VIEWS ON NATURAL ALTERNATIVES
By: "Linda Carlson - Little Critters Farm"
About the Author
I am curious if anyone has tried Hoegger's Herbal Wormer and if so, how effective have you found it to be? I would like to have "organic" goat milk (have even found an organic feed), so I am attracted to the idea of an herbal wormer. But does it work? The herbal wormer ingredients are listed as follows: worm wood, gentian, fennel, psyllium and quassia Any thoughts? Or have I thrown my money away?
Hi Leah,
What are the "herbal" ingredients of this particular wormer? I am wondering if they have added Black Walnut to it. We grow several Black Walnut trees here and our goats have access to them - leaves and walnuts falling off the trees. At first I thought that this was working but it turned out to not be. I have to admit that a certain amount (or type) of worms showed up less, but lungworms still seem to run rampant in our herd from time to time.
I know that some people claim that herbal wormers work but I think it is a careful balance between really seeing that it is working (through doing your own fecals) and other browse the goats have access to. One plant can counteract the effects (and benefits) of another.
On a slightly different twist - there are claims that diatomaceous earth (DE)is a good wormer. This has proven to not be true - at least according to some reports that I have read from TAMU.
I have only heard of these ingredients but have never heard how effective they really are. There must be something to it or they wouldn't sell. The only real way to tell just how effective they are is by learning to do fecals and measuring the kill ratio you get - before and after. So I would not kick myself to hard yet for buying a natural herbal wormer. You never know, they just may work!
There is an article entitled "Learning How To Do Your Own Fecals" in the GoatWorld Article section. I'd strongly suggest reading this and considering learning how to do these checks - it really is fairly simple and does not really cost all that much - cost of a microscope which can be anywhere from $30 and up - you don't need a sooper dooper fancy one. The kind at Toy Stores have enough range to see what you will be looking for. If you have any questions about learning to do them, please let me know and I will see what I can do to help.
Best regards,
Gary Pfalzbot
Hi everyone ,Way back down the line when I first started doing my own fecals,I ran across A wonderful paper doing an exstinsive experiment, with herbs - verses drugs. Been looking for it [for you all] in my rubble.Any way . drugs won. But the herb worked very well also. The Herbs were probly easier on thier systems.Oh yes panacure is my choice for lung worms. Cant stand this , Have to go dig some more. Be back....Goat mom. [Maybe herbs won?????]
I have a friend that told me that pine needles from a pine tree are a natural goat wormer. She is very into the herbal stuff, and I will ask her what type of wormer she uses. But doesn't each wormer not work in all areas?
