Author Topic: Diatomaceous earth as a sheep wormer (Read 7724 times)

nimbusllama · « **Reply #15 on:** April 11, 2017, 10:57:28 pm »

Quote from: Anke on April 07, 2017, 03:31:48 pm

Why would you feed your sheep DE? Are you using them for experiments? How ethical is that?

There are proven wormers with medical tests and evidence behind them that work very well. Highly unlikely that your sheep are resistant to all 4 classes of wormer.

Thanks for all the interest this has caused, for information this link should explain that I am not using them for experiments and that it is ethical!
http://skylinesfarm.com/parasitecontrol.htm
I thank those who's comments were positive and will leave it at that. The FEC has revealed it is not a worm problem but likely to be the spring grass that is causing the scouring.

Womble · « **Reply #16 on:** April 12, 2017, 01:53:16 pm »

That's an interesting link, nimbusllama, but I would be concerned that they're not being particularly scientific in their approach. For example, they describe a threefold approach of garlic, DE and resting pasture. However, even if the results are good, there's no way of knowing which of the three factors is causing those good results.

Likewise, to just have low FECs is not enough proof in and of itself - you'd need to show a reduction in FECs before and after dosing.

So, I don't want to be down on what they said if whatever they're doing seems to be working for them. However, for me it falls short of scientific proof.

Equally...

Quote

After dosing them with garlic, I lock the sheep in a dry paddock for a day or two, so they can pass any worms and/or eggs they might have in their systems. They then go out to graze in a fresh, rested paddock.

Wouldn't this accelerate the build-up of garlic resistant worms?

Liz Kershaw · « **Reply #17 on:** April 13, 2017, 09:47:00 pm »

Has anyone used Verm-X? Any thoughts? And do worms become resistant to this as well as to chemical wormers?

landroverroy · « **Reply #18 on:** April 14, 2017, 05:52:40 pm »

Quote from: nimbusllama on April 11, 2017, 10:57:28 pm

Thanks for all the interest this has caused, for information this link should explain that I am not using them for experiments and that it is ethical!
http://skylinesfarm.com/parasitecontrol.htm
I thank those who's comments were positive and will leave it at that. The FEC has revealed it is not a worm problem but likely to be the spring grass that is causing the scouring.

Well I also found that an interesting link nimbusllama,
There is a person who advertises in the Farmers Guardian each week selling Sunshine Licks. These are sheep licks and one is a wormer bucket containing DE. I enquired about it and was told you need to allow the sheep access to the bucket for about a month for the DE to have full effect. This chap has been selling his wormer bucket for as long as I can remember, so I am assuming it is effective or he would have had a visit by trading standards.

farmers wife · « **Reply #19 on:** April 14, 2017, 07:34:27 pm »

Quote from: Liz Kershaw on April 13, 2017, 09:47:00 pm

Has anyone used Verm-X? Any thoughts? And do worms become resistant to this as well as to chemical wormers?

I thought this was for poultry - it is not a wormer it is a gut balancer, Same as what we do with the seaweed/DE/Salt keeping animals in good health prevents stress, stress causes weakness and inability to control worms. This happened to us a load of poor lambs due to mineral deficiency had worms while the rest were fine. Verm-X is a mix of minerals and herbs.

Joel Salatin is a big fan of DE. The Americans are usually slightly ahead of us. Like I said prev. we use the mineral mix which is similar to a lick block but cheaper by mixing our own and with the cows its very good also if they didnt like it they would not def not eat it. No works however, as we mob graze there will be less chance of parasites as they are not left on the same section of pasture.