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DE's "mode of action" is mechanical, and only works on insects.  DE has tiny, sharp "edges" and it passes undigested through the digestive tract so that it is present in the manure.  As fly larvae are hatched, the DE gets into their respiratory systems, which work kind of like delicate little "bellows"--and it lacerates them and kills the flies.  So, it has some value as a pass-through for fly control and might lower your bot population somewhat, since this is a part of the life-cycle of bots. 

 

However, other intestinal parasites do not hatch into an insect phase, and hence are not affected at all by DE.  It would have no effect whatsoever on the tough outer coating of ascarid or strongyle eggs that are passed in the manure, and the mature worms in the GI tract do not have respiratory systems as such, since they do not rely on breathing air.  They get their oxygen directly from the blood of the host.  And since DE is not absorbed at all, it has no effect on any other stages of the life cycles of internal parasites, either.

 

So, if you have a fly problem and want to feed DE as a part of your fly control program, go for it.  It isn't 100% effective, but it does cut them down somewhat.  But it has virtually no effect on internal parasites.

 

Heidi

 

 

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [RC] Diatomaceous's Earth for worming?
From: "Kathy Mayeda" <klmayeda@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, October 25, 2008 2:06 am
To: nutzo4horses@xxxxxxxxx
Cc: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

I haven't used DE, but I believe there had been studies proving that it's not too effective.  I am in a public boarding place in pasture, so I feel that the use of ivermectin is very important because of the lack of pristine manure control and the comings and goings of horse population in the pasture means that there's continual chance of worm infestation.

 

With a closed herd, I'm sure that deworming can be decreased significantly with proper management.

 

K.

On Fri, Oct 24, 2008 at 11:09 PM, Carrie Kitley <nutzo4horses@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Does anyone use diatomaceous earth for worming, rather than using chemicals?  If so, how much do you give, how often, etc?  Thanks

~Carrie  <\_~
              // \\

 

"The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears." 

~ Old Arabian Proverb

 

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