A HAPPY VET SAYS…
I started using DE when we got problems with external parasites with chickens. I put it in nesting boxes, wood shavings on the shed floor and into their favorite sand bath places. We have never had any problems since. I have used it on mites in pigs as well, even in the ears (mixed into olive oil and with some garlic and rosemary added – without any bits of course) and it stopped the itch.
I feed it to the chicken, the pigs, my horse, my dog and the cats (roughly 2% of the dry feed). I check regularly for parasites in all of the animals. We were relatively problem free. No parasites so far in chickens or dog (cats not checked, because not tame).
Horse, pigs, sheep had and have fluke (possible reasons: 1) mostly live on grass, therefore dose of DE in total diet relatively low; using same/similar fields; 2) particularly good conditions over the winter for fluke; 3) fluke lives mainly in liver and bile ducts, therefore they only have a very short exposure to the DE when taken up).
Adult pigs when tested have been negative for worms, but a previous set of piglets had problems with Ascaris (possible reason: they were kept in, because we didn’t have a field for them to go out and graze). DE doesn’t keep animals free from internal parasites (but neither do wormers, a lot of resistance), therefore I keep testing, and hope to control the parasite load in animals and fields with DE and additional measures as field rotation, crap collection (only horse mind ;o) and if needed use a wormer.
I feed DE as well as a supplement, because it contains a lot of (trace) elements of nutritional value. I order from Willowfarm, because the service is very good and good value for money.
Why use Animal Grade DE?
Adding Diatomaceous Earth Animal Grade to your animals’ rations can produce a number of benefits:
• contains a small amount of 14 trace minerals
• a natural wormer
• eliminates parasites
• increased protein digestion
• control of internal parasite such as round worms, tape worms, cecal worms and flukes.
• boosts animals’ natural immune system
• will help hair growth on ringworm patches
• acts as an anti-caking agent and so the surface area of feed exposed to the digestive processes is increased and therefore more feed is actually digested and utilised.
Suitable for kitten and puppies, dogs and cats, birds, cattle and calves, pigs, dairy, horses, sheep, and goats! It can be used both internally and externally for different reasons. If you want to use it externally on your animals for parasites, Pest grade is more effective.
Application
HOUSEHOLD PETS
When first starting the animals with Diatomaceous Earth Animal Grade it is recommended you treat your household pets for 30 days to completely kill the parasites and prevent re-infestation. You can put it in their food.
Cats 1 teaspoon -thereafter once or twice a week as a top up
Kittens 1/2 teaspoon daily
Dogs under 50 lbs. 2 teaspoons daily
Dogs over 50 lbs. 1 tablespoon daily
Dogs over 100 lbs. 2 tablespoons daily
HORSES & LIVESTOCK
For larger ruminants you should treat daily for 60 days to cover the full parasitic cycle. Mix it in with the animals grain and add a small amount of water and stir up with a big spoon.
Cattle 2% by weight of feed dry ration
Calves 4 grams in morning
Dairy cattle 2% by weight of dry ration
Chickens 5% of dry feed ration mixed in feed
Hogs 2% of weight of feed ration
Horses 1 cup (approx 200g) in daily ration
Sheep 1% of weight of feed ration in ground grain
Goats 1% of weight of feed ration in ground grain
