COMPARATIVE-STUDIES OF EXTERNAL PARASITES AND GASTROINTESTINAL HELMINTHS OF CHICKENS KEPT UNDER DIFFERENT MANAGEMENT-SYSTEM IN AND AROUND ADDIS-ABABA (ETHIOPIA)

An attempt was made to study the influence of management system on the status of parasitism in local and exotic breeds of domestic fowls kep t in and around Addis Ababa. Significant differences (X-2 p < 0.05) in prevalence rate of internal and external parasites were found between different management system. Out of 93 chickens in cage system, the o nly detected ecto-parasite was Dermanysus gallinae Examination of 102 chickens kept under semi intensive system unveiled different species o f lice such as Gonoides gigas (44.12%), Menopon gallinae (23.53%), Men acanthus stramineus (10.78%), Goniocotes gallinae (2.094%) and one spe cies of mite (Dermanysus gallinae). While in free ranging chickens (n= 109), six different species of lice : Menacanthus stramineus (26.6%), Menopon gallinae (60.55%), Gonoides gigas (78.9%), Goniocotes gallinae (10.09%) and Cuclotogaster heterographus (14.71%) were identified. In addition one species of mite (Dermanysus gallinae) and one species of flea Ctenocephalides felis (0.92%) were recorded. Examination of 98 g astro intestinal viscera from chickens kept in cage system showed nega tive results for helminth parasites. Whereas in semi intensive system (N = 104), 57.73% of chickens harboured at least one internal helminth parasite : Ascaridia galli (49.04%), Heterakis gallinarum (11.57%), R aillietina cesticillus (7.69%), Raillietina tetragona (1.92%) and Choa notaenia infundibulum (4.8%) were detected. Out of 95 chickens from fr ee range system, 97.89% harboured at least one species of internal hel minth parasite : Ascaridia galli (71.58%), Heterakis gallinarum (21.05 %), Subulura brumpti (13.68%)., Raillietina cesticillus (37.87%), Rail lietina echinobothridia (29.47%), Raillietina tetragona (26.32%), Choa notaenia infundibulum (22.16%), Amoebotaenia sphenoides (12.63%) and H ymenolepis carioca (5.26%).