Ectoparasites of free ranging local chickens in urban and peri-urban areas of Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania

A free range system of poultry production is an important economical investment to most the poor farmers as a source income and protein, however it faces several challenges including parasitic diseases such ectoparasite infestation. cross-sectional study was undertaken determine prevalence ectoparasites, well assess possible predisposing risk factors infesting free-ranging local chickens in urban per areas Morogoro municipality, Tanzania. Samples were randomly taken from 144 age, sex management practice status population simultaneously recorded. An overall 53.5% (77/144) recorded this three common taxa ectoparasites identified, which are lice, fleas, mites. The individual follows Menopon gallinae 48.6% (70/144) followed by Cnemidocoptes mutans 16% (23/144), Echidnophaga gallinacean 9.7% (14/144) Goniodes gigas 5.8% (8/144). Among potential assessed, age found be statistically significantly associated with ectoparasitic infestation (p < 0.05). However, not level This reveals that highly prevalent Municipality,