Biodiversity, indigenous knowledge and sustainable development are very closely linked. The basic component of any country’s knowledge system is its indigenous knowledge or indigenous technical knowledge (ITK). It encompasses the skills, experiences and insights of people, applied to maintain or improve their livelihood. ITK is the local knowledge - knowledge that is unique to a given culture or society. ITK contrasts with the international knowledge system generated by universities, research institutions and private firms. It is the basis for local level decision making in agriculture, animal healthcare, food preparation, education, natural resource management and a host of other activities in rural communities (Warren 1991). Some call it local knowledge, others indigenous technical knowledge, while many prefer to call it traditional knowledge. ITK is specifically cocerned with actual application of the thinking of the people in various operations of agriculture and allied areas.

India has a very rich heritage of traditional health control and treatment systems (Ayurvedic, Unani and homeopathic) that have been used for animals since time immemorial. These practices have been percolating from one generation down to the next by oral transmission and considered to be the holistic approach for livestock management. ITK, regarding animal husbandry, is considered to be as old as domestication of various livestock species. Today, many indigenous knowledge systems are at risk of becoming extinct because of rapidly changing natural environments and fast pacing economic, political and cultural changes on a global scale. Practices vanish, as they become inappropriate for new challenges or because they adapt too slowly. However, many practices disappear only because of the intrusion of foreign technologies or development concepts that promise short-term gains or solutions to problems without being capable of sustaining them. The tragedy of the impending disappearance of indigenous knowledge is most obvious to those who have developed it and make a living through it. But the implication for others can be detrimental as well, when skills, technologies, artifacts, problem solving strategies and expertise are lost. Unfortunately, these practices, which are in vogue throughout rural India, are little documented and there is danger of extinction of this knowledge. Thus it has become imperative to collect and document these practices and to assess their validity.

The indigenous practices in the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir are a part of rich traditions of animal care in India. The dwellers of this remote and hilly region of the Himalayas are dependent almost entirely on their traditional indigenous knowledge and traditional healers to cure their animals. So far, as the indigenous practices of Jammu and Kashmir are concerned, there are only few work reports. Only few surveys have been carried out in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir on documentation of medicinal plants prior to this study. Keeping this in view, this paper critically analyses the ITKs related to livestock healthcare and management practices in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The study was carried out in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir which is in the extreme south of the state. It is one of the most strategically placed districts as it provides only road and rail link to the rest of the country. Kathua district, the gateway of Jammu and Kashmir lies between 32° 17' to 32° 55’ North latitude and 75° 70' to 76° 17’ East longitude with an area of 2,651 sq km. A multi-stage random sampling was done to draw samples for the study. Three blocks in identified district and two villages in each block were selected to draw a sample of 150 farmers, who had at least one milch animal and those practising ITK at the time of investigations. Qualitative research methods viz transect walk, direct observation, focus group discussion and key informant interview were used for documentation of ITK and to gather information on most prevalent veterinary ailments for selection of ITK.

The data were collected personally through a semi-structured interview schedule which was pre-tested among respondents from non-sample area for elimination, alteration and modification. ITK in dairy enterprise was documented through interaction and focus group discussion with the farmers of the study area. Focus groups selected were homogenous groups of farmers considered optimal for attaining in-depth information about ITK. It gave better information than that could be obtained in a much more time-consuming exercise of individual interviews with the same people. The intent of focus group discussion is to promote self-disclosure among participants (Krueger and Casey 2000). However, the discussions were focused on the older members (men and women) of the community, who were presumed to have a wealth of traditional knowledge. Participants were allowed to deliberate on the various issues and experiences and document their agreements.

Indigenous technical knowledge involves innovative practices evolved by the farmers with their own experiences which are passed from generation to generation. They may prove a low-cost ideal tool for sustainable development. The people of the study area were rich in traditional knowledge regarding various veterinary ailments. The detailed inventory including botanical name, parts used, method of preparation and diseases treated is provided in Table 1. Some of the important medicinal plants of the area are shown in Plate 1.

A total of 55 medicinal plants were documented in the study area. The indigenous practices documented are unique and indicated the rich knowledge possessed by the farmers of the study area. The dairy farmers perceived ITK as more favourably accepted among the rural communities owing to its cost effectiveness, local availability of flora and fauna in the villages and lesser side effects. Another important reason for favouring ITK was that all the ingredients used were available at their doorsteps or in the villages themselves and such preparations were prepared by groups of villagers in a large amount so that they could provide them to a huge number of animals at the same time. All veterinary dispensaries were 4-5 km away from the villages which left the farmers with the option of practicing indigenous practices for the treatment of their animals. In addition to it, in a country like India, where most of the dairy farmers are resource poor, respondents felt that high cost of veterinary drugs hindered them from using drugs for treatment of animals. The farmers preferred to use ITK because they believed that it could lead them to increase in immunity of the animals without any loss in the production capacity of the animals.

