Abstract            Volume:9  Issue-11  Year-2021         Original Research Articles

Online ISSN : 2347 - 3215 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcret@gmail.com

This study was undertaken to investigate the occurrence of wound and determine its risk factors in working Equines in and around Bishoftu, Oromia region Ethiopia. Purposive sampling method was performed to screen clinically affected Equids. Accordingly, 1017 working Equines that had comprised of (N=485) horses, (N=513) donkeys and (N=19) mules were examined to determine the cause, anatomical site affected, degree and type of the wound on different body parts. Results of the present investigation showed that the overall prevalence of wound in the study area was 28.5%. The species prevalence was 37.5%, 31.6% and 19.9% in horses, mules and donkeys respectively. In this study, the prevalence of wound between sex categories was 19.4% in females and 31.4% in males as well as 24.3% in young and 29.3% in adult and 31.6 % in old age groups. The prevalence of wound in body condition was 30.8% in moderate and 26% in good body condition. Species and Sex category were significantly influence the prevalence of external injuries in Equids (P < 5%). There was higher Proportion of severely injured donkeys (60.8%) than horses (35.7%) and Mules (16.7%). Moderate wound was the most cases in all Equids which was 46% of the cases. Girth had the highest overall proportion of wound (27%) and the least one was happened on fetlock region (14.1%). Girth sore (27%), Chest sore (23.2%), back sore (17.3%), fetlock sore (14.1%) were the types of wound ranked based on their proportion. The current study indicated that over loading and improper harness or saddle design were the major causes of injuries in donkeys (35.3%) and horses (36.2%). In this study, the highest anatomical sites of sore was on wither and back (27.5%) and the lowest was on the tail base (6.9%). The findings of the present study lead to the conclusion that wounds are one of the major health and welfare problems of Equines in and around Bishoftu. Therefore, innovative techniques that can minimize the incidence of wound and welfare practices need to be introduced and adopted under the condition of animal owners.

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