A Study on Indigenous Knowledge on Animal Disease and Medicinal Plants Used in Animal Disease Management in Benatsemay Woreda, South Omo Zone, Southern Ethiopia

The study was conducted in South Omo Zone, Benatsemay Woreda of South Ethiopia Regional State of Ethiopia from July 2023 to June 2024 to assess and document the indigenous knowledge on animal disease and medicinal plants used to manage animal diseases. The study population was individual healers who were residents of Benatsemay Woreda with different sociodemographic characteristics. An ethnoveterinary botanical survey was conducted to gather information on the traditional usage of plants in the livestock healthcare system. Information was collected by direct interview with 40 known traditional healers and 8 key informants. Animals reared in the area include cattle, goats, sheep, poultry, equine, dogs, and cats. The animals were ranked based on their population number and importance to the livelihood of the family. Accordingly, cattle are ranked first based on both criteria. Diseases of animals prevailing in the study area were identified and ranked based on their morbidity and mortality rates as well. From the diseases of cattle, CBPP is ranked first based on both morbidity and mortality rates via pairwise ranking. Among the diseases of goats, CCPP and salmonellosis were important diseases. The prevalent sheep disease is ovine pasteurellosis with the highest mortality rate. Among poultry diseases, NCD, fowl cholera, and fowl pox were the dominant diseases in the area. Epizootic lymphangitis and rabies were the most important diseases in equine and dogs/cats, respectively. Traditional healers use different plant species to treat these diseases. Twenty-three plant species were collected, preserved, and botanically named. Root, leaves, seeds, and other plant parts were recorded that could be employed to treat sick animals. The most widely practiced administration of medicinal plant preparations was the oral administration of infusion.