Do herbal wormers actually work?

[Baymule]

Being the stock manager at a dairy that produces commercial products, it's true, we certainly all have our own ways of doing things and I think every one of us has little regimens like that that other farms might thumb their noses at.

Like I tell everyone, what works for one farm may not work for another, but it doesn't make it wrong.

I see by your avatar that you are in Madisonville, Tx. @Ferguson K is the manager of Tractor Supply, have you two met?

 

[Latestarter]

This all started because Kate posted a video of their blind goat/mascot visiting her store.

 

[Baymule]

This all started because Kate posted a video of their blind goat/mascot visiting her store.

O-h-h-h-h-h-h-h.........now I get it. And I watched that video.....Duh!

 

[Epona142]

Haha yeah - I had obviously signed up here years ago, forgot about it, then was reminded when I noticed that video got a bit of traffic from here and came to see all the nice things people said.

So glad we have a local TSC now!

 

[Southern by choice]

Many dairies use it in their feed as a preventative. It is not going to cure something that is already there but the idea is that mixing it with their feed will discourage things sticking around. It's like anything herbal, holistic, natural, etc., some people will see results and others will say they saw nothing. But, its not cheap and if dairies are using it, that run on tight margins, there must be some sort of benefits they are seeing from it. In my opinion.

The data does NOT support this as being effective on internal parasites.
The same people that do this research also research other things like lespedeza that is not a dewormer but very effective on parasite control so it is not a big industry trying to make money off of synthetic dewormers.

 

[Ferguson K]

I would have to say that I do not trust DE or organic, natural, herbal wormers. Simply because there's not science behind it. I need documented controlled tests and reports proving fecal egg count went down.

We have a hard enough time with wormers being abused and goats coming up with parasites that nearly can't be beaten.

 

[Green Acres Farm]

This is on Tennessee Meat Goat's website:


"There is currently no scientific evidence that any "natural" or "organic" product, including Diatomaceous Earth (DE), is effective against internal parasites in goats. Producers regularly receive "hype" about natural dewormers and should know that in addition to being unproven for effectiveness, these products have the additional drawback of being dangerous because effective and toxic levels are very close. Example: Wormwood is a plant-based "natural" product believed by some to be have deworming properties. However, in order for wormwood to achieve any level approaching effectiveness, the dosage has to be so high that it might kill the goat. Plants protect themselves from pests by producing high levels of toxins. Everything contains chemical compounds. Because a substance has been untouched by human hands does not mean that it is safe. Arsenic is a good example; there are many more. Unlike products made by pharmaceutical companies, "natural," "organic," and "herbal" products are not required to submit to Food and Drug Administration examination for safety or effectiveness, so product composition can and does vary."

 

[Baymule]

Haha yeah - I had obviously signed up here years ago, forgot about it, then was reminded when I noticed that video got a bit of traffic from here and came to see all the nice things people said.

So glad we have a local TSC now!

Don't you just love TSC!!!! I took my grand daughter to TSC when she was 2-3 years old because she could touch everything and not break anything. I would buy her a bag of jelly belly beans and we sat on the outdoor furniture and ate them. She adored TSC! Talk about great entertainment for toddlers....... and Lowes is another fantastic toddler playground. They can't break anything and for a kid being told NO in stores all the time, TSC and Lowes is pure joyous freedom.

 

[Green Acres Farm]

Thanks for the help! I may try Molly's as a preventative, but watch with fecals.
About fecals, do you have to use a McMasters slide? I just bought a microscope and flotation solution, but all the McMasters slides I looked at online were very expensive.

 

[Green Acres Farm]

The cheapest I saw was 4 for $60, not including tax/ shipping.