Ethno-veterinary control of bovine dermatophilosis and ticks in Zhombe, Njelele and Shamrock resettlement in Zimbabwe.
A structured questionnaire survey was conducted to determine the ethno-veterinary practices and other control methods used by smallholder farmers for the management of bovine dermatophilosis and ticks. A total of 153 farmers were interviewed from Njelele, Zhombe communal and Shamrock resettlement areas. Crop production contributed most to livelihoods (83.2 %) while livestock contributed 9.0 %. Over 90 % of the respondents had attended school up to primary level, with 11.4 % undergoing animal health and husbandry training. Treatment of livestock diseases was practised by 96 % of the farmers, and 49.7 % of these farmers used ethno-veterinary medicines. Across the study sites, dermatophilosis was controlled using the following plants: Cissus quadrangularis (59.7 %), Catunaregam spinosa (10.5 %), Pterocarpus angolensis (10.5 %), Kalanchoe lanceolata (5.3 %), Aloe chabaudii (3.5 %), Cassia abbreviata (1.8 %), Dichrostachys cinerea (1.8 %), Urginea sanguinea (1.8 %), Ximenia caffra (1.8 %) and a plant locally called umfanawembila (1.8 %). Carica papaya and two plants, locally called mugimbura and umdungudungu, were used for tick control, and these were reported once from Njelele communal. Other control methods, besides plants or conventional drugs, were used by 28 % of the farmers for the treatment of dermatophilosis and ticks. Some farmers (14.4 %) claimed that ethno-veterinary medicines performed better than conventional drugs. The study revealed that farmers used ethno-veterinary medical practices for the treatment of dermatophilosis but rarely for tick control.
Agricultural and Rural Development Research Institute (ARDRI), University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice, 5700, Republic of South Africa. ndhlovudn@gmail.com
Daud Nyosi
DN
Ndhlovu
Patrick J
PJ
Masika
D000192:Actinomycetales / Q000502:physiology; D000193:Actinomycetales Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019448:Ethnobotany; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000145:classification*; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013983:Tick Control / Q000379:methods; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D013987:Ticks / Q000502:physiology; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult; D015030:Zimbabwe
D028321:Plant Preparations