Socio-economic profile of the traditional veterinary healers, scope of ethno veterinary medicine and traditional veterinary healers in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts of Tamil Nadu

Abstract

The present study is about the socio - economic status of Traditional veterinary healers in Cauvery Delta regions (Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam) of Tamil Nadu state for providing a comprehensive understanding of their livelihood, Scope of Ethnoveterinary practices and future scenario of Traditional Veterinary Healers. In this study, 100 numbers of traditional veterinary healers in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam district were identified and selected using snow ball sampling method. The data from hundred numbers of traditional veterinary healers were collected from a well-structured interview schedule. The study revealed that majority of traditional veterinary healers were mainly females (66%) belong to Backward community (65%) and found to be mostly landless. Majority of the families belonged to nuclear family of large families and above poverty level group. It was also observed that most of the traditional veterinary healers had education upto higher secondary and mean age of the population was 49 years with an average of 17 years of experience as traditional veterinary healers of ethno veterinary practices. Most of the Traditional veterinary healers currently are not charging for the services rendered by them and willing to provide their service for lifetime. Majority have received their knowledge from the forefathers only. It was also found in the study that the scope of ethno veterinary practices is flourishing due to facts that ethnoveterinary medicine offers better cure and satisfied success rate of treatment and as is considered as first choice of treatment, as first-aid and emergency medicine. Thereby, it is taken as best choice for the livestock owners. The future is found to be income generating for traditional veterinary healers as the scope of ethnoveterinary medicine is better as per the study also of the facts that ethno veterinary medicine has become a necessary and reliable science providing better opportunity for the traditional veterinary healers. The study is conducted to understand the status of the traditional veterinary healers that throws light on the current scenario in order to beget better insight for the policy makers, extension agents and researchers and pharma company in planning and improving the welfare of traditional veterinary healers.