Sajal Kulkarni, DK Kulkarni, AD Deo, AB Pande and RL Bhagat
BAIF Development Research Foundation, Pune 411058.
ABSTRACT
Rural tribal people generally depend on plants for curing their livestock due to inadequate
facilities provided by Government agencies. The field survey was carried out in 3 clusters of
Nagpur, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli of Maharashtra State. Local people were using 46 plants to
cure certain veterinary diseases commonly occurring in region. Sixty people are experienced in
giving plant based herbal drugs and the doses are very effective in treatments. The present study
deals with different ethno-veterinary practices performed by local farmers and Vaidus to treat
their livestock.The enumerations of different veterinary diseases and their plant resources are
listed along with their parts used, local use and local name from study area.
Key words: EVM, livestock diseases, Vaidus, Chandrapur, Nagpur
INTRODUCTION
India has ancient roots of utilizing plant resources for curing diseases of horses and cow herds. In the ancient India, Rigveda is one of the
old literature mentioning cattle and their management. Several texts like Krishi-Parashara (400 BC) described a cattle shed and more
emphasis given on cleanliness of the shed. Cattle sheds were regularly fumigated with dried plant products that contained volatile compounds. The Kautilya in his Artha-Sastra specially mentioned that government officer called the superintend of cattle, his exclusive duty was to supervise livestock in the country, classification of livestock according to as calves, tame steers, draft oxen, bulls stud bulls, buffaloes, female calves, heifers, pregnant cows, milch kine, barren livestock, etc. He also knew treatments for curing livestock diseases such as those affecting the horns, teeth, buccal cavity, sore throat, lumbago, acute dysentery, plasters used to treat bone fractures, etc. (Tamboli and Nene, 2005). Elephants were used for different services in ancient India. Elephant doctors were appointed to take care of elephant stables and apply necessary medicines for suffering fromdiseases, overwork and old age (Shammasastry,2004).