Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
ods aren't a replacement for current medical practices, but I believe that many
alternatives deserve serious consideration.
Our earliest forays into alternative medicine began with homeopathy.
Homeopathic preparations are made from a wide variety of natural sub-
stances. One of the fi rst preparations we began using in our quest to minimize
the use of antibiotics was homeopathic sulfur, and our success rate with it was
good enough to convince us that alternative medicine wasn't simply quackery.
Over the next few years, with lots of further study, we began using numbers
of preparations for certain problems that crop up from time to time. Learning
more about alternative practices takes time and research but may be worth
it for you, and if you are considering organic production, they are the main
treatments you will rely on for a lot of problems.
Natural Defenses
Natural defense begins with physical barriers. Skin, wool, and hooves actually
do a pretty good job of keeping away most organisms.
The second defense is simply washing away invaders. Bleeding, saliva,
tears, and urine all help to fl ush invading organisms out and away from the
body. Enzymes, which are chemicals that naturally occur in bodily fl uids, also
help fi ght invaders. A wounded sheep licks its wounds — not only does the
licking remove pathogens, but the enzymes in the saliva help disinfect the
area as well.
ALTERNATIVE NUTRITION AND
MINERAL SUPPLEMENTATION
An important part of alternative health practices relates to nutrition
and minerals. Some farmers and researchers in New Zealand are
reporting that by feeding fi sh meal to lambs (in other words, boost-
ing their nutrition), they are seeing a reduction in worm problems.
Doug Gunnick, who raises lambs organically in Minnesota, reports
that with a mixture of garlic and cayenne pepper added to his
lambs' feed, he has no trouble with worms and uses no chemical
dewormers. Other folks feed diatomaceous earth and report that it
helps to reduce worm counts. (We use it ourselves.) Diatomaceous
earth is fossilized shells of diatoms, which are prehistoric one-
celled organisms.
 
 
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