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Animal HealthThis chapter contains information on animal health and it covers a wide range of infor-mation from management to ensure good animal health followed by specific problems, their causes and characteristics, prevention measures, and treatment for acute cases. Material was gathered from many sources, and many people have given us information and treatments that has worked for them. It is collection of information to help you better understand aspects of animal health and some options you have. We do not claim to have found every treatment, and we do not claim to have used them all. They are guidelines only. Any treatment could be succesful depending on appropriate materials, knowledge and method of administration at the time.

At all times, however, we must remember our obliga-tions to provide the five freedoms under the Animal Welfare Act Code of Practice:

1. Proper and sufficient food and water

2. Adequate shelter

3. The opportunity to display normal patterns of behaviour

4. Appropriate physical handling

5. Protection from, and rapid diagnosis of injury and disease

Animal health and stock management• Good stock management is essential

• Observe and evaluate

• Inform yourself of the range of remedies available

• Use professionals for advice, especially for diagnosis

• No animal must suffer

• Animals need time to adjust to organics.

Good stock management combined with healthy soil, balanced pasture, shade, shelter and water, results in good animal health with few problems. The same good management principals used on conventional farms need to be applied in an organic system too. However, the organic farmer needs to take a ‘step back’ and look at what he or she is doing with the animal within the whole farm system.

The selection process over the last 100 years has led to higher yielding animals within an environment that is modified from their natural habitat. A cow in the wild was designed to generally raise 1 calf to weaning per year, which equates to production of around 100kg milk solids. We are trying to now extract >400kgMS/cow, 4 times what it was designed to do. We make cows walk around farms to and from cowsheds. They are designed to roam and forage quietly and slowly. The rumen is typically designed to break down fibrous, bulky and starchy feeds through bacteria and microorganisms, and we are changing the diet radically to a more soluble carbohydrate/protein base. Cows were not native to NZ. We now have animals modified through selection with greater demands put on them. The following section will give information on some of the things you need to do to create the healthiest possible environment for your animals.

Because of the demands on animals today, there is a need for better management to enable the production levels expected to be achieved: management of pastures, ensuring the animals have adequate grass and water, and that they are well fed at all times. Good stockmanship is also important for the physical and mental well being of the animals.

Observations are also important. Stand back and look at the whole picture. Ask yourself questions and find possible reasons and answers, then look for the solutions. Why did this happen and when? What has caused this? What options do I have to solve this problem? Which ones do I use or try? Who can I talk to? What can I do to prevent it happening again?

Often a problem surfaces, and if you stand back for a while to see what happens and observe (instead of using first aid immediately) the problem sorts itself out. That does not mean, however, that you have right to let an animal suffer. Some animals do not have the natural ability to fit into an organic regime and this usually comes out as an animal health problem. The suggestion is that if that animal shows repeated weakness, cull or sell her, and question whether to keep her offspring.

Preventative measures are the key to many outbreaks; and tonics, herbal remedies and some homoeopathic remedies are effective in this. Feeding your animals appropriately and ensuring they are healthy is still the number one strategy. For acute cases, homoeopathy and some herbal remedies can be effective.

Stocking rates need also to be considered for healthy animals. Noone can tell you what the stocking rate for your farm should be, as each farm is different, but you are the best judge of what stocking rate ensures the animals are contented and have adequate feed to remain a good condition score and healthy. It is also really important to develop a good relationship with a vet sympathetic to alternative remedies, as there will be times when you need him/her, especially for diagnosis. A good homeopath or herbalist is another valuable contact person.

The longer you spend working through building up an organic system, the more metabolic problems in stock disappear, and as a result you deal with less and less problems as time goes by.

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Stock management• Have plan A and Plan B organised on how you are going

to convert with the aim of having strong, healthy soil; strong, diverse pasture; and healthy well fed stock.

• Plan your fertiliser regime and include any nutrition short-falls

• Consider the animal health problems you already have and how you are going to deal with them.

• Watch your grazing patterns. Feed your young stock well.

• Consider your stock numbers.

• Observe your grass and its growth patterns. Feed it with liquid fertiliser

• Avoid nitrogen problems by using fish fertiliser wisely

• Liquid seaweed is a good conditioner

• Test, measure and observe the mineral status of your herd, plants and soils.

• Allow for supplements or crops for times of feed pinches

• Source supplementary feed to fill shortfalls in nutrition. Work with your organic advisor or certifying agency on this. They are allowed but there are conditions.

• You can buy in 10% conventional stock each year. There are conditions, however.

• Animal health problems generally change from metabolic problems to environmental.

• When a problem occurs stand back, look and think about it. Evaluate the situation. Why has it arisen? What can be done now? What are the alternative remedies? What can be done in the future to prevent this reoccurring?

• Think laterally, be observant, talk to others, have strategies and plans.

• If you are not getting a response to therapy, conventional treatment can and must be used to ensure that the animal doesn’t suffer. Check with your certifier about how to manage an animal that has had a prohibited or restricted treatment.

