ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES ON THE FARM: ETHNOVETERINARY MEDICINES (EVM)
Dr. Sangeeta Das1,2 and Dr. Pankaj Deka1
1College of Veterinary Science, AAU, Assam
2LUVAS, Hisar
Email: sangitakashyap9864@gmail.com; drpankajaau@gmail.com
As quoted by Daniel Webstar, “when tillage begins, other arts follow”, in a country like ours with agricultural settings, farmers are the founders of human civilization. But with the specter of the most contagious virus, the novel coronavirus, named SARS-CoV-2 and the disease COVID-19 haunting the world, the economic contribution of agriculture to India’s GDP is steadily declining. Still, agriculture is the demographically broadest economic sector and the farmer’s role in agriculture is crucial nonetheless. The livestock sector is an important part of agriculture concerned with raising and maintaining animals including poultry. Animal/ poultry health is a prerequisite for efficient livestock production. However, infectious diseases and husbandry related problems causing considerable mortality and negative impact on growth and performances of animals are the key challenges faced by the farmers. Though the farmers devote their time to care and treat for their animal assets, veterinary medicines are not affordable to all farmers. Contrastingly, even if veterinary medicines are feasible, routine use of antibiotics to promote growth and prevent diseases have lead to the development of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, when the microorganisms become resistant to antibiotics, standard treatments are often ineffective.
Keeping these in view, farmers have started using alternative medicines as a holistic approach to herd health management as well as part of a strategy for limiting the use of antibiotics. These alternative medicines are not substitute for conventional medicines, but a key element of the agro ecological transition which sounds technical, ethical and economical for the farmers. However, the notion of “alternative” is poorly defined and covers a wide variety of products and still in a state of intense debate. Based on the traditional knowledge, different types of plants have been used by farmers to treat infectious diseases of livestock. Plants used as traditional medicines for treating animals are known as ethno veterinary medicines (EVM). It comprises the traditional management of diseases, their remedies, and the spiritual elements associated with healing procedures practiced by a local community/ society. Usually, these medicinal plants fulfill the primary health care needs of animals mostly in rural and marginalized areas where animal health care facilities are not available. Farmers or livestock owners prepare infusions, powders, fumes, pastes and ointments from medicinal plants or other non-plant substances to administer topically as drenches, through smoke, vapors or massages or intranasal and vaccinations or suppositories.
Provided the efficacy of EVM and its current use as a strategy for reducing antibiotic use in livestock agriculture, there is an urgent need for preservation and protection of ethno veterinary practices and medicinal plant resources. Moreover, the lack of scientific information as to its potential risks and benefits should be addressed and ethno pharmacological research on the active photochemical compounds of plants should be done to adopt EVM as treatment method. This will not only help farmers to develop their skills for monitoring herd health but appropriately treat animal health issues without adding to their management costs. Also, traditional knowledge with modern medicine will help aid in optimizing the productive capacity of herds and enhance sustainable rural livelihoods. Ethno veterinary medicine might be an alternative for future concepts in treatment of infectious diseases of livestock and, for this reason, should be documented before it gets lost.
Adopt knowledge and practice that align with nature: Ethno Veterinary Medicines
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