Diatomaceous Earth on the Farm

Butler Service and Bed Bug / Alternative Pest Control Solutions

Diatomaceous Earth has wide ranging applications on the farm and lifestyle block. Aside from the separately described applications for vegetable gardens, orchard applications, used in the home and on pets it can be helpful in a multitude of other agricultural areas. Spread liberally in places where insect and parasite control is needed – sheds, barns, milking sheds, calving pads, stables, pens, kennels, fowl coops, realistically any animal housing area will benefit from DE. Its presence will dry wet spots, reduce the ability for insects to breed and lay eggs and reduce odour in manure build-up areas and reduce fly populations. Actively discouraging flies, fleas, ticks and mites in these areas will make your livestocks lives less stressed, healthier, cleaner and improve conditions for animals and their human keepers alike.When mucking out stables, livestock pens and fowl coops cover the emptied area well in DE prior to re-installing the hay / sawdust / bedding again. Once re- installed sprinkle liberally over the new surface to discourage infestations of pests and parasites. Flooring surfaces can be similarly coated to make the entire area an insect unfriendly area. In between bedding replacements sprinkle DE in areas requiring attention, wet spots, dirty areas and smelly spots. Keep a large shaker applicator on hand to make for easy application and reduce your pest load in zones that encourage their activity. In water troughs apply a small amount of DE to troughs and other livestock water vessels. It will help to reduce algal growth in these containers and assist to keep them cleaner, nicer, longer.Wasp nests can be easily disabled leading to their eventual demise by hitting them with a couple of large shakes from a shaker directly onto the face of the nest. Any surface wasps will become coated in DE, wasps entering or leaving the nest will become un-avoidably contaminated with DE which will ultimately kill them. The population will contract, the hive will no longer be serviced which will result in its self destruction. Ant trails and nests can be similarly coated in DE which will immediately encourage their change of direction and re-location from the area. Severe infestations may require a number of applications.

Equestrian / Horses

Apply in stables, horse floats, hay storage areas, feed drums, troughs – anywhere insect control will be beneficial. DE can be applied externally to horses, ponies, donkeys to reduce external pests and discourage fleas, ticks, mites and lice on your animals. Internally as a natural de-wormer DE will eliminate internal parasites loads and nurture internal health and have many positive spin off benefits as a result. Supplementary feed at a rate of 2kg per 100kg of feed or 50 – 100 grams per horse per day.

Results on feeding food grade Diatomaceous Earth to walking horse, L. Thomas, Trainer, L. Frank Roper Stables, Winter Garden, Florida

“With horses fed approximately 5 oz. of DE mixed in the feed twice daily, the following results were observed: Stopped scours even on horses that had not responded to any other medications. Noticeable fly reduction. Horses showed an increase in appetites. Weight gain due to better feed conversion. Reduction in manure odor. Elimination of any internal parasites. Healthier appearance”

Frank Zimmerman, Tuscon Arizona, President S. Arizona Horse Association and Fossil Shell Flour user of over 40 years, breeding raising and showing generations of champions.

“Our horses are fed 4 oz of DE every day, year round. Thanks to DE it takes 8 – 10% less feed to maintain a healthy horse. DE helps the horse’s digestive system and helps keep down colic. If you don’t feed grain you can sprinkle DE right on the hay. Food grade DE is the only wormer we have used in seven years and we have no worms. You can also apply DE to treat wet spots in the horse pens”.

Cattle / Sheep / Goats / Pigs / Alpacas

Apply to pens, yards, housing, milking sheds, calving pads, wool sheds, hay storage areas, supplement feed containers, troughs – anywhere insect control will be beneficial. DE can be applied externally to cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, alpacas, llamas – all ruminant livestock on the farm to reduce external pests and discourage fleas, ticks, mites and lice on stock. Fill burlap or hessian sackings with DE and hang in races leaving milking sheds to enable cattle to brush against it and ‘self apply’ on an ‘as required’ basis.Internally as a natural de-wormer DE will eliminate internal parasite loads and nurture internal health and have many positive spin off benefits as a result. Supplementary feed at a rate of 2kg per 100kg of feed or 50 – 100 grams per cow per day. Feed ad-lib in containers livestock can access to help themselves to required amounts of DE. Studies overseas have concluded that they consume approximately the same amount as the RDA anyway. If supplementary feeding, remove 2kg of feed for every 100kg of supplementary feed and replace with DE. Blend and feed, supplementary meals should flow and pour better due to the anti-caking properties of DE. Some North American users have reported as high as an increase in 5 – 7% in milk production with the simple addition of DE to their cattle diets. Additionally some of the reports benefits include …