Liver samples are current preferred indicators for:

Selenium (Se), copper (Cu) and cobalt (Co)

Blood tests are current preferred indicators for:

Zinc (Zn) and Iodine (I)

Most of the good stock management practices used by conventional farmers apply to organic farming. So keep practicing these skills and continue to learn them.

Having adequate grass ahead of you is important. This includes good quality grass with fibre. A variety of species in your pasture will ensure this. Having reserves of supplementary feed is also important for the periods you know the grass will be inadequate. Organic grass often can be shorter, but should still have adequate energy levels. Liquid fertilisers

can help the situation, although be aware of putting on no more than the recommended amount of fish fertiliser as it contains nitrogen and an excess can create an imbalance in the soil microorganisms. Seaweed fertilisers contain many other elements and it is a plant and soil conditioner, strengthening the plant. Biodynamic preparations enhance the balance of good soil and pasture and, in turn, nutrition. The use of compost, vermicast and compost teas also help. A refractometer will give you a reading of the energy levels of your grass.

Watch your grazing patterns. Don’t forget that calves and heifers need good constant feed. Also allow for grazing to avoid worm damage to calves. (Graze them on longer grass in front of cows.) Always watch and evaluate your stock. Think of the time of the year and the rate of growth.

Observe your grass and its growth patterns. Biodynamic (Demeter) farmers do notice there is more growth during an ascending phase of their biodynamic calendar (see Biodynamics section) which occurs every two weeks each month, and not much growth during the descending phase.

As you move from a conventional to organic system, there are times when the grass becomes less available due to the pastures adjusting to an organic regime. This can be allevi-ated or avoided depending on your level of dependence on chemicals. Many farmers try to go straight into a total organic strategy (also known as cold turkey). This can put you back, so it may be prudent for your particular situation to consider taking 2 or more extra years to reach a full organic system. This could minimise financial and production problems, as well as reducing animal health problems during the transition period. Use this time to get your soil in optimum balance.

You can assist the transition process by planning a fertiliser strategy to change from superphosphate to RPR while at the same time keeping all other soil test elements in balance. Incorporate mixed herbage when renovating pasture – remember you are trying to introduce variety into your pastures. Involve your fertiliser rep and your farm advisor with your planning. Talk to other organic farmers about their experi-ences and attend field–days to gather information. Also see the Soil Chapter and plan a strategy to make this transition smoother.

Allow for supplements in times of feed pinches, just as you would do on a conventional farm. If you are able to make your own, or can source organic feed, this will make it easier. Otherwise 10% brought in feed from conventional sources based on the annual dry matter requirements of your stock over the 12–month period can be brought in to the farm, depending on your certifying agent. Please remember to get a letter stating any treatment that was had on the material and if there is any GE involved. If there was none, a letter is still required stating that. This feed can also only be fed as 10% to 25% of their daily requirements, depending on what your certifying agency’s rules are. It is not allowed as a matter of course each year, but only for times of shortages. Therefore, you must plan to avoid these. If that is not possible, talk to your organic advisor or certifying

agency to see what you can do. If in doubt, check first.

Crops are a good option and can still be grown using mechan-ical methods to keep weeds under control. If you choose the right crops, they can be either grazed or made into silage. See the Environmental Chapter for tips on growing crops. It is important to remember to look after the soil as best you can when cropping.

You may need at times to source shortfalls in nutrition (e.g. copper, selenium, molasses). Trace elements can be added to fertiliser. Get levels as realistic as possible before applying for certification. When applying for certification you will need to present a management plan if further supplements are needed. They can also be added to mineral or salt blocks. Check with your certifying agency first. Some nutritional supplements such as molasses or other materials may be permitted under specific conditions if certified free of GE and calculated within the 10% of brought-in feed. Contact your certifying agency before buying re procedures and permission.

When considering converting look at your stocking rates. It is probably better to be slightly understocked than to run the risk of having too many. After a while you will find the right balance. Remember, unless there is another source of certified organic grazing off farm, or certified organic stock that can be bought in, you may have to look at having all stock on the farm.

Will you need to cut down on the number of milking cows to accommodate your young stock and do things well? If the answer is yes, what priorities are you going to put on your culling – high SCC cows? Low fertility cows? Mastitis or cows with bad feet? Low producers? As a general principal it is a good idea to identify problems you already have and cull these out or deal with them as much as possible to avoid further problems. If, during conversion, problems occur and the cull rate is higher than normal, put another plan into action to replace any necessary animals. Remember, bought in animals (conventional) are certified for milk 12 months after arriving on the farm, but will never be certified for meat. Therefore if this happens, in beginning conversion, producing cows may be the answer if your milk will not be sold as organic for up to 12 months. Otherwise, yearlings grazed for 12 months could be the answer if you are nearer conversion and you can anticipate the problem.

