ORIGINAL PAPEREvaluation of a homeopathic complex in the clinical management of udder diseases of riverine buffaloes
Introduction
Buffaloes are the preferred dairy animal in rural India, contributing over 50% of the total milk production in the country. Unhygienic and unscientific milking practices and hot-humid environmental conditions predispose them to mastitis. Prevalence of clinical mastitis in buffaloes has been estimated at 12.2% in Gujarat state of India.1 The loss of US$ 8.80 per buffalo per lactation due to mastitis speaks of its tremendous economic losses due to reduced milk production without considering the cost of disease management.2 In India, total annual losses due to mastitis (clinical and subclinical) in buffaloes has been estimated at US$526 million.3 Despite antibiotic and supportive (antioxidant, vaccination and other practices) therapies adopted in developed countries, the prevalence of mastitis has not been reduced adequately. Antibiotic therapy is not only costly, but also poses residue problems in milk adversely affecting human health.4 Cure rate with antibiotics is approximately 60% in field conditions. When β-lactamase producing organisms are implicated cure rate becomes poorer still.5 Treatment failure with available allopathic drugs in fibrosed quarters also poses challenges to veterinarians. Therefore, the search for cost-effective complementary and alternative treatment approaches for management of mastitis is being pursued throughout world. Homeopathy has gained the reputation of an effective alternative therapy in veterinary practice in Europe.6 Preliminary trials with individual homeopathic medicines have also shown encouraging results in the management of bovine mastitis in India.7 Combination medicines have been introduced in homeopathy for safe and quick recovery.8, 9, 10 Recently, promising results with a homeopathic combination remedy in the management of udder affections (fibrosed/nonfibrosed mastitis, and udder oedema) have been reported in dairy cows.11 However, such studies are lacking in the management of udder diseases in buffaloes. Therefore, the present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of a homeopathic complex medicine in the management of udder diseases of buffaloes.
Section snippets
Animals
Lactating buffaloes (Murrah, and its crossbreds) with diseased udders, of private owners in and around Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh State, India, formed the material for this study. A total of 102 mastitic quarters (fibrosed 40, and nonfibrosed 62) of 44 buffaloes, five cases of blood in milk and five cases of udder oedema in buffaloes persisting for at least 2 weeks were included in the study. Cases of subclinical mastitis were not included.
Drugs
A homeopathic complex medicine marketed as Healwell VT-6
Fibrosed quarters
Of the 40 fibrosed quarters, 32 cured completely with an average duration of 25.5 days (range 21–42 days).
Nonfibrosed quarters
A total of 62 quarters were treated, 60 of these were cured completely with an average duration of 5.77 days: a recovery rate of 96.72%.
Udder oedema and blood in milk
All the five cases of udder oedema were cured within an average duration of 3.4 days (range 2–4 days). Average recovery period in cases of blood in milk was 4.0 days (range 3–5 days) (see Table 1).
Discussion
The results show an encouraging response in the management of udder health problems: fibrosed or nonfibrosed mastitis, udder oedema and blood in milk in lactating buffaloes. The use of homeopathic single medicines in the management of mastitic dairy cows has previously been reported by a number of workers with variable results from various parts of the world.7, 11, 12, 13 The use of complex medicines has been suggested for safe and quick recovery.9, 10 This approach to homeopathic medicine is
Acknowledgements
The support of Sintex International Limited, Kalol, N. Gujarat (India) in the form of supplying homeopathic combination remedy is gratefully acknowledged. The authors are grateful to Dr Shivag Swaminarayan, Head, Health Care Division, Sintex International Ltd., Kalol, North Gujarat, India, for his keen interest in the trial.
References (14)
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- Thirunavukarsu M, Prabaharan R. Factors determining mastitis losses—the results from a regression analysis. Cherion...
- Dua K. Incidence, etiology and estimated economic losses due to mastitis in Punjab and India. An update. Indian...
- Hoeben DC, Burvenick C, Heyneman R. Influence of antimicrobial agent on bactericidal activity of bovine milk...
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