Indian Traditional Animal Husbandry and Ethnoveterinary Science: Domestication, History and Herbal Approaches to Animal Healthcare

The domestication of animals marks a transformative chapter in human history, deeply influencing lifestyles, livelihoods, and relationships with nature. In India, animal husbandry is more than an economic activityit is a cultural tradition rooted in values of care and compassion, as reflected in the principle of Ahimsa found in Vedic texts, epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, and Buddhist and Jain teachings. This interdisciplinary volume, comprising twelve chapters, explores the historical evolution, cultural dimensions, and scientific relevance of traditional animal management practices in India. A central focus is Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ITK) and Ethnoveterinary Medicine (EVM), which include time-tested practices using herbs, minerals, herbo-mineral combinations, and ethnozoological remedies. These approaches are grounded in centuries-old wisdom and resonate with the modern science of zoopharmacognosythe study of animals self- medicative behaviortraced to ancient Indian scriptures

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