The certifying agencies generally allow 10% bought in conven-tional stock each year. Calves can be bought as 4–7day olds and gain certification after 12 months provided they did not have any prohibited substances (antibiotics etc.) before you received them. A letter is needed stating this. Conventional cows and calves (4–7 days old) can be bought in as mentioned previously. The calves are organic for meat, the cows for milk after 12 months, but the cows never for meat. In times of extremes, e.g. drought, flood, poor calving performance, and high infertility, you can get an exemption from the 10% from your certifying agency after presenting a management plan. They will be happy to work it through with you.

Fibre content of a ruminant dietFibre content of a cows diet is frequently overlooked these days and yet it holds the key to cow health. A cows main stomach – the rumen – works best in a narrow pH range. When the pH remains steady all the many different types of microbes in this big chamber get on with their business in helping to start the breakdown of the plant material eaten. If the pH strays below 6.5 or go above 7 it indicates a problem. Cows fed on grain can have a rumen pH between 5 and 6 but should it fall below 5 there are serious consequences.

How can we tell if the diet contains enough fibre?We could send the plant material away to a laboratory and get an indication this way but this takes time and is costly. It is not uncommon for the result to indicate that the diet contains enough fibre and yet when you go and look at the cows they indicate that all is not well.

The cow can tell us in two different ways that her diet has enough fibre.

Cud chewing. Take the time to watch the herd after they have had their morning fill of pasture etc. (3 or more hours access to a new paddock) and see how many are chewing their cud (assuming that they are not asleep, drinking, licking other cows, bulling etc.). As a guide you should have 60 to 70% of your herd chewing their cud. They should chew each cud about 30 times and then swallow it and there should be two cuds (regurgitations of rumenal contents) for each minute. If cows are not chewing their cud then the rumen microbe factory is not a happy camp. Veterinarians typically see chronic lameness and mastitis problems in herds with dysfunctional rumens. If you wish to limit these problems modify the diet and let the cow tell you when you have got it right – 2 cuds per minute and 60 to 70% of the cows cud chewing after 3 or more hours post eating.

Dung consistency. The second way the cow tells us that her diet has enough fibre is by what is coming out the rear end! When her dung falls on the ground you should hear a plop, plop sound and if she is stationary the dung should form a pile. If the dung comes out and hits the ground six feet behind the cow and disappears out of sight on pasture or runs away on a concrete slope you should be trying to determine what is wrong and rectifying the problem. There could be many causes for this type of dung but if parasitism, Johne’s disease, other infectious causes (Yersinia, Salmonella, Coccidosis etc), and excess nitrogen and poisonings are discounted then look to see if adequate fibre is present in the diet.

What has fibre in it?Mature pasture (summer) has a higher fibre content in it compared to immature pasture. Hay and straw are an excellent source of fibre. To be effective the plant stem lengths have to be over 3 cm long – if you have chopped a fibrous plant up

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(maize for example) into small pieces to compact it in a pit you do not have long fibres present! You now have to provide this fibre if the grass or the other components of the diet do not provide enough. Straw (or hay if you don’t have straw) should be fed with maize silage or with any high carbohydrate containing foodstuff for cows at a rate of up to 1kg per cow per day. It is imperative that the cow chews her cud to make the many tens of litres of saliva required to neutralise the acid pH which develops with the breakdown of these rapidly digest-ible food types in the rumen. If this is not provided you will have cows with many types of rumen microflora that would have been killed off by the acidic pH, cows with belly ache and increased numbers of cows with bowel upsets like displaced abomasum, bowel torsion etc. These types of problems were once rarely seen in dairy veterinary practice in New Zealand but are commonplace now. Lameness can follow weeks to months after an acute or severe rumen upset with problems resulting from subclinical laminitis with the white line of the foot revealing defects.

Don’t overlook fibre content in a cows diet!A sign an animal has enough fibre in her diet is: 1. ‘Trip up’ cow pats 2. 60–70% chewing their cuds when otherwise not occupied.

General tools for animal health

This section provides a summary of the main tools available to the organic farmer for dealing with specific animal health problems. In all cases a fairly brief summary is given, which is enough to get you started. However, it is strongly recommended that you form your own opinions about what works for you and what doesn’t, by reading more widely and giving things a go on your own farm. Always remember, however, that the welfare of the animal is paramount. It may take you a little time to gain confidence and get things right – don’t let your animals suffer in the meantime.

The most widely used tools are the practices of homoeopathy and herbal medicine. Homoeopathy has been around for more than 100 years and many farmers in New Zealand are now using homoeopathy successfully. The use of herbal medicine has been existence from the beginnings of recorded human history. Cider vinegar is a proven treatment and is a mainstay for organic farmers. The use of colloidal silver is a conten-tious subject and it is recommended that with this subject in particular you inform yourselves as much as possible.

NOTE: The word ‘remedy’ is used frequently in this chapter, particularly in relation to homoeopathy. The term ‘homoeopathic remedy’ has widespread use throughout international homoeopathic literature and the word remedy is used here to maintain consistency with established terminology. In this context the word remedy is used by its broader dictionary definition, not its specific interpretation in New Zealand animal remedies law.

