Abstract

A study was conducted from April to September 2012 in Dabo Hana district of Ilubabor Zone, West Ethiopia to document ethnoknowledge of plants used in veterinary practices and to assess factors affecting its utilization. Traditional healers were selected purposively and interviewed. Medicinal plants were shown by healers for identification. Forty-eight medicinal plant species classified into 35 families were documented and claimed to treat 22 animal health constraints. Leaves were the most frequently utilized plant part (31.58%). Oral route (57.89%) was found as the most common route of administration. Determination of the dose was done by using cup, glass, plant parts and their own hand as handful. Difficulty of preparation, seasonal availability of medicinal plants, coverage and availability of modern drugs, coverage of modern education, climatic change and deforestation (p<0.05) were statistically significant factors affecting utilization of ethnoveterinary medicine. There was positive correlation (r=0.466) between number of the medicinal plants the informants know and their age. In conclusion, there are large numbers of medicinal with undocumented cumulative knowledge of the indigenous people. Therefore, documentation of the indigenous knowledge before it is lost forever and proving these valuable practices by further researches and scientific dissemination of the knowledge were recommended.

Key words: Dabo Hana, ethnoveterinary medicine, medicinal plants.