Review of Ethnoveterinary Medicine for Animal Healthcare in Nigeria

Abstract

Poor animal health is a major problem limiting livestock productivity in sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria. Decline in funding veterinary services, animal health and cost of veterinary medicines and services have pushed poor, rural farmers to search for alternative medicine. Ethnoveterinary medical practices play important roles in animal healthcare system in Nigeria. This work was done to provide information on some medicinal plants that are used to treat animal diseases in Nigeria. Previous works were critically reviewed in order to identify relevant information on the medicinal plants used to treat poultry, large and small animal diseases by livestock farmers in Nigeria such as: pasteurellosis, fowl cholera, Newcastle disease, foot-and-mouth disease, helmintosis dermatomycosis, trypanosomosis, poisoning, dysentery, diarrhea, oedema, inflammation, skin infection, ectoparasites infestations, etc. The plant names (scientific, English, local), plant parts, therapeutic regimens, phytochemical principles and associated diseases were recorded. The aim was to boost animal healthcare and productivity by providing useful information from identified medicinal plants which can be used in treatment and management of various animal diseases in Nigeria.

Keywords: Ethnoveterinary medicine, Livestock, Medicinal plants, Diseases, Animal healthcare.