Animal remedies laws:From Neil Kennington, Assessor, ACVM Group, NZ Food Safety Authority:

August 2003. (This act may change from time to time)

Under the ACVM Act agricultural compounds including veterinary medicines used on animals have to be registered unless they are exempt.

There are three exemptions, which are particularly relevant to organic farmers:

• Schedule 1 exemption number 1 allows the use of compounds prepared by a person for use by the person on animals and plants on land or water occupied by the person. This is subject to a code of practice which is approved under the act and can be found omn the ACVM web site.

• Schedule 2 oral and topical homoeo-pathic preparations which do not make claims for diseases characterised by pain or distress in animals.

• Schedule 2 plant and unrefined plant extracts which do not make claims for diseases characterised by pain or distress in animals.

The web site is www.nzfsa.govt.nz/acvm/

Regulations can be found at

www.nzfsa.govt.nz/acvm/legislation/ 2001r101–1.pdf

The relevant code is

www.nzfsa.govt.nz/acvm/subject/codes– of–practice/own–compounds.pdf

The ACVM Act has strong links with other legisla-tion such as the Animal Welfare Act and the Animal Products Act. It should be noted that while products may be available without claims for specific diseases the owner takes the responsibility for using these products of label and any consequences resulting from inadequate treatment either under the ACVM Act or the Welfare Act. The 5 Animal Freedoms under the Animal Welfare Act can be seen at the beginning of this Animal Health chapter.

HomoeopathyThis section is based on

contributions by Tineke

Verkade and Heather

Stewart.

Homoeopathy is a gentle, effective system of healing, which assists the natural tendency of the body to heal itself.

Homoeopathic remedies stated throughout this Resource Guide are recorded from experience and use by various people. There is, however, no scientific data to back up the results as yet. They are to be used to aid recovery, but should the animal need other treatments, these should also be given. We suggest you inform yourself further by attending a course or finding a good reference book on homoeopathy.

• Based on a gentle system of healing.

• Based on the principle ‘like cures like’

• It is cheap, effective

• Thousands of remedies are available

• Each remedy is individual so keep trying until you

get the right one

• Get a good homoeopathic book and find a helpful

homoeopath

• Attend a course to learn all about it.

IntroductionTraditionally, homoeopathy has been used to treat illnesses of people using homoeopathic preparations determined by a careful building of the ‘symptom picture’ for each individual.

Many farmers are becoming aware of the possibilities of using homoeopathy as an alternative means of looking after health in their stock, either by learning about homoeopathy themselves or consulting a homoeopath specialising in the care of animals.

There are two approaches to the use of homoeopathy with animals. One is to use it as a means to encourage the immune systems of animals to repair themselves, and the other is to use it to optimise good health in the stock during ‘at risk’ times so that the animals are much less likely to develop poor health in the first place.

There are products now available for applying homoeopathy to animal health issues that are easy to use, do not involve the

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need to learn about homoeopathy and which offer methods of application of the products which are simple and do not require the training and supervision of staff.

Whichever approach or service farmers use, homoeopathy can offer significant savings for farmers and is particularly useful for farmers converting to formal certified organic methods of farming, or just a preference for biological methods which don’t involve pharmaceuticals.

What is homoeopathy?Homoeopathy is a gentle, effective and scientifically based system of healing that assists the natural defence mechanism of the body heals itself.

A central principle of the homoeopathic approach is that every being is unique and the treatment must be tailored to the indi-vidual on all levels – physical, emotional and mental.

Homoeopathy seeks to heal in accordance with natural laws of healing and uses substances from the mineral, animal and plant kingdoms to make remedies.

The history of homoeopathyThe founder of homoeopathy was Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician and scholar (1755–1843). Hahnemann became disillusioned with the practice of medicine of his day because of the harsh and brutal treatments such as cauterising, mercury treatment, bleeding, purging and blis-tering. These treatments were relatively ineffective as cures and caused terrible side effects for the patients. As a result, Hahnemann gave up the practice of medicine and began to translate medical books in order to earn his living. It was while translating Dr William Cullen’s book Lectures on the Materia Medica that Hahnemann found what was to become the key to the development of homoeopathy. In this work Cullen claimed that the substance cinchona bark, from which quinine is extracted, cured intermittent fever (malaria). He stated that the cure was effected because of the astringent and bitter qualities of cinchona bark. Hahnemann was sceptical of this explanation and tested small doses of the cinchona bark on himself. He observed that he developed similar symptoms to those of malaria. After further testing the substance on many people, Hahnemann concluded that cinchona bark, in a healthy person (one who did not have malaria), showed similar symptoms to this disease. This was the first proving of a substance. Hahnemann went on to experiment with many more substances in the same manner. He observed and docu-mented the symptoms of his findings, eventually collating all the information in a book called Materia Medica.

