species were found prominently on the back & neck. R. evertsi evertsi and R. pulchelus showed high preference to the under tail and peri-anal &vulva regions of the body. The male to female sex ratio of the collected ticks was found 1.96:1, showing higher proportion of male than their counter parts. The prevalence of tick infestation was found significantly higher (P < 0.05) in local breed cattle (58.18%) than cross breed ones (10.55%), whereas no statistically significant association was observed among age groups, between sex groups and different localities (P > 0.05).