Indigenous animal health practices in the Cordillera [Philippines]

Indigenous animal health practices in the Cordilleras [Philippines], where 95% of livestock is in the hands of upland smallholder farmers, ethnoveterinary medicine is widely practiced. Ethnoveterinary medicine is the study of indigenous knowledge as applied to the treatment of animal diseases. It embodies not only the use of medicinal plants but also the religious and cultural rites required in the disease management. It is very popular among rural folks in the mountains, as it is very difficult to travel to the center of trade to bring an animal for treatment. Hence, medicinal plants are resorted to, as these are believed to be effective, cheap and highly accessible. These are also popular among organic animal production activists. As most of these plants are not conserved and undocumented, these are at risk of becoming forgotten. With the demise of older folks, much of this indigenous knowledge on animal health is also gradually diminishing. Moreover, the rapidly changing natural environment and socio-political and cultural developments in the Cordillera aggravate the situation. It is for these reasons that Silvestre-Battad et al. (BSU) [Benguet State University, Philippines] documented and validated indigenous animal health practices for cattle, goat, chicken and pig production in six provinces in the Cordilleras, namely, Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mt.Province. Specifically, they documented traditional animal husbandry and health care practices as well as the religious beliefs and rituals that influenced such practices. Local plants used for the treatment of animal ailments were also identified and validated for medicinal value. To validate the biological properties of plants, the Kirby-Bauer antimicrobial analysis was used. Likewise, histopath changes in the animals were determined and correlated. Husbandry practices as well as commonly encountered diseases in cattle were recorded along with the signs and symptoms observed by local folks. These were matched with technical terms. Indigenous practices for the treatment of wounds, loss of appetite, fever, cough and nasal discharge, diarrhea, dehydration, bloat, internal and external parasites, eye and ear infections, abortion and pro lapse were also recorded. Indigenous husbandry and health care practices in chicken management were documented including indigenous cure for common chicken diseases such as avian pest, fowl pox, internal parasites, wounds, external parasites, swelling, poisoning, lameness, eimeria infection and influenza. Secondary data regarding the active ingredients of some medicinal plants were retrieved to be correlated later on their effect on livestock at the farm level. Although much still has to be done with regards to the validation of indigenous animal health practices of Cordillera farmers, efforts to document the illnesses and the treatments have been started. Results of this project may lead to the determination of indigenous skills, technologies and problem-solving strategies of rural folks that can be matched with or improved by biotechnologies to further empower rural folks. Results can also form the basis for the development of a responsive, relevant and sustainable veterinary extension service in the area.