Volume 23 • Issue 01 • 2019
Ruralvet - IN The real world
Diatoms and Aloes as Feed Supplements
Compiled by Mark Chimes BVSc
Ruralvet is a closed informal internet discussion forum for ruminant veterinarians in Southern Africa.
Membership is controlled very strictly. No advertising or promotion of products is allowed on the forum.
The purpose of this column is to scour Ruralvets and address a topic of conversation in every issue. There is
a lot of valuable practical information being posted on Ruralvets, but it is not available in a manner that is
easy to access.
I have taken the liberty to correct grammatical errors (typos) and translate any Afrikaans comments into
English. Certain paragraphs in the comments that are not relevant or superfluous to this subject have been
omitted.
The information is from an informal discussion forum and is not necessarily backed up by research.
Editor
AO - Oct 29, 2007
I would appreciate any feedback on the following
product which is actively being marketed in our
area. I'm not convinced but stand to be corrected
as unfortunately all the web references given were
from the US (old at that as well) with no scientific
proof. Limited research into effectiveness in
plant and animal benefits indicate non-statistical
differences between controls and treatments. Do
any of you have experience with these products
and safety thereof. It has the usual internal
parasite claim - interesting enough also against
nasalworm and liver fluke!
TC - Oct 29, 2007
You have raised a topic that raises my ire. (I think
that's short for Irish blood). This product/stuff is
in my opinion useless for external and internal
parasites and of no benefit to hungry, ailing and
poorly managed cattle! We were on the point
of reporting two farmers whose cattle were in
extremus from huge burdens of acarids and
trematodes. They were relying solely on this stuff
for parasite control and all health matters. The
cattle were infertile and could conceivably have
been euthanased on compassionate grounds. The
farmers involved are hooked into an extremist
organic movement and have been brainwashed
by questionable salespeople to shun any non-
organic animal health products. As with many
"alternative/quack" remedies the users and
suppliers cannot provide results from controlled
trials. The same applies to human medical science
- members might remember my bringing up on
this site my daughter's rickettsiosis / Lyme's
Disease / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. There are
hordes of get-rich-quick charlatans who prey
on desperate people. I am sure colleagues such
as Gareth Bath, Arthur Wellington and Alan Fair
could write some suitably cynical words on such
products and their peddlers.
CvD - Oct 29, 2007
Below a copy (one of many) from the internet
on the use of diatomaceous earth as a dewormer
- this is to support your comments below - you
make your own conclusions.
Diatomaceous earth is made from the remains
of fossilized marine algae called diatoms. The
product is mined and reduced to powder form.
This powder acts as tiny pieces of glass that tear
the shells of insects and other arthropods. Many
farmers add diatomaceous earth to the rations of
their animals, among others, because it contains
minerals and is relatively inexpensive.
Some claim that diatomaceous earth acts as
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