7 things to know about natural worm control
Many people prefer to use natural health strategies for their livestock, but there's a lot of misinformation on what works, and what doesn't.
Drench resistance is on the rise, and I find block owners are frequently looking for alternative options to chemical drenching. Gut worms naturally evolve, outsmarting the available drench products (deworming drugs) on the market over time.
Resistant worms are widespread throughout the country, especially on lifestyle blocks. Species such as goats are particularly hard hit, with underdosing and over-drenching the two big problems.
Do natural dewormers work?
I've heard about a lot of 'natural dewormers' over the years. Most have little to no scientific evidence to prove they work. Some are even harmful. There are proven, natural ways to prevent worm burdens – see pages 52-53.
There are many 'deworming' ingredients suggested with huge enthusiasm on social media and websites, including:
• apple cider vinegar;
• diatomaceous earth;
• garlic;
• pumpkin seeds.
It's crucial to understand that grazing ruminants (sheep, cattle, goats, alpaca) have very different gut anatomy from other animals such as cats, dogs, poultry, and humans. You may see something convincing relating to one species, but it doesn't always translate from one animal to another.
Myth 1: apple cider vinegar (ACV) The idea that ACV may affect gut worms in ruminants is almost funny if it wasn't so prevalent.
ACV has long carried many claims for good health in humans. There is some research into what it does in humans, but nothing definitive in ruminants.
The theory I hear is that the acetate in ACV changes the pH of a ruminant's intestines, making it uninhabitable for gut worms.
However, the first chamber of the ruminant stomach (the rumen) holds litres of fluid and naturally contains large amounts of acetate (which animals use for energy).
The rumen needs to be pH 6.2-7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral) for good animal health. Adding a tablespoon of ACV to feed or using it as a drench doesn't affect the rumen or gut worms – all it may do is potentially burn the animal's oesophagus on the way down.
If you could administer enough ACV to change the pH of the rumen – and it would be an enormous volume – it would kill the animal.
Furthermore, gut worms don't live in the rumen. A drench must work its way through three more stomach chambers