Ethnoveterinary herbal remedies used by farmers in four north-eastern Swiss cantons (St. Gallen, Thurgau, Appenzell Innerrhoden and Appenzell Ausserrhoden)
Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2014, 10:32
doi:10.1186/1746-4269-10-32
Published: 31 March 2014
Published: 31 March 2014
Abstract (provisional)
Background
Very few ethnoveterinary surveys have been conducted in central Europe. However, traditional
knowledge on the use of medicinal plants might be an option for future concepts in
treatment of livestock diseases. Therefore the aim of this study was to document and
analyse the traditional knowledge and use of homemade herbal remedies for livestock
by farmers in four north-eastern Swiss cantons (St. Gallen, Thurgau, Appenzell Innerrhoden
and Appenzell Ausserrhoden).
Methods
Research was conducted in 2012. Fifty farmers on 38 farms were interviewed with the
aid of semistructured interviews. Detailed information about the plants used, and
their mode of preparation, were documented for each homemade remedy, as well as dosage,
route of administration, category of use, origin of knowledge, frequency of use, and
satisfaction with the outcome of the treatment with these remedies.
Results
In total, 490 homemade remedies were collected. Out of these, 315 homemade remedies
contained only one plant species (homemade single species herbal remedies, HSHR),
which are presented in this paper. Seventy six different plant species from 44 botanical
families were mentioned. The most frequent HSHR were quoted for the families of Asteraceae,
Polygonaceae and Urticaceae. The plant species with the highest number of HSHRs were
Matricaria recutita L., Calendula officinalis L., Rumex obtusifolius L. and Urtica
dioica L. For each formulation, one to eight different applications were enumerated.
A total of 428 applications were documented, the majority of which were used to treat
cattle. The main applications were in treatment of skin afflictions and sores, followed
by gastrointestinal disorders and metabolic dysfunctions. Topical administration was
most frequently used, followed by oral administration of remedies. In nearly half
of the cases the knowledge on preparing and using herbal remedies was from forefathers
and relatives. More than one third of the applications were used by farmers more than
ten times during the last five years, and in about sixty percent of the cases, the
last application was during the last twelve months preceding the interviews.
Conclusions
Traditional knowledge of farmers about the use of medicinal plants to treat livestock
exists in north-eastern Switzerland. Homemade herbal remedies based on this knowledge
are being used. In general, the interviewed farmers were satisfied with the outcome
of the applications.
