Ethnoveterinary practices of Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania
Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2015, 11:35
doi:10.1186/s13002-015-0020-8
Published: 6 May 2015
Published: 6 May 2015
Abstract (provisional)
Background Ethnoveterinary medicine is a topic of growing interest among ethnobiologists,
and is integral to the agricultural practices of many ethnic groups across the globe.
The ethnoveterinary pharmacopoeia is often composed of ingredients available in the
local environment, and may include plants, animals and minerals, or combinations thereof,
for use in treating various ailments in reared animals. The aim of this study was
to survey the current day ethnoveterinary practices of ethnic Hungarian (Székely)
settlements situated in the Erdővidék commune (Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania)
and to compare them with earlier works on this topic in Romania and other European
countries. Methods Data concerning ethnoveterinary practices were collected through
semi-structured interviews and direct observation in 12 villages from 2010 to 2014.
The cited plant species were collected, identified, dried and deposited in a herbarium.
The use of other materials (e.g. animals, minerals and other substances) were also
documented. Data were compared to earlier reports of ethnoveterinary knowledge in
Transylvania and other European countries using various databases. Results In total,
26 wild and cultivated plants, 2 animals, and 17 other substances were documented
to treat 11 ailments of cattle, horses, pigs, and sheep. The majority of applications
were for the treatment of mastitis and skin ailments, while only a few data were reported
for the treatment of cataracts, post-partum ailments and parasites. The traditional
uses of Armoracia rusticana, Rumex spp., powdered sugar and glass were reported in
each village. The use of some plant taxa, such as Allium sativum, Aristolochia clematitis,
and Euphorbia amygdaloides was similar to earlier reports from other Transylvanian
regions. Conclusions Although permanent veterinary and medical services are available
in some of the villages, elderly people preferred the use of wild and cultivated plants,
animals and other materials in ethnoveterinary medicine. Some traditional ethnoveterinary
practices are no longer in use, but rather persist only in the memories of the eldest
subset of the population. A decline in the vertical transmission of ethnoveterinary
knowledge was evident and loss of practice is likely compounded by market availability
of ready-made pharmaceuticals.
