Tick infestation is a major problem constraining animal production and productivity in Ethiopia showing the need for tackling the situation. A crosssectional study was carried out to determine tick prevalence and associated risk factors among cattle reared on dairy, beef and free-range grazing farms of Haramaya University from November 2014 to April 2015. A total of 519 animals were randomly selected. Ticks were collected and identified under stereomicroscopic examination. A total of 384 (73.9%) animals were positive for tick infestation which was higher on both beef (79.2%) and dairy (82.3%) than on free-range grazing (32.4%) cattle with OR = 8 (95% CI 4.2-16.9) and OR= 9 (95% CI 5.0-18.8) in beef and dairy animals, respectively. Infestation was significantly lower on Borana breed (20%; 95% OR CI 0.5-1.99) than on others. Difference in infestation between sexes and among the age groups of animals were not observed (p > 0.05). Of positive cattle, 52.9%, 12.8%, 7.0% and 27.3% were infested with single, two, three and four genera of ticks, respectively. In positive animals, subgenus Boophilus (51.0%), Amblyomma (58.3%), Hyalomma (48.2%) and Rhipicephalus (53.1%) tick genera were observed. Multiple tick genera infestation were more frequent in cattle managed under both beef (34.7 to 62.9%) and dairy (22.2 to 55.1%) farm types than that of free-range (4.4 to 14.8%) farm types. All the currently encountered tick genera infested 48.5%, 46.8% and 4.8% of beef, dairy and free range grazing cattle farms, respectively. The result showed all animals are found in endemic environment for tick infestation and thus the burden might cause economic loses mainly by reducing milk and meat yields, body weight gain, skin and hides quality, and risk of tick-borne diseases. Therefore, tick infestation in the study farms warrants strategic tick control approaches.

A survey was undertaken from December 2017 to April 2018 to assess the biosecurity status of 44 commercial chicken farms established in Bishoftu town, Ethiopia, by interviewing farm owners using a structured questionnaire. The obtained data were summarized using frequency tables and analyzed with Pearson’s chi-square test and Fischer’s exact value using Stata 14 statistical software. From the assessed chicken farms, 31 (70.45%) were located within 0–50 m from the main road, 39 (88.64%) situated 500 m from the nearest farms, and 27 (61.36%) placed within 0–20 m from the residential areas. Forty-one (93.18%) participants disclosed that their employees did not receive training on biosecurity. From the assessed chicken farms, 30 (68.18%) had fences, 40 (90.91%) had footbaths at their gates, 31 (70.45%) prohibited visitors entrance, and 39 (88.64%) did not exchange equipment with other farms. In addition, 26 (59.09%) farms were easily accessed by wild birds, each of 42 (95.45%) farms purchased day-old chicks and feed, and 40 (90.91%) shared trucks with other farms as well. Among the assessed farms, only 2 (4.55%) had signages to restrict people’s access, 9 (20.45%) had isolation rooms for diseased chickens, 14 (31.82%) disposed of dead birds properly, and 10 (22.73%) kept various types of records. Occupation (Fischer’s exact value = 8.40; P = 0.019 ), previous training (Fischer’s exact value = 4.40; P = 0.044 ), source of the premises (χ2 = 5.50; P = 0.019 ), and farm capacity (Fischer’s exact value = 13.50; P = 0.002 ) were found statistically significantly associated with the farm biosecurity status. The farm biosecurity status was found to be good in farms that were run by civil servants, had trained employees, are owned premises, and were of large and medium scales. In conclusion, the higher poor biosecurity status on chicken farms calls for the implementation of good biosecurity practices in each farm as well as the provision of training to the farm owners and their employees.

Gallbladder abnormalities occur rarely. The recognized abnormalities recorded so far comprised duplication, septation, abnormal position and total absence of the gallbladder. The bilobed gallbladder of the cross bred oxen slaughtered at Jimma municipality abattoir constituted two lobes separated by a deep cleft. However, the two lobes were joined at the neck and drained by one duct. Both the lobes were of equal size and filled with bile.

Background: Ovine oestrosis is an economically important and widely distributed parasitic disease of sheep that is caused by Oestrus ovis larvae across the world. Despite the fact that Oestrus ovis is a common parasite in Ethiopia and that there are many sheep in the study area, there is no information on the prevalence, larval burden, predilection sites, and risk factors associated with Oestrus ovis infestation in sheep in the Dendi district of West Shewa Zone, Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2017 to April 2018, to estimate the prevalence, risk factors, and larval burden, and identify common predilection sites for Oestrus ovis larvae. A total of 180 sheep heads were randomly selected from five purposely selected restaurants in Ginchi town, Dendi district, transported to the laboratory, opened with a hand saw, and visually examined for infestations. The larvae were collected from positive sheep heads and counted. The sites where the larvae were obtained were recorded. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 software. Results: Of the total of 180 examined sheep heads, 104 (57.8%) were infested with larvae of Oestrus ovis. In the study, a statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) was not observed in the prevalence of Oestrus ovis in relation to all considered risk factors such as sex, age, and origin of sheep. From 104 infested sheep, a total of 664 larvae were detected in different parts of sheep heads. The mean larval intensity per infected animal with Oestrus ovis was 6.38. In this study, the minimum and maximum numbers of larvae recovered were 1 and 26, respectively. The nasal cavity, nasal sinus and frontal sinus were the predilection sites of Oestrus ovis larvae identified in this study. Conclusion:Oestrosis is an important and common parasitic disease of sheep in the study area.