Ethnoveterinary survey of medicinal plants used for the management of respiratory and dermatological infections in livestock by Bapedi people of Sekhukhune, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

Ethnoveterinary medicine is extensively used to manage livestock ailments in many rural areas in Africa, particularly in areas where access to orthodox veterinary healthcare is limited, but it remains poorly documented. Indigenous knowledge of plants used to treat livestock respiratory and dermatological infections of livestock was investigated in the Sekhukhune district of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Using semi-structured interviews and questionnaires, ethnoveterinary data were collected from 5 farmers and 30 traditional healers. During the survey, we identified 24 plant species from 15 families traditionally used to treat various veterinary diseases such as pneumonia, bronchitis and influenza, as well as chronic conditions including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, wounds, boils, abscesses and skin irritation. Three ethnobotanical indices (informant consensus factor (ICF), use-value (UV), and relative frequency of citation (RFC) were used for the quantitative analysis of data. The plant preparations were given to the livestock orally for respiratory ailments and topically for dermatological disorders. The most commonly used plant parts were leaves (91%), bark (25%) and roots (29%), and in many cases more than one plant part was used to prepare the remedies. Eucalyptus camaldulensis was the most preferred species for respiratory infections with UV and RFC of 1. Aloe marlothii, Malva parviflora, Citrus limon, Aloe zebrina and Aloe globuligemma were also widely used species for both types of infections. Some medicines were used for more than one disease, most likely because they have a broad spectrum of action and are widely available. This provides motivation for exploring the use of such medications in primary livestock healthcare systems in the country to reduce the cost of orthodox treatments.