It is the study of indigenous knowledge system of animal health care and is as old as the domestication of various livestock species.

Ethnoveterinary knowledge is mostly in the custody of older men and women who passed it orally to younger generations by word of mouth (Gueye 2002; Masimba et al. 2011). Collecting information on ethnoveterinary knowledge in particular regions enables veterinarians to understand farmers’ knowledge of the disease transmission process, local remedies that may be worthy of further study and the type of animal husbandry currently being practised (Alders and Spradbrow 2001).

Sources of further information on Ethnoveterinary knowledge

• Ethnoveterinary knowledge and Newcastle disease
  Alders, R.G. and Spradbrow, P.B. 2001. Controlling Newcastle Disease in Village Chickens: A Field Manual. Canberra, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, 112 pp.
• Ethnoveterinary medicine against poultry diseases in African villages
  Guèye, E.F. 1999. Ethnoveterinary medicine against poultry diseases in African villages. World’s Poultry Science Journal, 55:187-198.
• Ethnoveterinary Medicine: An Annotated Bibliography of Community Animal Healthcare. Mathias ER et al. 2001. London, UK: ITDG
• Ethnoveterinary medicine: a critical review of its evolution, perception, understanding and the way forward. Wanzala W et al. 2005. Livestock Research for Rural Development 17(11)
• Ethnoveterinary Medicine: An Annotated Bibliography of Community Animal Healthcare. Martin, Marina, Evelyn Mathias, and Constance M. McCorkle 2001. ITDG Pub.
• Newcastle disease in family poultry: Prospects for its control through ethnoveterinary medicine. E F Guèye. 2002. Livestock Research for Rural Development 14 (5) 2002. http://www.cipav.org.co/lrrd/lrrd14/5/guey145.htm
• http://www.ethnovetweb.com/