Ethnoveterinary treatments for common cattle diseases in four districts of the Southern Province, Zambia

Aim: Ethnoveterinary knowledge has rarely been recorded, and no or limited effort has been made to exploit this knowledge despite its widespread use in Zambia. This study documented the types of plants used to treat important animal diseases in rural Zambia as a way of initiating their sustained doc...

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Main Authors: Michelo Syakalima, Martin Simuunza, Victor Chisha Zulu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Veterinary World 2018-02-01
Series:Veterinary World
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.11/February-2018/8.pdf
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author Michelo Syakalima
Martin Simuunza
Victor Chisha Zulu
author_facet Michelo Syakalima
Martin Simuunza
Victor Chisha Zulu
author_sort Michelo Syakalima
collection DOAJ
description Aim: Ethnoveterinary knowledge has rarely been recorded, and no or limited effort has been made to exploit this knowledge despite its widespread use in Zambia. This study documented the types of plants used to treat important animal diseases in rural Zambia as a way of initiating their sustained documentation and scientific validation. Materials and Methods: The study was done in selected districts of the Southern Zambia, Africa. The research was a participatory epidemiological study conducted in two phases. The first phase was a pre-study exploratory rapid rural appraisal conducted to familiarize the researchers with the study areas, and the second phase was a participatory rural appraisal to help gather the data. The frequency index was used to rank the commonly mentioned treatments. Results: A number of diseases and traditional treatments were listed with the help of local veterinarians. Diseases included: Corridor disease (Theileriosis), foot and mouth disease, blackleg, bloody diarrhea, lumpy skin disease, fainting, mange, blindness, coughing, bloat, worms, cobra snakebite, hemorrhagic septicemia, and transmissible venereal tumors. The plant preparations were in most diseases given to the livestock orally (as a drench). Leaves, barks, and roots were generally used depending on the plant type. Conclusion: Ethnoveterinary medicine is still widespread among the rural farmers in the province and in Zambia in general. Some medicines are commonly used across diseases probably because they have a wide spectrum of action. These medicines should, therefore, be validated for use in conventional livestock healthcare systems in the country to reduce the cost of treatments.
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spelling doaj.art-963bcba48fa24b09a9807bd67922619a2022-12-21T22:51:20ZengVeterinary WorldVeterinary World0972-89882231-09162018-02-0111214114510.14202/vetworld.2018.141-145Ethnoveterinary treatments for common cattle diseases in four districts of the Southern Province, ZambiaMichelo Syakalima0Martin Simuunza1Victor Chisha Zulu2Department of Animal Health, School of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, South Africa.Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, Great East Road Campus, Box 32379. Lusaka, Zambia.Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, Great Ease Campus, Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.Aim: Ethnoveterinary knowledge has rarely been recorded, and no or limited effort has been made to exploit this knowledge despite its widespread use in Zambia. This study documented the types of plants used to treat important animal diseases in rural Zambia as a way of initiating their sustained documentation and scientific validation. Materials and Methods: The study was done in selected districts of the Southern Zambia, Africa. The research was a participatory epidemiological study conducted in two phases. The first phase was a pre-study exploratory rapid rural appraisal conducted to familiarize the researchers with the study areas, and the second phase was a participatory rural appraisal to help gather the data. The frequency index was used to rank the commonly mentioned treatments. Results: A number of diseases and traditional treatments were listed with the help of local veterinarians. Diseases included: Corridor disease (Theileriosis), foot and mouth disease, blackleg, bloody diarrhea, lumpy skin disease, fainting, mange, blindness, coughing, bloat, worms, cobra snakebite, hemorrhagic septicemia, and transmissible venereal tumors. The plant preparations were in most diseases given to the livestock orally (as a drench). Leaves, barks, and roots were generally used depending on the plant type. Conclusion: Ethnoveterinary medicine is still widespread among the rural farmers in the province and in Zambia in general. Some medicines are commonly used across diseases probably because they have a wide spectrum of action. These medicines should, therefore, be validated for use in conventional livestock healthcare systems in the country to reduce the cost of treatments.http://www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.11/February-2018/8.pdfcattleethnomedicinestraditional farmersZambia
spellingShingle Michelo Syakalima
Martin Simuunza
Victor Chisha Zulu
Ethnoveterinary treatments for common cattle diseases in four districts of the Southern Province, Zambia
Veterinary World
cattle
ethnomedicines
traditional farmers
Zambia
title Ethnoveterinary treatments for common cattle diseases in four districts of the Southern Province, Zambia
title_full Ethnoveterinary treatments for common cattle diseases in four districts of the Southern Province, Zambia
title_fullStr Ethnoveterinary treatments for common cattle diseases in four districts of the Southern Province, Zambia
title_full_unstemmed Ethnoveterinary treatments for common cattle diseases in four districts of the Southern Province, Zambia
title_short Ethnoveterinary treatments for common cattle diseases in four districts of the Southern Province, Zambia
title_sort ethnoveterinary treatments for common cattle diseases in four districts of the southern province zambia
topic cattle
ethnomedicines
traditional farmers
Zambia
url http://www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.11/February-2018/8.pdf
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AT martinsimuunza ethnoveterinarytreatmentsforcommoncattlediseasesinfourdistrictsofthesouthernprovincezambia
AT victorchishazulu ethnoveterinarytreatmentsforcommoncattlediseasesinfourdistrictsofthesouthernprovincezambia