Principles of homoeopathyHomoeo = similar Pathos = Suffering Law of similars.

Like cures like

This means that a substance that will produce symptoms in a healthy person will cure a sick person displaying similar symptoms. For example, a person with a cold may develop watering eyes and a burning runny nose. The remedy Allium cepa (derived from the red onion) produces these symptoms in a healthy person and will help to relieve the cold.

PotentisationHahnemann found that his patients reacted better, more dramatically and gently, if he diluted the medicine. He devel-oped a serial dilution method of 1 in 100, called the centesimal dilution scale. The number listed after the remedy’s name is the indicator of how many dilutions it has undergone. E.g. belladonna 30c has been diluted 1in 100, 30 times. In between each dilution Hahnemann shook the medicine vigorously which he called succussion. With these highly diluted potencies Hahnemann discovered he could safely employ even poisonous substances for their therapeutic benefit; e.g. homoeopathy often employs Merc Sol for severe infections. The potentisa-tion process removes the toxicity of the crude substance. Homoeopathic pharmacies prepare medicine today as per Hahnemann’s medicine. The most common potency used in New Zealand is 30c. Upon Homoeopathic advice higher may be prescribed. The higher the potency the stronger the effect.

Why use homoeopathy?• Safe and effective form of treatment

• Effective on humans and animals

• No suppression of symptoms for later reappearance

• No dependence on diagnoses – requires observation of symptoms

• No need for laboratory trials on animals for proving medicines

• Allowance for and dependence on patient individuality

• A treatment for the whole patient

• Works with the body’s defence mechanism to effect improvement

• No environmental pollution

• No withholding period

• Fits with organic standards

• Duration of disease is shortened.

• Lower costs.

Things to remember when using homoeopathy

Store in a cool dark place, well away from sunlight and strong smelling substances.

Avoid electrical fields when finding a storage area.

Always succuss or pulse the bottle before use (pump bottle to ball of other hand a few times) to get energy levels moving.

Avoid touching remedy during administration.

Avoid contamination of bottles. This makes them ineffective.

Use a spray bottle or a dropper from the bottle. It can be put on the tongue or any other mucous membrane of the cow.

Use the same dispenser for the same remedy.

AdministrationOne spray per individual cow.

1 capful or 1 dropper in trough for whole herd.

If sunny administer at night (sunlight renders its ineffective).

Frequency as a general rule of thumbAcute: 1 spray every 15–30 mins for 4 treatments only

Chronic: 1 spray 2x per day for 3 days

Prevention: initially 1x day for 3 days, then 1x per week or 1x per months per instructions.

Remember: Little is more effective.

30c is considered a safe potency to work with.

Herbal medicine• Herbs have strong healing powers

• Include the use of any herbs, plants or weeds with medicinal properties

• Are used fresh or dried in teas, poultices and ointments

• Identify herbs by their botanical name to ensure the correct plant is used

• Always have fresh herbs in the garden, dried herbs in storage, and ointments made up ready.

Herbs are used for every condition known to Man, in the treatment of both human and animal disease, internally and externally.

Modern medicine has attempted to mimic the properties and benefits of herbs by isolating the active constituents in the laboratory and synthesising them. This is not ideal because herbs heal synergistically with a complex interaction of all the constituents to provide healing properties for the whole body.

We find herbs in the garden, the pasture, the bush and even among the weeds. Many herbs grow in a specific location to replace a vital soil nutrient (e.g. gorse is high in nitrogen). These plants are called soil indicators, and are usually weeds, but can be made into weed teas to boost nutrient levels in the soil. Herbalists have experimented for centuries with various plants, and no longer use plants such as belladonna, which is poisonous, although it can be used safely in homoeopathy.

Treating your animals herbally means being prepared. There are no over–the–counter remedies at the local veterinary clinic, and the available literature on herbal remedies for animals only applies to livestock in the Northern Hemisphere with different health issues, using herbs which are often unavailable here. If they do happen to grow here, we may call them something else, as common names are not universal; such as ‘carrot weed’ (Daucus carota) which is definitely not the carrot weed growing in Northland, New Zealand.

However, any reliable medicinal herbal book will give you the information you need. The information for humans can be applied to any animal. You simply adapt the dosages to the size of animal you are dealing with. A herb which promotes milk production, for instance, such as fennel, will do so in a woman or a cow.

Use a veterinary guide to let you know what condition you are dealing with, then refer to a herbal book for the appropriate treatment. Individual conditions and their remedies are too extensive to list here.

You are also going to need a book to identify herbs growing in New Zealand, as you cannot rely on local common names to guide you. Always go by the botanical name of the plant, or you may end up treating your animal with something totally ineffective, or poisonous.

There is a booklist at the end of the Animal Health Chapter.

