Review on the role of ethno veterinary practice for animal health

Abstract

Ethnoveterinary practices are important because they are easily available, inexpensive and effective, especially in rural areas where veterinary services are absent or irregular and expensive. At this level, indigenous animal health systems are used for emergency purposes. Despite recent efforts to promote the use of ethno veterinary knowledge worldwide, much information is only documented in field reports and scientific publications. Few practical researches have been done to help animal healthcare workers, farmer leaders and farmers to actively train others in the use of effective and validated ethno veterinary practices. The overall objective of the paper is to highlight to importance of traditional medicinal practices used to treat livestock diseases. Local people in the study area possess traditional knowledge of medicinal plants to treat various animal ailments; however, agricultural expansion and disinterest of young generation became the major threat to medicinal plants. It is, therefore, necessary to preserve this indigenous knowledge on traditional medicines by proper documentation, identification of plant species used, and herbal preparation. To save medicinal plants from further loss, involving local communities in cultivation of the most utilized medicinal plants is recommended.