Prevalence of lice infestation in Iraqi local buffaloes in Mosul city

This current study focused on the evaluation of epidemiological data risk factors such as seasons, sex, age, and area of 1060 of buffaloes were examined from January – December 2022. The results showed a total infestation rate with lice 54.06%. The results of the gross clinical examination of the buffalo skin showed the presence of lice and eggs with damaged hair and hair loss spots due to severe infestation. Microscopical examination under the dissecting microscope of local Iraqi buffaloes raised indoors are infested with sucking lice species Haematopinus tuberculatus, morphological identification of this species is the sucking lice H. tuberculatus, adults are 3.8mm long 1.9mm wide, black to brown and eyes are absent with prominent paratergal plates, five segmented antennae, Pointed head with a large claw on each leg. The overall infection rate (573/1060) was 54.06%. The highest infection rate was 79% in January, February and March at p? 0.05. The study results recorded an infection rate of 64.09% in animals over 3 years of age while it was 37.5% in animals under 3 years of age at p? 0.05. The highest infection rate was 61.09% in females and 43.09% in males. As for the site, the highest infection rate was 80% inside the Maslag pit (right side) while the lowest infection rate was 36% in Hamam Al-Alil.