الفهرس 
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Abstract
The present study was performed at the areas of Al Jabal AlAkhdar including three districts (Al Merj, Al Jabal Al Akhdar and Dernah) during the period between Febraury 2010 up to March 2011. The aims of the study were to identify the prevalence of major ectoparasites of small ruminants, and assessment of the relationship between ectoparasites and breed, age and sex of the infested animals, season and their predilection seats.
During the period of the study, a number of 7661 head of sheep and goats, 3770 (49.21%) and 3891(50.79%), respectively, were examined for the presence of ectoparasites. Out of which, 2744 (35.8%) were from Al Merj , 2820 (36.8%) were from Al Jabal Al Akhdar and 2097 (27.4%) were from Dernah.
The results proved that small ruminants in the studied areas were susceptible to infestation with wide varieties of ectoparasites. The parasitic infestation was found in 698 (9.11%) head of sheep and goats with one or more of ectoparasites. The study showed a higher percentage of ectoparasitic infestation in goats (11.4%) than sheep (7%). The ectoparasites recorded during the present study were ticks (6.6%), fleas (0.7%), flies (1.2%), lice (0.5%) and myiasis (0.3).
Regarding the breed, the ectoparasitic infestation was higher in local breed of sheep and goats than foreign breeds.
In relation to sex of the host, the males were highly infested than females (25.2% and 6.5%), respectively.
Concerning age of the host, the infestation was higher among young sheep, less than 2 years (40.4%) and the lowest infestation was among those between 2-4 years (11.6%). In goats, young animals were highly infested (52.2%), and the lowest infestation was among those more than 4 years (24.4%)
Between the three localities, the higher ectoparasitic infestation was in Al Jabal Al Akhdar (11.7 %), followed by Al Merj (9.8%) and the lowest was in Dernah (5.1%)
The seasonal activity of the ectoparasites in the present study revealed that the highest percentage for ectoparasitic infestation was in summer (11.1%), followed by winter and spring (9.2%) for each, and the lowest was in autumn (7.7%). Concerning the activity of different external parasites, ticks was prominent during summer (9.9% and 7.3%) in goats and sheep, respectively, while the lowest infestation was during autumn in both sheep and goats (5.2% and 3.6%), respectively. The flies increased during summer in goats (2.3%) and during autumn in sheep (1.3%), but they decreased during winter in both sheep and goats (0.8%). Fleas infestation was higher on goats more than on sheep. It was (1.6%) during winter where it was never recorded in sheep. The lowest rate of infestation in goats(0.5%) was during summer and autumn in sheep (0.2%).
Lice infestation in goats was higher during winter (1.1%), while it was (0.5%) in sheep during summer. The lowest rate of infestation was during spring and summer. In goats, it was (0.3%) for, while in sheep, it was (0.2%) during spring.
Myiasis was the only parasitic infestation that was more in sheep than in goats during the present study , where it was (0.6%) in sheep during autumn, and the lowest infestation was in summer (0.3%). In goats, it was (0.6%) in autumn and (0.1%) in spring, while no cases were recorded during summer and winter.
In relation to predilection seats of the identified ectoparasites, the highest seat occupied by ectoparasites was ears (42.6%), followed by perineum (20.3%), udder and back (7.1%), abdomen (6.6%), tail (5%), neck (4.2%), scrotum (3%), hind limbs (2.3%), fore limbs (1.7%), and the lowest was eyes (0.1%).
The nature of parasitic infestation among sheep and goats was either with mono or mixed parasites. The animals showed single infestation were 685(98.28%), out of which 258 (6.9%) were in sheep, and 439 (11.2%) goats. While those with mixed infestation were 12 (1.72 %), out of which 5 (0.1%) in sheep and 7 (0.2%) in goats.
Five parasitic genera were recorded during the study in sheep and goats, these included ticks (2.7% Hyalomma, 3.6% Rhipicephalus and 0.3% Boophilus), Flies Included (0.2% Hornfly, 0.2% Hippobosca, 0.3% Musca, 0.2% Calliphora, 0.2% Fannia and 0% Lucillia), Fleas ( 0.5% C.canis and 0.2% P.irritans), Lice included (0.1% Bovicola and 0.4% Linognathus) and myiasis included (0.3% Calliphora).