Below is a list of common herbs found in the wild or at garden centres in New Zealand. Some we call weeds, other herbs, but others are hiding as garden ornamentals by another name. Try to grow as many as you can, in the house, garden, herbal leys, or around the edges of paddocks where they

can’t be trampled. Some won’t grow in your region, but fortunately there are many herbs to choose from and just one or two from each group of herbal actions should be sufficient. If they are perennials, you will be able to use them fresh, but if an annual, you

will need to harvest and dry. Also, some herbs we might only use a part such as the flower, which needs to be collected and dried at the

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appropriate time.

Remember to harvest, and prepare your herbs beforehand if they are seasonal. Some herbs, such as chickweed (Stellaria media) or cleavers (Galium aparine) can disappear just when you need them. Even comfrey goes underground in the winter and is hard to find in the long grass.

When you have a list of what you can harvest locally, look up their uses and create a personal reference chart of their actions, and applications to individual ailments. Keep a column free for comments about dosages, methods of administration, or a formula you find that works. You will build a worthwhile body of knowledge to share, and to use yourself again and again. Experiment a little, the herbs in the list following all have a long history of use.

Once you have established a ready supply of the basics, practice makes perfect. This is how it was done for many hundreds of years. You are carrying on a proud tradition – one which has many health benefits, for yourself, your family, and your animals.

Exercise caution with all herbs when the animal is pregnant or lactating.

Herbs can be classified according to their actions or their effect on the body. Using a NZ Veterinary Guide or similar text, you can identify the type of treatment required, and then refer to the chart for the appropriate herb or combination of herbs. A problem such as facial eczema may need an antifungal such as garlic (see note below) and a hepatic (liver support) for the damage done to the liver. Good diagnosis will make treatment more effective.

Note: Garlic has over 3000 scientific

studies on its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal,

anti-yeast and anti-viral properties. There

is not a herb that has been more widely

researched. One is Jerry Lutomski (1987)

Components and Biological Properties

of some Ailium Species: Poland Institute

of Medicinal Plants.

Easily found and useful herbs of New ZealandScientific name Common name

Allium sativum Garlic

Achillea millefolium Yarrow

Aloe vera

Artemesia absinthium Wormwood

Avena species Oats

Borago officinalis Borage

Calendula officinalis Calendula (not Calendula tagetes – the true marigold)

Capsella bursa pastoris Shepherd’s purse

Cynara scolymus Globe artichoke

Echinacea purpurea Echinacea

Equisetum arvense Horsetail

Foeniculum vulgare Fennel

Galega offinialis Goat’s rue

Galium aparine Cleavers

Hypericum perforatum St John’s wort

Linum usitatissimum Flaxseed/Linseed

Malva slyvestris Mallow

Marrubium vulgare Horehound

Matricaria recutita German chamomile

Melissa officinalis Lemon balm

Mentha species Mint family

Plantago major Broad–leaved plantain

Plantago lanceolata Narrow–leaved plantain

Populus sp. Poplar

Rumex crispus Yellow or curly dock

Salix species Willow

Salvia officinalis Sage

Sambucus nigra Elder

Stellaria media Chickweed

Silybum marianum Milk/Variegated thistle

Symphytum uplandicum Russian comfrey

Tanacetum vulgare Tansy

Thymus vulgaris Thyme

Taraxacum officinale Dandelion

Trifollium pratense Red clover

Urtica urens Stinging nettle

Verbascum thapsis Mullein

Verbena officinalis Vervain

Actions and related herbs

To maximise the effectiveness of these herbs, look at your

references to make sure you use the appropriate part of the

plant, and the appropriate dosage. Refer to the previous

list for the correct Latin name and to ensure you have the

correct variety.

Antimicrobial (anti–fungal, viral, and bacterial)

Garlic Thyme CalendulaSt John’s wort Echinacea EucalyptusSage*

Analgesic (pain relief)

Willow Poplar

Alterative (blood purifier)

Red Clover Cleavers NettleCurly dock Echinacea

Antiseptic (infections)

Australian ti tree Thyme EchinaceaGarlic Manuka RosemaryEucalyptus Calendula YarrowSt John’s Wort Oakbark Sage*

Anti– inflammatory (+also promotes healing)

Yarrow + Calendula + Elder +Plantain + St John’s Wort + Echinacea +Comfrey + Borage German chamomilePoplar Rosemary WillowFeverfew *

Anti–spasmodic (reduces muscle spasms/contractions)

Lemon balm Vervain

Carminative (digestive) e.g. colic

Fennel Dill PeppermintGerman chamomile Ginger Sage*Lemon balm

Demulcent (soothing) e.g. burns, wounds, poultice

Comfrey Plantain Flaxseed (Linseed)Aloe Vera Marshmallow ChickweedCalendula Mullein

Galactagogue (promotes milk production)

Goat’s rue Borage FennelMilk thistle Nettle

Hepatic (strengthens liver function)

Dandelion Yarrow Globe artichokeMilk thistle Curly dock

Insecticidal (kills or repels insects)

Neem Pyrethum Garlic

Nutritive (nourishes the body)

