Veterinary Homeopathy (A Natural System of Medicine with No Side Effects)

Dr B.P. Madrewar is the source of knowledge and information to the budding veterinarians. He is the former Assistant Director of Animal Husbandry, Maharashtra. He has an experience of about 41 years in this field. He has authored 15 books on homeopathy and alternative system of veterinary medicines of which 3 are in English and rest are in Hindi and Marathi. He is also an editor of marathi magazine on veterinary care. He is one of the first veterinary homeopath of the country and presently practices in Nanded, Maharashtra.

There are about 25 crore animals in India, as per the recent survey. Livestock plays an important role in rural economy of India because agriculture and Livestock are interdependent on each other for input. The income from farm animal product i.e. milk, butter, eggs, meat, wool, skin and manure is 26 % of the total income from agriculture. There are 70 million farmers in India who maintain approximately 100 million milchherd, 57 million cows and 39 million buffaloes, which are the integrated part of crop livestock, systems in Indian farm economy.

According to the survey of World Health Organisation (WHO) and Food and Agricultural Organization (F.A.O.) year 2000, 85% animals in developing and some other countries, are using alternative systems of medicines for the treatment of animals. This is because of high cost, side effects and inefficiency of medicines for some diseases and difficult availability. Main alternative is Homeopathy and Ayurvedic.

In India 80% milk animals are with small and marginal farmers, who are dwelling in remote village areas. These animal owners are having very low input capacity. It is very difficult to extend latest veterinary aid by qualified professionals in these remote areas. Low producing animals give meager income to dairy farmers which prohibit the option of expensive latest allopathic treatment. Two main causes hinders veterinary progress i.e. lack of extensive network of qualified professionals and exhorbitant cost of conventional medicines. Hence there is a need to find some low cost and effective practical treatment and the answer is homeopathy which is getting popularity over the past few years mainly because of its low cost, complete cure of the disease with no side effects and leave no residue and suggests that it would increase the spectrum of treatment leading to effective cure.

India is emerging as a mega dairy market of the 21st century. The problems of drug residues in milk, traces of pesticides and antibiotics can make our milk and milk products non acceptable in international market. Homoeopathic remedies for Veterinary use in developed countries is not a new fad, but they have experience that the use of antibiotics can be minimised and in many cases it can be totally eliminated, while enjoying the benefits and increased productivity at affordable cost.

India accounts for more than 50% of total buffalo milk output in Asia which is more than 25 million tones. Milk animals have been an important source of supplementary income and nutrition to farm family. However health of milk animals has been neglected which is a prime factor for better and higher milk production. Dairy is crucial in providing employment and supplementary income to the bulk of rural families engaged in farming activity. Dairy farming helps directly in increasing crop production by making available drought power, manure and cash income on day to day basis. Today we are proud to be No.1 milk producer but animal productivity remains low 1.5 litre/day. This can be increased if milk animals are given cost effective health care based on homeopathy and proper feed.

Livestock owners and Veterinarians today are concerned not only with the increasing cost of allopathic drugs but also with their side effects in many cases and with the built up of resistant strains of bacteria due to continued and often indiscriminate use of antibiotics.

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