Decreased scours in calves Decreased mastitis in cows
Improved assimilation of pasture and feeds, requiring less feed overall
Vastly reduced vet bills, sickness and mortality
Better feed conversion, weight gain and productivity There is no withholding period for livestock intended for human consumption when supplement feeding food grade Fossil Shell Flour.
“Worked with 2000 calves for 2 years without a single case of scours using Fossil Shell Flour. He says, “Using Fossil Shell Flour we have been able to eliminate vaccines and antibiotics”.

Dr HD Johnson, DVM (now retired), Saskatchewan Clinic, Canada

The Michigan Department of Agriculture microscopically examined the internal organs of a dairy cow fed “free access choice DE for a period of five years and found no visible evidence of organ abnormalities”. University of Illinois referring to tests run on dairy cattle fed 2% of Fossil Shell Flour in their rations stated there was no apparent harmful effect and that there was no evidence of FSF in the milk. Jonnie Firestone says this on his sheep.

“We were losing one sheep every three days from fringe tape worm in the bile duct. We started feeding the animals Fossil Shell Flour mixed with salt and cotton seed meal. Within two weeks the dying stopped. Since that time we have had minimal losses – and not from worms. To say that I am sold on Fossil Shell Flour is an understatement. I suggest anyone to just try it, it doesn’t cost much”.

David Crosby, owner of Crosby Critters Boer Meat Goats, Tijeras, New Mexico. Has fed Fossil Shell Flour to all his animals for over 10 years now.

“We began feeding DE with the Alfalfa pellets and sweet feed and observed that they (the goats) gobbled it up as if it was sugar! They would lay in it (in the large feed pans) and roll and lick every last but from the pan. During the next six weeks I noticed their coats were slick and shiny and the feed is so efficient. This is the most exciting thing in animal care I have ever seen. I grew up on a dair farm in upstate NY. I believe DE has been the thing that keeps all our animals free of internal parasites … we have done nothing else. It is the only thing that could have made the difference”.

Chickens / Ducks / Pheasants / Fowl

Apply to coops, nest boxes, dusting boxes, floors & surfaces, feed containers, any congested areas flocks congregate. Apply directly to feathers, legs, feet, perches and bedding. Fill dust bath containers with DE to enable fowl to ‘dust themselves’ in DE to reduce external parasites. For severe infestations of parasites on fowl, immerse in DE, spread and dust thoroughly. Feather re-growth will become quickly apparent. Replace 5% of feed stockpiles with DE and blend prior to feeding out grains and manufactured feeds to introduce natural worming benefits and protect feeds from insect infestation. Grains and feeds should flow better due to the anti-caking properties of DE.DE internally fed and resulting build up in manure piles will reduce fly populations down and reduces odour considerably providing a more pleasant environment.Commercial chicken operators should experience some or all of the following benefits –

Decreased mortality and sickness
Harder egg shells and reduced breakage, the silica content in DE strengthens the shells.
Increased egg production through less deaths and longer lay periods
Better feed conversion, feed less, healthier birds generally
Fly loads in buildings will reduce significantly
Litter bugs will reduce considerably
Improved environment overall

There is no withholding period for table birds intended for human consumption when supplement feeding food grade Fossil Shell Flour.

Dr Philip Schaible, while heading the Department of Poultry Sciences at Michigan State University made the following report: “Contains 15 trace minerals important to animal diets. DE mixes well with all feeds while guarding against insect damage. Prevents worms and keeps virus epidemics from developing. Saves albumen, destroys harmful acids, safeguards the stomach. Improves health and growth of young animals. Causes better digestion, allowing animals to absorb a higher percentage of protein from its regular diet”.

Dr CS Hansen, DVM (now retired). Working with 8,000 chickens kept half on a regular diet and other other half he added Fossil Shell Flour to their diet. The Fossil Shell Flour group had a lower death rate, egg production went way up and egg breakage when way down.