Journal of Animal Research

Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) of cattle is a common ocular bacterial infection caused by Moraxella bovis and characterized by blepharospasm, conjunctivitis, lacrimation, and varying degrees of corneal opacity and ulceration. In severe cases, ocular rupture leads to blindness. The economic impact of the disease is due to its high contagious nature, cost and time required for the treatment. Ethno-veterinary medicine provides low-cost alternatives to allopathic drugs. Research in such field is often undertaken as part of a community-based approach that serves to improve animal health especially in rural areas. Hence a study was conducted to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of the flowers of Tabernaemontana divaricate and Thespesia populnea, in crossbreed cattle, affected by IBK. The incidence of IBK (n=15) is 73.3% in young animals and 26.6% in adult animals. Out of fifteen infected animals, two animals were affected bilaterally [13.3%] and thirteen animals were affected unilaterally [86.6%]. The occurrence of disease was found in eleven animals that were infected during the autumn season [73.3%], three animals infected during the monsoon season [20%] and one animal was infected in summer season [6.6%]. The fresh juices of the flowers were poured on the affected eyes two times daily until cure. The overall success rate was achieved in fourteen animals [93.3%] with a mean recovery period 14.6 days. Further the Pharmacognostic review of the medicinal properties and the phyto-constituents of the flowers substantiate the zero cost and safe therapy against IBK.