INDIGENOUS ANIMAL HEALTH PRACTICES AMONG FULANI PASTORALISTS IN NORTH WESTE RN NIGERIA

Abstract

Abstract A major draw-tack to the development ethnoveterinary (indigenous animal health) practises in Nigeria is the death of information to research scientists and animals health planners on the existing information on ethnoveterinary practices which are to developed. The objective of this study, therefore, was to generate information on ethnoveterinary practices of transhumant Fulani pastoralists in north-western Nigeria. To achieve the objective of this study 250 [astoral households at the Zamfara Reserve and some other locations in Sokoto and Zamfara state, were interview between 1005. The results of the study revealed that the pastoralists applied ethnoveterinary techniques for up to 16 diseases and ailment prevalent in the area. These include foot and mouth disease, black quarter, liverfluke (fascioliasis), rinderpest, CBPP, bloat, snake bites, skin disease, stuffy nose, liver cirrhosis, diarrhoea, trypanosomiasis, worms, inhibited parturition etc. Majority (about 72%) of the pastoralist interviwed used one form of ethnoveterinary practices or another. The ethnoveterinary practices employed ranged from the use of herbs, heated metal objects. Offal of disease animals, urine and faeces of both wild and domesticated animals to recitation of the Qurán. In all about 29 plant species were used by the pastoralist for ethnoveterinary purposes. It was concluded that further research work is needed to verify the clams of the pastoralist and develop ethnoveterinary practices to serve as cheap complement to orthodox vetenary medical practice in Nigeria.