Incidence of sarcoptic mange in buffaloes in India.

The incidence of sarcoptic mange in buffaloes with respect to age, sex, relative humidity and temperature was studied at veterinary clinics and breeding farms in Hisar, India. The disease is more common in animals below the age of one year (19.57%) and decreases with the advancement of age i.e. 3.4% at one to five years and 5.3% in the over five years group. Sex has no bearing on the incidence of the disease. Since female buffalo calves get more attention at the hands of small farmers they are presented more frequently at the veterinary clinics. Fluctuations in environmental temperature affect the incidence of the disease. However, relative humidity showed no correlation. Seasonal incidence at the organised farms was erratic due to the ad hoc treatment to control mange. There is an indication that the winter season is most conducive for the spread of the disease (51.0%), followed by post-monsoon (41.3%), summer (23.1%) and rainy season (11.1%).