Study of ethnoveterinary medicinal plants in Aseko District, Arsi Zone, southeastern Ethiopia

Ethnoveterinary medicine remains a vital component of livestock healthcare in rural Ethiopia. This study documents medicinal plants and associated indigenous knowledge in Aseko District, Arsi Zone, southeastern Ethiopia. Data were collected from 182 informants across seven kebeles representing three agroecological zones using semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, guided field walks, preference ranking, and market surveys. A total of 66 ethnoveterinary medicinal plant species belonging to 49 families were recorded. Herbs dominated (42.4%), and most remedies used fresh plant material harvested from wild habitats (66.7%). Leaves were the most frequently used plant part (46.5%), and oral administration was predominant (67.5%). Gastrointestinal disorders, ecto-/endoparasitic infections, and dermatological diseases accounted for 68.2% of use reports. Informant Consensus Factor values ranged from 0.25 to 0.67, with highest agreement for reproductive disorders. Hagenia abyssinica, Embelia schimperi, and Zingiber officinale were top-ranked for treating diarrhea. Agricultural expansion (22.0%) and biomass extraction (19.8%) were the primary threats. This study highlights the resilience and vulnerability of ethnoveterinary knowledge in a biodiverse but understudied region.