In ancient India people had sufficient knowledge of the diseases of farm animals and the methods of curing them. Vishnudharmottara Mahapurana (500–700 A.D.) contains information on the medical practices of treating the diseased animals. Dipping the food of animals in its urine for the control of food and mouth disease. Dipping the tail in hot water or by applying powdered camphor for overcom-ing tail neurosis feedovercom-ing ground neem leaves for internal parasites. Feedovercom-ing sprouted whole wheat for 10–15 days continuously for anoestrus, etc.
1. Mastitis - Mastitis is caused by injury of the udder and by subsequent invasion by pathogens.
The udder is inflamed and becomes hard. Sometimes a tumor is formed in the teats and during milking the animal feels severe pain and does not allow milking. For curing this disease the livestock owners follow mainly three practices. They either apply a mixture of ghee, sugar, and curd on the inflamed portion or sometimes milk froth around the teat. Both these practices according to scientists are effective as the ingredients used to act as soothing agents and soothe
the hard teat with cracks. Another practice is to give hot bath to the affected animal. This helps in reducing inflammation, pain, and swelling, and also increases blood circulation.
2. Foot-and-mouth disease - Foot-and-mouth is an acute infectious disease caused by a virus and occurs in animals at any time round the year. The common symptoms of this disease are high fever, sluggishness, smacking of the lips, abrupt reduction of milk yield, and abortions. For treating this disease the livestock owners follow many practices. They wash the affected portion with fitkari (alum). Alum acts as an antiseptic; it checks secondary infection by inhibiting pathogens. It is an astringent and also helpful in coagulation of blood. Sometimes the foot of animal is dipped in its urine as the latter has germicidal property. Also, application of ground custard apple leaves or sprinkling camphor powder on affected area is practiced. Both act as a fly-repellent, and are anti-inflammatory and give soothing effect. Sometimes the livestock owners warm garlic pieces in hot mustard oil and after the oil cools, apply it on the affected area.
Scientists opined that due to pungent smell it acts as a fly-repellent. It also acts as an antiseptic and disinfectant. Another practice is to wash the affected area with hot water, as it has cauteri-zation property, which is helpful in checking bleeding.
3. Tail neurosis - Tail neurosis is treated by dipping the tail of the animal in hot mustard oil or by applying powdered camphor on the affected area. Both these practices are scientifically correct as camphor acts as a fly-repellent whereas hot mustard oil is antiseptic, fly-repellent, irritant, and also helpful in fast healing.
4. Pneumonia - The traditional treatment followed by villagers for curing pneumonia is to drench local liquor 3–4 times a day and apply mustard oil on the chest of the affected animal. The disease symptoms are shivering and rise in body temperature. Both these practices provide warmth to the body and are helpful in eliminating cold from the body. Also, the animal is made to inhale turpentine or eucalyptus oil. Inhalation of the oil is effective in easing respiration.
5. Anoestrus - Anoestrus is a reproductive disorder where the animal does not have regular heat cycle, Le., either it does not come in heat or remains continuously in heat thus prolonging calving interval. It may be due to hormonal imbalance or improper feeding or persistent corpus luteum or presence of cyst in ovary thus hindering proper ovulation and heat cycle. For curing this disease, livestock owners follow mainly two practices, which are scientifically correct, i.e., the animal is fed with a mixture of methi (Trigonellafoenum graceum), gur (Gaggery), and bajra (Pearl millet). These substances act as stimulants and help in stimulating estrogen hormone.
Also, sprouted whole wheat is fed for 10–15 days continuously. The sprouts are rich in vitamins and minerals and thus help in increasing fertility.
6. Retained placenta - The indigenous practice followed by villagers is to drop the placenta by hand with the help of experienced people. According to scientists if the placenta does not fall within 48 hours it must be dropped by hand. Another practice is to feed the animal its own milk.
Animal milk is rich in calcium, vitamins etc. It helps in maintaining uterine tone, which is helpful in retention of placenta. Some villagers use ten mango (Mangifera indica), leaves, two pieces each of jaiphal (Myristica fragrans) and kaiphal (Myrica magi). All these materials are ground and made into paste and then heated gently. The nearby area of vagina and thigh of the affected animal is then massaged with the warm paste. The placenta is expelled from the uterus within one hour of application. According to scientists, mango leaves have laxative and anti-hemorrhagic properties. Both the properties are essential for the removal of placenta. Kaiphal acts as antiseptic and farmers use it for the removal of placenta where presence of infective organisms is always expected. Jaiphal works as febrifuge and narcotic.
