PREVALENCE OF ECTOPARASITE IN INDIGENOUS CHICKEN FARM AT, AL- JABAL AL-GHARBY , LIBYA.

Ectoparasites are organisms which live on the skin of the host are a common parasitic disease posing a serious problem in birds. During September to October 2017, a total of 195 specimens from indigenous chicken were collected from different areas in Al Jabal Al Ghrbi (Om-Algersan, Alqula, Yafrien), which located in the north west of Libya. All specimenswere microscopically examined. The Prevalence of ectoparasitesinfestation was observed in 97 out of 195 chickens, giving the overall prevalence of 49.74%. In this study, ectoparasiteswas higher in male chicken (63.33%) than the female (50.99%) with odds ratio of 1.24times(P= 0.05). Also the results revealed high prevalence of ectoparasitesinfection in young chicken (66.18%) than in adult chicken(52.22%) with odds ratio of 1.26 times. The finding in this present study showed that, 43.59 % lice, 23.5% tick and lice &tick (double infection) 17.9% respectively. The study result showed that tow genus liceand tick and tow species of ectoparasites, Menacanthus stramineus (lice) and Argas persieus (tick ) were identified from the infested birds. It was concluded that ectoparasitesinfestationwas high prevalence in indigenous chicken. So to control the spread of ectoparasitesinfection integrated strategies should be taken. Moreover, further investigation is needed to improve the management practice and to avoid ectoparasitesinfection in poultry in Libya.