Rosehips Vitamin CDandelion Potassium, PhosphorousComfrey Protein, Vitamin B12, Calcium, PotassiumOak CalciumRed clover Magnesium, Calcium, Copper, Selenium, Cobalt

Equisetum SilicaNettle Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Vitamin KYarrow Manganese, CopperCoffee Potassium

Oxytocic (stimulates uterine contractions) e.g. retained afterbirth

Pennyroyal* Wormwood* Feverfew*Yarrow* Tansy*

Pectoral (strengthens lungs)

Horehound Comfrey (external use) MulleinRibwort plantain Kumarahou

Sedative (relaxes nerves)

Hops Chamomile OatsLemon balm Vervain

Syptic (stops bleeding)

Nettle Yarrow Shepherd’s purseHorsetail Witchhazel MulleinOakbark

Tonic (energises and tones the body)

Cleavers Curly Dock Nettle Yarrow Echinacea Borage

Vermifuge (expels or destroys worms)

Wormwood* Garlic ThymeTansy*

* Use with caution – inhibits milk production and induces abortion

This is not an exhaustive list. These are simply herbs which

are widely available, and easy to prepare. Look around

you, and talk to other farmers who may have knowledge

of remedies from the local bush.

Warning: These herbs recommended are all old well–used

remedies with minimal side–effects, except to pregnant or

lactating animals. The herbs here are considered to be safe if

used in the right way, but we do not recommend the admin-

istrations of concentrated tinctures or extracts or oils without

professional medical or veterinary advice.

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Treating with herbsThere are a number of ways we can administer these healing plants to our sick animals: fresh, dried herbs, teas, poultices and ointments.

Fresh• Fresh is always the best.

• Grow them around the pasture, in shelterbelts, and herbal leys and allow the animal to graze them. Note: be sure to avoid planting herbs where there may be concerns about toxicity.

• Further information is available in the Pasture and Herbal Ley sections.

• Cut them fresh and offer them to the animal. Herbs such as comfrey are more digestible wilted so try both ways.

• Animals are superior to humans, in that they search quite effectively when given the opportunity to find their own medicine.

Drying herbs• Gather when dry.

• Pick in the morning, after the dew has dried, approx 10a.m.

• Dry in a warm airy place out of the sunlight, preferably in a dehydrator. An alternative is the lowest heat in the oven. Too much light reduces the colour, and heat evaporates the oils.

• Dry in a hot water cupboard, definitely not in the micro-wave.

• Store in brown paper bags or airtight dark containers.

• Store as whole as possible.

• Place in a dark place with as even a temperature as possible.

• Use silica sachets to keep the moisture out.

• Grind the herbs just before processing.

Herbal teas• The quickest and simplest method of application. Of

course, the animal won’t use your best china, but a drench gun is quite suitable.

• For soft herbs

– shred fresh herbs finely

– infuse herbs in boiling water 15–20 minutes

– strain liquid and store in fridge for up to 3 days. If bubbles or fermentation appear, throw it out and start again. If you wish to keep your brew longer or out of fridge, use cider vinegar as a preservative. Refer to the section on Cider Vinegar for directions.

• For woody herbs such as roots or bark

– simmer 1–2 hours until soft.

– chop or grate finely before simmering.

• Dosage. The standard dosage for people is: 1 tsp of herb to one cup of water, a standard weight being 55kg. Dosages for animals will be adjusted accordingly, with a 550kg animal receiving 10 cups of herbal tea or 2.5L.

Repeat dosages for two to three days until symptoms disappear.

• Administration

– Drench for acute illnesses

– Put in the trough for the animal to get the essential elements. This will pollute the trough which will need cleaning later.

– Add to their feed or molasses.

Poultices• Poultices can be made easily.

• Use oatmeal, cornflour, or any other starches you have in your pantry to mix with the herbs to aid drawing and adhesion.

• Linseed: Stir ground linseed into sufficient boiling water to make smooth dough. Add olive oil to keep it pliable. Spread on warm cotton or muslin, wrapped up and applied to the area needed. Ensure poultice is not too hot.

• Herbal poultices: Cook comfrey root until it is soft enough to mash. Add other infused herbs to the mashed comfrey roots. Apply directly to wound.

• Consult a herbal book for appropriate herbs.

Ointments

• There are many herbs which can be made into oint-ments, depending on the problem (e.g. manuka, plantain, chickweed, aloe vera). In a double boiler, stir your herbs constantly for 30 mins with 600ml cold pressed olive or almond oil. Allow to cool. Strain through a muslin cloth to remove all vegetable matter and extract all the oils and activity from the herbs. Return to double boiler, return to heat and add 60g beeswax. Melt the beeswax carefully without overheating. Add friar’s balsam as a preservative if required. Pour into sterile jars and seal.

• The key element here is a double boiler to ensure the material is never boiled.

• Alternative ratios for smaller amounts: 80ml oil and 10g beeswax.

Growing and collecting your own herbs is the cheapest and freshest option. Some bulk herbs are available through eques-trian suppliers and health food stores, but are usually imported, so are more expensive.

