The website has the complete lesson note for all the subjects in secondary school but this piece showcases the SS3 Animal Husbandry Lesson Note on Animal Parasites. You can use the website search button to filter out the subject of interest to you.
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TOPIC: PARASITES
CONTENT:
- Definition of parasite, vector and pest
- Types of parasites
- General characteristics of parasite
SUB TOPIC 1: Meaning of Parasites
Parasite is an organism which lives on or inside the body of another organism called the host in order to derive all its nourishment such as food, shelter and protection. The parasite does not provide any benefit but causes damage or harm to the host in return. The host usually belongs to different species is often bigger and stronger than the parasite. Sometimes the relationship with the parasite causes the death of the host or reduces its productivity.
The relationship between the parasite and the host is known as Parasitism. Based on this relationship, a parasite may be temporary, living for a short period in or on the host or permanent, living their entire lives in the host e.g endo-parasites
Vector: These are organisms that carry disease agents through their feeding habit on the host, that is, they themselves do not cause diseases but by the disease agents they transmit. Example include the Tse-tse fly (vector) carries trypanosome (protozoan) which cause trypanosomiasis in farm animals
Pest: This is an organism, which through its feeding habits, causes physical damage and/or discomfort to another organism called the host. At times they becomes a nuisance to farm animals e.g housefly, lice, fleas
TYPES OF PARASITES
Livestock parasites are grouped into two namely
- Ecto-parasites
- Endo-parasites
ECTO-PARASITES
These parasites live outside or on the hosts. They usually attach themselves to the skin of the animals. Ecto-parasites include ticks, lice, mites, fleas, flies etc
ENDO-PARASITES
These are parasites that live inside the body of the hosts eg tape worm, liver fluke, round worm, hook worm, filarial etc
SUB TOPIC 2:
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PARASITES
- Most parasites are host specific, that they affect particular host and may not infest another animal species except for a brief period if at all
- Most internal parasites have direct lifecycle that is they develop to maturity in the intestine of the host.
- Endo-parasite are most prevalent and virulent in malnourished animals
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