Livestock is an important sector of agriculture in Haryana. It brings cash income to the rural families, bringing protection against the social depressions in addition to providing the food products of high nutritional value. In present study we have discussed ethnoveterinary uses, mode of administration, doses and duration of 54 medicinal plant species belonging to 37 families for treating routine maladies of livestock. About 80% interviewed people gained their knowledge of traditional medicine from their parents and grandparents and others gained from neighbors and co-producers. It has been observed that older persons and traditional healers have greater knowledge about traditional medicines than younger persons. In the present study it was found that many plants viz. Acacia nilotica, Argemone mexicana, Azadirachta indica, Calotropis procera, Citrullus colocynthis, Trachyspermum ammi, Zizyphus nummularia etc. used for treating more than one disease. It has also been observed that freshly collected plants or plants parts are used in treatment. Though, the findings presented in this paper are preliminary and needs further authentication but these findings can aid the development of indigenous knowledge and its use to the benefits of various fields of study such as pharmacology, pharmacognosy, pharmaceuticals, toxicology, phytochemistry, ethnobotany, taxonomy, anthropology and veterinary science.
Key words: ethnoveterinary, medicinal plant, traditional medicine, pharmacognosy livestock
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