Study of ethnoveterinary medicinal plants in Metema and Quara districts, northwestern Ethiopia

In areas with limited access to modern healthcare, local communities often depend on plant-based traditional medicine for livestock care. However, these practices and the plants themselves are declining owing to sociocultural and environmental changes. This study aimed to document the plants used in ethnoveterinary medicine with associated indigenous knowledge in the Metema and Quara districts. To collect ethnobotanical data, a total of 396 informants from 21 kebeles (the smallest administrative units) were selected. The ages of interviewees ranged from 20 to 81 years, with 267 males and 129 females. The ethnobotanical data collection was carried out using semi-structured interviews, use reports, direct matrix ranking, guided field walks, and focus group discussion. The ethnobotanical data were analyzed and verified using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage), comparison, use reports, and direct matrix ranking. Nonparametric tests Kruskal-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U were used to compare indigenous and local knowledge across different socio-demographic factors. This study documented 64 medicinal plants from 32 families, mainly Fabaceae, addressing 37 livestock health issues. The animal species reported to be treated by the medicinal plants were cattle, sheep, goat, poultry, equines, and dogs. Common ailments include wounds and febrile illnesses. Trees were the predominant form (39.1%), with leaves most used (28%), typically prepared fresh. Crushing and drenching were common preparation methods (21.05%), with oral administration being most frequent (45.8%). Piliostigma thonningii and Ximenia americana were the most cited, with 74 and 59 use reports, respectively. DMR highlighted Ziziphus spina-christi and Piliostigma thonningii as important multipurpose species needing conservation. Most informants recognized that abundance of some species decreased in the last years as a result of human activities and climatic changes. Ethnoveterinary knowledge varied significantly (P < 0.05) among informant groups, age classes, education levels, and ethnic backgrounds. Communities in Metema and Quara possess valuable ethnoveterinary knowledge of diverse medicinal plants. Conservation efforts are therefore required to protect these resources. Engaging local communities in conservation initiatives is therefore essential. Future research should focus on the validation of plant bioactivity and the investigation of the antimicrobial properties of the most cited plants.