Beigh et al (2003) collected the information from the Bakerwals and other migratory herders and shepherds of Jammu and Kashmir who utilized herbal therapies for treatment of their livestock. A total of 25 plants within 19 families were identified for treatment of a variety of animal afflictions. The treatments, which covered a variety of livestock and fowl ailments, were generally easy to prepare, frequently involving only the feeding of a specific part of the selected plant to the animal being treated. A few plants had more than one application, but most were restricted to use on a particular affliction.

Khuroo et al (2007) reported the ethno-veterinary medicinal uses of 24 angiosperm plant species belonging to 23 genera and 15 families, used by the Gujars of Kashmir Himalaya. Different plant parts such as leaves, inflorescences, seeds, rhizomes, roots etc were used. In general, these plant species, through different modes of preparation to form crude drugs, were fed as food supplements to promote faster gain, to soothe burns, abrasions and wounds; used as laxative, diuretic and antipyretics and for the treatment of digestive, respiratory, locomotory and reproductive disorders.

Sharma et al (2012) conducted a study in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir between 2007 and 2009 and provided a list of important plants of the region. A total of 72 plants were used to cure 33 common ailments of milk yielding animals of Kathua district. Fabaceae (7 species) was the most represented family, along with Poaceae (6 species). Leaves (27.2%) were the most frequently used plant parts, herbs (48.6%) the most frequently used life-form and wild flora (58.3%) the most used source for the ethnoveterinary practices. The important ethnoveterinary plant species on the basis of use values were Brassica campestris, Saccharun officinarum, Emblica officinalis, Trachyspermum ammi, Asparagus adscendens, Musa paradisica, Oryza sativa, Curcuma longa, Azadirachta indica, Tinospora cordifolia and Tamarindus indica.

Earlier, Bhanotra and Gupta (2016) outlined the ITK possessed by farmers of Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. Altogether, 25 plants were used by the local people in formulation of different traditional medicines for curing 20 types of livestock diseases and ailments.

Khateeb et al (2017) conducted a study in the hilly regions of Jammu and Kashmir for documentation of unique ITK practices used for the treatment of various animal diseases. The information was collected from the ITK practitioners of district Doda. Thirty six ITK practices were identified and documented. They reported 22 species of plants used for the treatment of 14 different ailments. The documented practices were for the treatment of maggot infestation, ectoparasites and endoparasites, retention of placenta, anestrus, mastitis, milk fever foot and mouth disease, black quarter, poisoning, snake bite and for increasing milk production.

Sharma (2017) compiled the ITK of the farmers of Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir and reported that to improve lactation, grounded seeds of tamarind were given to animals after roasting and soaking. Indigestion of animals was cured by giving pepper, molasses and betel leaf powder. To control ecto-parasites (lice and fleas) in animals, powdered naphthalene balls were applied all over the body and then washed with clean water. To cure constipation in animals, 200 g of molasses dissolved in water were given.

Shubeena et al (2018a) conducted a study in central Kashmir region of the Kashmir division and reported that ITKs were part and parcel of day to day living and livestock rearing in the study area. ITKs were followed for increasing milk production, increasing fertility, retention of placenta, repeat breeding, prolapse, care of new born and for preparation of indigenous livestock products. The presence of the vast number of ITKs in the study area indicated the richness of the age-old wisdom of the people. Inspite of the presence of the formal veterinary facilities people were still relying upon ITKs and treated their animals themselves.

Shubeena et al (2018b) conducted a study in the Budgam and Ganderbal districts of central Kashmir and reported that farmers were found to adopt variety of the local plants, species and age-old techniques for managing various surgical conditions in animals. The presence of huge variety of the ITKs used in the study area indicated the richness of the age-old precious knowledge with its applicability. It formed an important part of the lives of farmers as majority of them resorted to traditional medication on appearance of symptoms of a disease and the formal veterinary services were availed in case of absolute emergencies.

The findings of the present study indicate that the study area had a lot of potential in its rich flora and fauna containing herbal plants used for preparation of traditional medicines which calls for conservation of these rich resources and care of intellectual property rights (IPRs). High diversity of ethnoveterinary plants was found to cure the animals of Kathua district, Jammu and Kashmir. Thus documentation of ITK will contribute towards preservation of important herbs, plants and trees used for treatment of animals. The present research study provides empirical evidence that the Kathua region was very rich in ITK which is used by the farmers for treatment of their animals. This requires means for the capture and validation as well as for the eventual exchange, transfer and dissemination of indigenous knowledge. Further phytochemical and pharmacological studies are also required to ascertain their chemical nature for commercial utilization of this knowledge.

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