ABSTRACT

The study was conducted from 15th April to 30th June 2019 in Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State, Nigeria, with the objectives of assessment of ticks’ infestation and its effects in small ruminants’ production and identifying the major risk factors such as species, sex, age and body conditioned scored. A total of 320 small ruminants were sampled, out of which 67.19% of the animals (83.8% sheep and 50.6% goats) were found to be infested with one or more of tick species. The most abundant species found in the study area were Amblyomma variegatum 59(18.4%), Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi 70(21.9%), Boophilus decoloratus 40(12.5%), whereas, Hyalomma anatolicum excavatum 36(11.3%), Rhipicephalus pulchellus 26(8.1%). Hyalomma anatolicum excavatum and Rhipicephalus pulchellus were the minor species of tick observed on goats and none in sheep were recorded in the study area. The difference in the prevalence of tick infestation between species and age was statistically significant (X2=7.89, df=1, P