Ethnoveterinary medicine in Afghanistan: an overview of indigenous animal health care among Pashtun Koochi nomads

Ethnoveterinary medicine is the study of indigenous knowledge systems of animal health care, the practical aspects of which are relevant to applied development work. The Afghan Pashtun Koochi of southern Afghanistan possess a sophisticated body of ethnoveterinary knowledge about animal diseases, treatments for animal diseases, and animal management practices. Although the Koochi live and migrate in fragile, arid and often sparsely vegetated environments, they know the regional plants and minerals well and utilize many of them in the care of their diseased livestock. The Koochi also use indigenous vaccination and surgical treatments to promote herd health. This study demonstrates the breadth of the Koochiʹs knowledge in these areas and describes many of the indigenous methods and medicines they use to care for and to treat disease among their livestock