Documentation of Medicinal Plants Used in Veterinary Ethnomedicine Among Fulani Pastoralists in Zamfara State, North West Nigeria

Fulani pastoralists in Zamfara State, North West Nigeria, maintain an extensive body of ethnoveterinary knowledge in which medicinal plants are used to manage livestock diseases including trypanosomiasis, ectoparasite infestation, respiratory infections, and reproductive disorders. Formal documentation of these practices is critical both for the conservation of traditional knowledge and the identification of new leads for veterinary pharmacognosy. This study documents medicinal plants used in veterinary ethnomedicine among Fulani communities in Anka, Kaura Namoda, and Talata-Mafara local government areas of Zamfara State. Ethnobotanical data were collected from 55 pastoral Fulani informants through guided interviews and participatory observation during livestock management activities. Voucher specimens were authenticated at the Herbarium of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. Thirty-seven plant species distributed across 22 families were documented. Afzelia africana, Anogeissus leiocarpus, and Calotropis procera were among the most frequently cited. Root, bark, and leaf preparations in decoction and topical forms were predominantly used. Several cited species have documented pharmacological activity relevant to the reported veterinary indications, including antiprotozoal and acaricidal properties. The study identifies the rapid erosion of ethnoveterinary knowledge among younger Fulani generations as a conservation concern and recommends systematic bioassay screening of the most-cited plant species. Keywords: ethnoveterinary, Fulani, Zamfara State, medicinal plants, livestock