Documentation of ethnoveterinary practices used in family poultry in Botswana

John Moreki

doi:10.5455/vetworld.2013.18-21

Abstract

Aim: To document the use of indigenous plants used by family poultry rearers to treat and control diseases and parasites in 15 villages of Botswana. Materials and Methods: A total of 1000 family poultry rearers in 15 villages were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Data were also collected through direct observation, village walks, interview of passers-by, group interviews, and meetings with key informants (i.e., traditional leaders, extension agents and chairpersons of village development committees). Results: The ethnoveterinary practices in 15 villages of Botswana were identified and documented. Nineteen plant species representing 15 families were used by family poultry rearers to treat and control poultry diseases and parasites. Most frequently used plants were from Fabaceae, Asteraceae and Liliaceae. Both human and veterinary medications (e.g., vicks, disprin and Compral tablets, blue stones, potassium permanganate, veterinary drugs and vaccines) were used in health management. Sixty-six percent of the respondents said they used traditional remedies to control and treat diseases, 19% did not use vaccines or remedies, 2% used vaccines while 13% used drugs to control and treat diseases. Conclusions: Ethnoveterinary medicine predominates in family poultry healthcare. Scientific investigations should be carried out to ascertain the effectiveness of identified plant species used in health management of family poultry.

Highlights

Ethnoveterinary medicine (EVM) is a scientific term for traditional animal health care that encompasses the knowledge, skills, methods, practices, and beliefs about animal health care found among community members [1]
16.46% family poultry rearers in Kalabo and Mongu Districts of Zambia used veterinary drugs, indicating that disease control was mainly through the use of traditional remedies [12]. These findings indicate that EVM utilization predominates in the healthcare of family poultry
Diseases of poultry: The diseases of village chickens reported in this study were Newcastle disease (NCD), fowl pox, coccidiosis and saakhubama

Summary

Introduction

Ethnoveterinary medicine (EVM) is a scientific term for traditional animal health care that encompasses the knowledge, skills, methods, practices, and beliefs about animal health care found among community members [1]. Ethnoveterinary practice to animal health care is as old as the domestication of various livestock species [2]. The EVM provides valuable alternatives to and complements western-style veterinary medicine [3]. This is increasingly evident in the West where herbal medicine is becoming mainstream. Ethnoveterinary medicine is of specific value in developing countries where allopathic veterinary medicines are often beyond the reach of livestock producers. Many indigenous veterinary beliefs and practices persist in a wide majority of stock raisers and farmers, in the developing countries. The indigenous traditional knowledge of medicinal plants of various ethnic communities, where it has been transmitted orally for centuries is fast disappearing from the face of the earth due to the advent of modern technology and transformation of traditional culture [6]

Objectives

Methods

Results