Population levels of phthirapteran ectoparasites on the goats in Rampur (U.P.)

Out of the four phthirapteran species known to occur, only two were recovered from the goats in district Rampur (ischnoceran louse, Bovicola caprae and the anopluran, Linognathus africanus). As many as, 26.5% (n = 250) of the goats examined were found infested with Phthiraptera. The prevalence on two sexes of goats remained similar (X² = 0.013, P < 0.05). However, lice were more prevalent on younger goats than adults and older ones (X² = 9.78, P < 0.05). The correlation between the prevalence and mean monthly temperature of Phthiraptera was found significant. On the other hand correlation between prevalence and humidity was found insignificant. As many as, 74.5% of the infested goats carried both the species while 25.4% exhibited single species infestation. The ischnoceran louse, B. caprae was comparatively more prevalent (18.4%) than the anopluran L. africanus (11.2%). The mean intensity (mean number of lice counted per square inch, at 20 anatomical sites) of B. caprae was comparatively higher than that of L. africanus. As far as, the population composition is concerned the females outnumbered the males in natural population. On the other hands, nymphs dominated over adults in natural population.