Asian Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances 1683-9919 1996-3289 Academic Journals Inc. 10.3923/ajava.2014.727.731 Bhat Sartaj Ahmad Wani Mohd Yaqoob Khojuria Jatinder Kumar Katoch Rajesh Dhama Kuldeep 11 2014 9 11 Backyard poultry farming plays an important role in rural people by providing eggs, meat and employment. The production of backyard poultry is generally affected by ecto and endo-parasites due to their free range feeding habit and housing practices. The present study was designed to study the prevalence of ectoparasites in back yard poultry in Jammu region of India during October 2010 to September 2011. The results showed that out of 710 birds examined, 373 (52.53%) were found infested with different ectoparasites. The highest prevalence was recorded for Menopon gallinae (16.05%) followed by Menacanthus stramineus (12.95%), Goniocotes gallinae (9.58%), Goniodes gigas (5.91%), Lipeurus caponis (2.95%), Argas persicus (3.38%) and Dermanyssus gallinae (1.69%). Seasonal prevalence indicated, Menopon gallinae was predominant in all seasons except in pre monsoon, highest during winter and lowest during post monsoon. While Menacanthus stramineus had the highest prevalence during pre monsoon, Argas persicus during monsoon and Dermanyssus gallinae had the lowest prevalence during all the seasons. The study is first in its nature from Jammu, the north Indian region and will provide valuable information on ectoparasites in back yard poultry. However, further investigation is required in this regard so as to reduce the production losses by ectoparasites.

]]> Arends, J.J., 2003 External Parasites and Poultry Pests. 2003 pp: 905-930 pp: 905-930 Bhat, S.A., J.K. Khajuria, R. Katoch, M.Y. Wani and K. Dhama, 2014 Asian J. Anim. Vet. Adv., 9 479 488 Mungube, E.O., S.M. Bauni, B.A. Tenhagen, L.W. Wamae, S.M. Nzioka, L. Muhammed and J.M. Nginyi, 2008 Trop. Anim. Health Prod., 40 101 109 Chaddha, D., R.K. Agnihotri and R. Katoch, 2005 J. Vet. Parasitol., 19 57 59 El-Kifl, A.H., A. Wahab, M.K. Kamel and W.A.E. Abdel, 1973 Agric. Rev., 51 113 120 Mehta, R., R.G. Nambiar, C.L. Delgado and S. Subramanyam, 2003 Annex II: Livestock industrialization project: Phase II-policy, technical and environmental determinants and implications of the scaling-up of broiler and egg production in India. 2003 Phulan, M.S., W.M. Bhatti and S.N. Buriro, 1984 Argas persicus in poultry.]]> Pak. Vet. J., 4 174 175 Randhawa, M.S., 1946 Sci. Culture, 12 5 14 Saxena, A.K., K. Sandeep, G. Nidhi and S.K. Singh, 2004 J. Parasitic Dis., 28 57 60 Shanta, I.S., N. Begum, A. Anisuzzaman, A.S.M. Bari and M.J. Karim, 2006 Bangladesh J. Vet. Med., 4 19 26 Singh, A., A. Yadav, U.K. Khajuria, S. Borkataki, N. Pande, D. Konwar and R. Katoch, 2009 Vet. Practitioner, 10 181 182 Soulsby, E.J.L., 1982 Helminths, Arthropods and Protozoa of Domesticated Animals. 7th Edn., pp: 162-163 pp: 162-163 Raveloson, C., 1990 Proceedings of the CTA Seminar on Smallholder Rural Poultry Produciton, Volume 2, 1990 pp: 135 138