Veterinary World, 2010, Vol.3(12):549-551 REVIEW Ethnoveterinary Practices in India – A Review

Ethno veterinary practices concern to animal healthcare is as old as the domestication of various livestock species. They comprise belief, knowledge, practices and skills pertaining to healthcare and management of livestock. The Indian subcontinent has rich ethno veterinary health traditions that are the products of decades of experiences. The traditional medicines that are commonly used for animal healthcare can cut down costs considerably. Moreover, they are readily available to the ordinary farmer. The key challenges are to find out the effectiveness and contemporary relevance of these practices. Before the introduction of western medicine, all livestock keepers relied on these traditional practices. This article deals in brief about the traditional ethno veterinary practice methods and its common applications.


Introduction
traditional veterinary health care. They use the locally available medicinal plants for treatment of animals. The India has one of the sophisticated medical ethnoveterinary systems are ecosystem and ethniccultures with a tradition of over 5000 years. The community specific and therefore, the characteristics, livestock owners in India have been using traditional sophistication, and intensity of these systems differ medication based on plant formulations since time greatly among individuals, societies, and regions. immemorial. Livestock raisers and healers everywhere However, they are facing the threat of rapid erosion. have traditional ways of classifying, diagnosing, Widespread interest in documenting and preventing and treating common animal diseases.
validating ethnoveterinary practices arose in the early Many of these "ethno veterinary" practices offer viable 1980s. Since then; several studies have been carried alternatives or complements to conventional, Western out, many reports written and numerous conferences style Veterinary Medicine especially where the latter is and workshops held. The introduction of modern unavailable or inappropriate. The unique advantage is practices also made it difficult for the younger that India is one of the world's 12 mega diversity generations to appreciate and use the beliefs and countries accounting for 8 % global plant genetic practices of their forefathers. Despite recent efforts to resources and higher share of microorganisms.
promote the use of ethnoveterinary knowledge Ethno veterinary practice in India worldwide, much information is only documented in The veterinary science in India can be classified field reports and scientific publications. into codified traditions and folk medicine and has a Ethno Veterinary Medicine documented history of around 5000 years. The codified knowledge exist in the form of texts manuscripts on According to the World Health Organization, at various aspects of veterinary care of the livestock. The least 80% of people in developing countries depend folk health practices largely remain undocumented and largely on indigenous practices for the control and are passed on from one generation to the other by word treatment of various diseases affecting both human of mouth. There is a rich and efficient ethnoveterinary beings and their animals. These traditional healing traditions exist in the villages of India which form practices are called 'ethnoveterinary medicine'. Ethno integral part of the family and plays an important social, veterinary medicine is cost effective and also dynamic religious and economic role. They comprise of belief, (Warren, 1991). Ethno veterinary remedies are knowledge, practices and skills pertaining to health accessible, easy to prepare and administer, at little or care and management of livestock. There are local no cost at all to the farmer. These age-old practice healers who are knowledgeable and experienced in cover every area of veterinary specialization and all these practices are much less prone to drug resistance Ethno veterinary medicines are used extensively and have fewer damaging side-effects on the and quite effectively for primary health care treatment environment than conventional medicine. and maintaining animals productive. The knowledge is Traditional healing practices make use of three passed on verbally from generation to generation. Over important elements: centuries people have developed their own ways of 1.
Application of natural products keeping animal's healthy and productive using age-old 2.
Appeal to spiritual forces home remedies, surgical and manipulative techniques, 3.
