Studies on ethnoveterinary practice of ruminants in Ekiti State Nigeria

Abstract

A survey was conducted in Ekiti State on ethnoveterinary practice used in rural areas against parasitic diseases of ruminants. A questionnaire was used for the survey among the rural people and pastorals. The result revealed the effect of socioeconomic characteristics such as age, sex, marital status, educational status, religion and occupation on the ethnoveterinary practice by the rural people of Ekiti State. The rural people should be more educated on how to improve on the use of traditional method to treat diseases to provide better health care for the animals. The most common diseases of goat in Ekiti State include mange and diarrhea. A total of 51 plants were observed to be in used by the people of Ekiti State. These plants came from 28 families. The various ethnoveterinary practice used in the study includes: palm oil, medicinal plants, cold water, hot ash, palm kernel oil, sand from stream water, kerosene, fire, Locust bean to treat diseases such as mange, respiratory diseases, neck problem, lameness, lice, diarrhea, parasite in the hoof, swollen body, mouth problem and so on. The government should fund research to test the findings (validation) in this study to further clarify them. And there should be biodiversity conservation.