Use of Ethnoveterinary Medicine in Family Poultry Health Management in Botswana: a Review

A review of the utilization of ethnoveterinary medicine (EVM) for health management of family poultry in Botswana was undertaken. The use of ethnoveterinary medicine in the management of animal healthcare is as old as the domestication of various livestock species. Compared to Western modern medicine, EVM is widely utilized by the family poultry rearers across the country. In Botswana, the common traditional remedies used to control and treat diseases were Aloe spp., potassium permanganate and Nicotiana tabacum. Aloe spp. and N. tabacum were also used against internal parasites while wood ashes, especially those from Peltophorum africanum and Combretum imberbe were used against external parasites. Because of its unpleasant and strong smell, Thamnosma rhodesica leaves were placed in chicken shelters in order to repel external parasites. This review suggests the need to conduct field surveys in order to document ethnoveterinary practices in Botswana.