Reduction of antibiotic residue in milk through the use of cost effective ethno-veterinary practices (EVP) for cattle health

Abstract

Antibiotics are extensively used globally to improve animal health, welfare and also to enhance animal productivity. Even though antibiotics play a critical role in livestock production, antibiotic resistant bacteria are a major public health concern. Farm animals are exposed to considerable quantities of antibiotics and act as an important reservoir of antibiotic resistant genes. The use of antibiotics for common cattle diseases, such as mastitis and diarrhoea in calves, is widespread in both in smallholder and large-scale dairy farming. The use of Ethno-veterinary practices (EVP) as alternatives to antibiotics shows significant reduction in the antibiotic residues in the milk from cattle and increased financial saving for the farmers. Adopting the ethno-veterinary science and practices to combat infectious diseases in livestock has been identified and tested as a key game changer in rationalising the use of antibiotics in veterinary health care and reducing antibiotic residue(s) in milk. A progressive reduction in the incidence of mastitis, enteritis, repeat breeding and cowpox were observed from 2016 to 2019 among the cows treated with EVP.