Ethnoveterinary healthcare practices in southern districts of Tamil Nadu

Abstract

The southern districts of Tamil Nadu has a predominantly livestock based economy and social welfare. However, economic dependence on livestock, lack of effective veterinary infrastructure, etc. have forced the local farmers to apply their indigenous knowledge to look after and maintain their livestock population. The indigenous knowledge and practice based on locally available bioresources are effective to cure diseases, do not have financial cost and are easily administrable. In the paper, ethnoveterinary medicine for the treatment of 44 veterinary health hazards is enumerated. A total of 113 plant species belonging to100 genera and 46 families are used by rural peoples in the treatment of anthrax, bone fracture, bloat, bronchitis, blackquarter, corneal opacity, dog bite, enteritis, foot and mouth diseases, etc. The medicinal plants are listed with their scientific name, family, local name (Tamil) and mode of utilization.