Traditional South African medicinal plants and their role in improving goat reproduction: a review.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Goats are an integral part of the livelihoods of South Africans, particularly in the rural communities, yet reproductive inefficiencies (low libido, poor semen quality, uterine infections, postpartum disorders, parasitism, and nutrition gaps) limit their productivity. Most resource challenged farmers resort to the use of ethnoveterinary plants for reproductive health of their goats due to their safety and ease of access; however, there is still a lack of standardization on their safety, dosing and efficacy. AIM: This study aimed to review and document the South African traditional medicinal plants used to enhance reproductive performance in goats. METHODS: The study carried out a narrative review of ethnoveterinary surveys and pharmaco-ethnobotanical literature focused on South Africa, complemented by relevant goat reproduction studies. Our search used various keywords, including "medicinal plants," "goat breeding," "ethnoveterinary," and "medicinal plants" to identify relevant literature in several databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture, and ScienceDirect. Additional searches were conducted using citations found in articles in these databases. The focus was on peer reviewed journals published between the year 2000 and 2025 on South African medicinal plants used to enhance goat reproduction, whether directly or indirectly. OVERVIEW OF KEY INSIGHTS: During the literature review, it was found that among other plantsFresen. (violet tree),Lam (moringa),(Burch.) Skeels (elephant root),(Lam.) Benth. (sausage tree),Mill., were frequently mentioned. Strong evidence was noted from ethnobotanical use tovalidation, though limited but growing, especially for anthelmintic and antioxidant actions. CONCLUSION: Based on the literature, it can be concluded that South Africa's ethnobotanical resources hold credible value for improving goat reproduction by acting as antioxidants, regulating hormones, fighting infections, and controlling parasites that affect body condition. However, well-designed goat studies with proper dosing and safety testing are limited.