Long-term retrospective analysis of cattle ectoparasite records in and around Gondar, Northwestern Ethiopia

Abstract Background Cattle ectoparasites are important constraints to livestock production in Ethiopia, causing economic losses through reduced productivity, deterioration of hide and skin quality, disease transmission, and increased treatment costs. However, information derived from long-term veterinary clinic records remains limited in northwestern Ethiopia. Therefore, this study assessed the distribution of documented cattle ectoparasite diagnoses and their association with selected host-related factors using retrospective veterinary clinic records from four veterinary clinics in and around Gondar, northwestern Ethiopia. Materials and methods A retrospective record-based study was conducted using cattle health records obtained from the University of Gondar Veterinary Teaching Clinic, Hawariaw Paulos Veterinary Clinic, Azezo Veterinary Clinic, and Kola Diba Veterinary Clinic. Records covering the period from January 2017 to June 2026 were reviewed and analyzed. Information on ectoparasite diagnosis, breed, sex, age, season, and year of presentation was extracted. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, while associations between documented ectoparasite diagnoses and explanatory variables were evaluated using Pearson’s chi-square (χ²) test. Statistical significance was declared at P < 0.05. Results A total of 77,500 cattle health records were reviewed, of which 11,441 (14.8%) contained documented ectoparasite diagnoses. Ticks were the predominant ectoparasite category, accounting for 6,154 (53.8%) documented diagnoses, followed by tick-lice co-infestations (1,523; 13.3%), lice (1,306; 11.4%), and mange mites (556; 4.9%). Significant differences in the distribution of documented ectoparasite diagnoses were observed among veterinary clinics, breeds, sexes, age groups, and seasons ( P < 0.001). Kola Diba Veterinary Clinic recorded the highest proportion of documented ectoparasite diagnoses (21.6%), while local cattle accounted for the highest proportion among breed categories (15.8%). Differences in the frequency of documented ectoparasite diagnoses were also observed among years based on the available records; however, incomplete year-specific records for some ectoparasite categories limited comprehensive temporal assessment. Conclusion Cattle ectoparasites remain important animal health constraints among cattle presented to veterinary clinics in and around Gondar, northwestern Ethiopia. Significant variations in documented ectoparasite diagnoses were observed among veterinary clinics, breeds, sexes, age groups, seasons, and years, highlighting the importance of continued surveillance and targeted ectoparasite control measures. However, incomplete historical records limited comprehensive assessment of temporal patterns. Because the findings were derived from retrospective veterinary clinic records, they should be interpreted as patterns of documented diagnoses rather than population-level prevalence estimates.