Dear fellow countrysiders...I'm trying to find out info on the various uses of diatomatious earth. I've heard it can be used for lice/tick/flea control by several sources. My main question is about worms...can it be used as a wormer for goats, if yes, how? Is it a free feed or do you give them a certain amount at certain intervals? Thanks for your imput.

-- Sondra (wollbrtg@i1.net), May 01, 2000

Answers

Can't help you w/the goat's requirements, however, I have used d.e. in several applications. The first to come to mind is a flea powder for my carpets. We had a real problem with fleas in the carpets from the previous owners (well, actually their dog, not them- LOL), and after ripping up all the carpets except the living room, the fleas kept recurring after bombing the house. Eggs in the living room carpet kept hatching. We couldn't rip that one up (it is in the family room which used to be a garage - nothing but plywood underneath), so I powdered some dried pennyroyal, mixed it with equal parts of d.e. and baking powder, and sprinkled it on the carpet. I left it for the better part of a day or so, then vacuumed it up. Did that once or twice more later in the week, and we haven't had a problem since.

We have also used d.e. on plants that were infested with soft-bodied insects, dusted it on slugs in the garden, dusted the dogs with it when they got fleas from outdoors (flea/house problem occurred before we got dogs), and added to the chickens' dust bath. Heckuvalot cheaper (and safer) than the poisons they sell nowadays. Hope this helps - perhaps someone else has used it for worming their animals???

-- Judi (ddecaro@snet.net), May 01, 2000.

Sondra,

I checked my database of back issues of countryside and found several articles about diatomatious earth. Not sure if they will answer your question but will give you a starting point. Try 11/94 page 10, 7/99 page 96, 1/00 page 56, 1/92 page 32 and 11/96 page 9. Hope this helps some while your waiting for your answer. It seems to be that one of these articles addressed treating goats for worms but not sure shich one.

-- Betsy (betsyk@pathwaynet.com), May 01, 2000.

Yes, I free feed it to goats. Make sure it is "food grade" tho. I'm not convinced it helps eradicate parisites and worms that are already present in the animal. But I do think it may prevent egg hatch and population in the manure in the barnyard, which in the long run will help control the worm/parasite problem.

As far as for lice control. Some swear by it. Again, I'm not too sure. It seemed to dry out the skin a lot and caused other problems. I chose to use it in the bedding to control the lice there and use pour ons or Ivomec injections to control "on body" lice.

Like a lot of "natural remedies" it isn't the "miracle only does wonderful things" substance they claim. It may help and certainly has some good qualities, but it takes more than just free feeding DE to control worms, parasites, and lice! It is just another "tool" to be used in conjunction with other good goat husbandry techniques. Sure wish it were that easy!! :-) My opinion, of course.

-- Jim Roberts (jroberts1@cas.org), May 02, 2000.

I have heard of alot of people using D.E., but exactly where do you buy it? In what section of the store? In what kind of store? I am familiar only with the D.E. for swimming pools. Thanks, Mary

-- Mary (mlogan298@yahoo.com), May 02, 2000.

Mary, when you start looking for it, you'll discover it was there all along! :-)

Most of the big hardware stores, garden centers, have it in the pesticide section for gardening.

Health food stores sell it also. And Hoegger's goat supply sells it too. Our local feed mill sells it as a mineral suppliment for animals.

Just make sure it isn't the kind used in swimming pool filters...of course that type will be found in and around supplies for ponds and swimming pools.

-- Jim Roberts (jroberts1@cas.org), May 03, 2000.

I found a bulk supplier for DE right here in Louisville, though other survival type places sell it as well. The cheapest way to purchase it in the long run is in 50 lbs bags. I used it on my strawberries last year and had very little damage due to slugs. I've used it in the hen-house (sparingly, because of the dust), on the barn cats and in our stored grains. It will last forever, so I didn't mind getting several years' worth. The swimming pool DE has other chemicals mixed in that are toxic.

-- glynnis (gabbycab@aol.com), May 04, 2000.