7. Diarrhea - Frequent expulsion of profuse loose watery bowel content is termed as diarrhea. This condition always involves abnormality in stomach and intestine. Farmers reported that they feed the mixture of mustard oil, water, and edible soda. Scientists considered the practice correct as sodium bicarbonate balances pH of the body and water helps to check the fluid loss.
8. Indigestion - The traditional treatment followed by villagers for curing this disease is to feed the mixture of dhania (Coriandrum sativum) and jeera (Cuminum cyminum). These are carminatives and help in easy digestion of food. Also, the animal is fed with overnight soaked mixture of yellow mustard oil cake, jaggary, and salt after thorough cooking. Scientists reported that yellow mustard oil cake is rich in calcium and phosphorus, which helps in secreting digestive juices and increasing enzymatic activity. Salt improves the secretion of digestive juices and jaggary pro-vides energy. Black salt, jeera, adrak (ginger; Zingiber officinale) and garlic paste is given to the animal. These substances increase the appetite by increasing motility of intestine and help in rapid digestion. Black salt is a mild laxative.
9. Tympany - The traditional practice followed by farmers for treating tympany is to feed turmeric powder in curd; ajwain (Trachyspemum ammi), and salt in water; mixture of ajwain, heeng (asafoetida), garlic salt, methi, and turmeric; and garlic and ginger paste with common salt and mustard oil. Scientists opined that all these substances are carminative and antiflatulent, help in improving appetite, and do not cause constipation. Another practice followed is to make the animal to run fast as it helps in expulsion of gases.
10. Hemorrhagic septicemia - Hemorrhagic septicemia is an infectious disease, usually acute in nature caused by bacteria (Pasteurella multocaeda) and affects mostly cattle and buffaloes. The informants mentioned that they give hot ash massage to the affected animal. The scientists reported that this practice is helpful in reducing inflammation and swelling. Sometimes a sharp cut on a swollen portion is also given, which decreases blood supply, reduces swelling, and facilitates respiration.
The livestock owners practice different techniques, which have been inherited over generations, and developed by indigenous trial and error methods. Most of the livestock owners in rural areas had a tendency to treat their livestock through traditional knowledge of medicinal properties of herbal products available locally (Table 2.16).
Table 2.15. Indigenous Animals Management practices (pregnancy and delivery) followed in parts of Rajasthan and their Scientific Validity
Area/Sub area Indigenous practice
Heat identification in animals Through mucous discharge from vagina from bellowing, eating less food, frequent urination, mounting on another cow, raising its tail, swelling inlets etc.
Breeding Prefer first or second day of head for getting animal crossed. Get the animals crossed with available (desi) bull of the village.
Way of recognizing that By observing sings of animals i.e., does not come in next heat, dull animals has conceived temperature stops jumping, kicks by legs, milk production decreases etc.
Care of pregnant animals Allow pregnant animals to go out for grazing. Dry the animals 2-3 months before parturition.
Feeding during pregnancy Concentrate is fed to pregnant animals, which includes several grasses, barley water, moong and moth, chui guar, churi wheat and methi dalia.
(Contd.)
Area/Sub area Indigenous practice Area/Sup Area Indigenous practice.
Symptoms before actual Pelvic hip bones look depressed skin near the tail regions looks relaxed parturition enlarged teats full with milk uneasiness and frequent sitting and standing.
Facilitating delivery Give mixture of jaggary ajwain methi dried and crushed ginger and waste of oilseeds.
Care during parturition Clean the place of calving. Give comfort to pregnant animals by spreading something underneath i.e., dry grasses, jute bags etc. House pregnant animals in separate place or room.
Expulsion of placenta Give “hot” food as jaggary sugarcane leaves/bamboo leaves/rice bran, animal’s own milk etc.
Postnatal care Mixture of dried and crushed ginger ajwain, cumin seeds, jaggary and oil is prepared and given up to 15 days. Mixture of green gram dhal and turmeric in water is given.