Tribal farmers' traditional knowledge and practices for pig farming in Nagaland

Abstract

Pig husbandry is an important farming component in Nagaland which plays a significant socio-economic role in the livelihood of Naga tribes. The present study documented the Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ITK) on pig farming as practised by tribal farmers in Nagaland. Some commonly used plants for feed were Manihot esculenta, Colocasia esculenta L., Ipomea batata, Euphorbia hirta L., Musa spp., Eichhornia crassipe, Bidens spilosa Ficus hispida L. etc. Ethnoveterinary plants identified were Oroxylum indicum for treatment of oral and foot lesion in FMD and also for deworming; Rhus chinensis for treatment of fever; Hibiscus cannabinus L. for fever and dysentery; Spondias pinnata, Rhus similata and Curcuma caesia, guava, bamboo, banana, papaya against diarrhoea and dysentery; Gynura cusimbua for its healing properties and Cinnamomum verum as anti-helminthic. Gur for diarrhoea and dysentery; brick powder and wood ash for deworming; beehives for curing fever and termite's earth for prevention of piglet's anaemia were reported for the first time. Other plants which were documented in the present study were Carica papaya L., Lagenaria siceraria, Citrus spp. and Ananas comosus (L.) Merr. as abortifacient; application of wood ashes with kerosene oil after castration to prevent bleeding and as disinfectant and Carica papaya as galactogogue.