Manipulation and surgery husbandry strategies and associated magico-religious Natural products used are: practices. Taken together these constitute what is now a) Medicinal plants and by-products known as Ethnoveterinary Medicine (McCorkle, 1995). b) Edible earth and minerals Cost, inaccessibility and other problems like side c) Parts and products of animals effects associated with the conventional western d) Other ingredients animal health care system have encouraged constant Plants dependence on such traditional rural wisdom in this field. Ethnoveterinary practices are often cheap, safe, Plants are the most commonly used ingredients time tested and based on local resources and in the preparation of ethnovet medicines. All parts of strengths. These can provide useful alternatives to the plants, including leaves, bark, fruits, flowers, seeds conventional animal health care (Kumar, 2002 . In a random sample of 150 sheep rearers of origin; however these medicines are derived from less three districts, 182 ethnoveterinary practices used than 0.1 % of known plant species. So far, more than against 17 disease conditions were found. 100,000 biologically active secondary plant Understanding of the mechanisms underlying such compounds have been isolated from higher plants, practices as well as to institutionalize their extension to these diverse structures falling into four main chemical other non-practicing farmers requires systematic classes. The phenolics (phenols, flavonoids, quinones, explorations. For the purpose of scientific evaluation, tannins and lignins), terpenoids (monoterpenes, modification and optimization of these traditional lactones, diterpenes,saponins and others), sulphur practices, there is a strong need to develop an compounds (glucosilates, disulphides and acetylenic approach, which can effectively shortlist the thiophenes) and nitrogen compounds (alkaloids, voluminous practices saving the time, energy and amines, non-protein aminoacids and cyanogenetic resources. glycosides). Certain organic acids and polyacetylenes Ethno veterinary information is in danger of are also known to exist (Cotton, 1996). extinction because of the current rapid changes in Edible earth and minerals communities all over the world. In fact, many communities nowadays use a mix of local and modern Edible earth, especially from termite and ant hills, practices. Promoting the conservation and use of ethno is commonly used in ethnovet preparations. Limestone veterinary medicine does not mean downgrading or is a commonly used edible type of earth used in ignoring the value of modern medicine and attempting decoctions. to replace one with the other. However, it does mean Parts and products of animals recognizing that both types have their strengths and Parts and products of animals, such as skin and limitations. In some instances, they complement each hides, bones, milk, butter and even urine and dung are other, in others, local practices will be the better choice, ingredients of ethnovet medicines. Other ingredients and again in others modern practices should be Honey, vegetable oils and butters, and salt are used for recommended. such studies follow as closely as possible the local way of preparation and application; this is to ensure that the Ethno-Botany results reflect the efficacy of the remedy and are not Ethanobotany is the term used to define the influenced by other preparation or application experience of the humans, who observed birds and methods. Clinical outcome and research papers in animals and tested leaves, fruits and tubers for their several areas of herbal therapies now find a place in ability to satisfy hunger or heal wounds. Ehanobotany orthodox veterinary medical journals, and it is no is now almost universally taken as the total direct longer possible to say that herbal therapies is unethical relationship between humans and plants. Indian epics, (Punniamurthy, 2005) More field projects are needed ancient literature and folklore are replete with that study the application of ethno veterinary medicine references to plants (Jain,2000). and that develop approaches for building on the local system and using selected practices either alone or Ethno-Vet Preparations blending them with outside technologies. Ethno The most common forms of ethno-vet veterinary medicine can make an economic difference, preparations are powders, poultice, ointment, but its cost-effectiveness varies, and depends on many decoction, infusion, cold ware extract, tincture and different factors. In-depth studies are needed to fumigation.
determine how the economic potential of ethno-Advantages and disadvantages of Ethno veterinary medicine can be best utilized.  Foot and mouth ulcers Allowing animals to walk in hot sand and applying sand to wounds externally; applying linseed oil and turmeric externally; applying kerosene if the wounds are infested with maggots. 3 Tympany Drenching linseed oil along with a mixture of ginger, turmeric and asafetida; keeping the animal's mouth open by tying a piece of wood into it. 4 Retention of Placenta Feeding bamboo leaves or a mixture of oil bran and bajra (finger millet) grain. 5 Diarrhoea Drenching about 1 kg fruit pulp extract of Aegle marmelos and mango seed kernal for 2-3 days.