Don’t overlook traditional uses of New Zealand natives also. Manuka and kawakawa are just two in modern usage.

Resources

Sources of seeds:Kings Herbs (NZ) Ltd: P O Box 283 Katikati 3063, Bay of PlentyEmail: kings.seeds@xtra.co.nz Herb Federation of New Zealand, Mrs Bunny Rathbone, 107 Glenelg St, Bradford, Dunedin. (Have a seed bank for members – membership of a local affiliated herb society accesses the seed bank.)Biodynamic Seed Bank, Hohepa Homes, c/– Chris Hull, R D 2, Poraiti, Napier.Mt Tiger Gardens, R D 1, Onerahi, Whangarei.

www.mounttiger.co.nzWildflower World, P O Box 8161 Tauranga. Ph (07) 579 2536,

www.wildflower.co.nz

More information on herbs can be found throughout the Animal Health chapter, including the following Cider Vinegar segment.

Cider vinegar• Made from steeped and fermented apples

• Aids in a healthy pH balance for the animal

• Aids in resistance to illness

• Has antiseptic and antibacterial properties

• Can be drenched and put in troughs

• Good as preventative or carrier for herbs.

What is it?Cider vinegar is made from apples, steeped and fermented to a certain stage. The methods can vary from factory to factory and as a result the end product also varies.

As a stock drench cider vinegar has a reputation for aiding the return of the digestive, lymphatic and cardiovascular systems to their healthy pH balance which aids the body in building resis-tance to infections, parasites and viruses. It contains more than 30 important nutrients, a dozen minerals, over half a dozen vitamins and essential amino acids, and several enzymes. Plus it has a large dose of pectin for a healthy heart.

One of the minerals it contains is selenium, which is a mineral lacking in soils and deficient in stock. It also has antiseptic and anti–bacterial properties.

How do I use it for stock?As a stock drench cider vinegar has a reputation for aiding digestion, building resistance to parasites and infections, scours, helping to prevent and cure mastitis, grass staggers and

anaemia, lowering SCC, maintaining fertility in bulls and cows, and increasing wool yields and milk production.

Recommended dosages:

• Dogs – 10ml • Goats – 10ml

• Lambs – 10ml • Ewes – 20ml

• Hoggets – 20ml • Pigs – 20ml

• Calves – 25ml • Deer – 50ml

• Cattle – 100ml • Horses – 150ml

Monthly doses help to keep your stock in prime condition.

Where stock condition has deteriorated, extra doses will assist in your stock recovery.

When drenching, however, be aware. If an animal inhales at the wrong time during drenching, it goes down the windpipe and it can cause an irritation to the windpipe and airways. If this is too severe it can kill. Note: this applies with the application of all orally administered drenches. Be aware when using a drench gun and if you are unsure, dilute the cider vinegar 1:1 with water.

Cider vinegar can also be sprayed on hay, added to drink troughs (1 litre per 100 cows) and combined with medicinal

herbs and is also an excellent tonic for humans.

Recipe for herbal stock drenchUse 1kg of fresh herbs to 20 litres of organic cider vinegar.

Brew for at least 2 weeks in a warm place, stirring daily.

Strain and store in a dark place – it will last indefinitely.

Herbs that can be used are many.

Other treatments Internal Parasites: wormwood (Artemesia absinthium), tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), pumpkin seed, nasturtium, stinging nettle (Urtica urens), garlic (Allium satium).

Tonic: plantain (plantago sp), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), chickweed (Stellaria media)

Calming: (before transportation) chamomile (Matricaria recutita), valerian root.

Note: Some herbs can be extracted with cider vinegar, but it is not an effective extract in all cases. Refer to the previous section on Herbs to find good herbal reference books.

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Colloidal silverColloidal silver has been included in this Resource

Guide for ‘completeness’ but claims about the use

of this product on/in animals and people needs to be

treated with caution. We encourage you to do your

own research on the Internet and read some of the

books on colloidal silver. There are a lot of therapeutic

claims made about this product but there appears to be

a lack of scientific evidence.

Note: Colloidal silver is not registered

as a remedy under the Animal Health and

Remedies Act nor the ACVM Act.

There is no advice available regarding silver residue

issues with the use of colloidal silver in the udders of

dairy cows (assisting with mastitis problems) so again

we caution the reader about the use of this product in

this way.

• An alternative to antibiotic

• Can be used in conjunction with other remedies

• A specific enzyme is disabled by colloidal silver in bacteria etc.

What is colloidal silver?The term colloid refers to a substance that consists of extremely fine particles suspended within a liquid solution. In this case we have minute particles of silver held in pure water by a tiny electric charge.

History of colloidal silverPrior to 1938 colloidal silver was considered to be one of the mainstays of antibiotic treatment. It is still considered to be the most universal antibiotic.

It has been claimed that colloidal silver is the only form of silver that can be used safely as a supplement. It is absorbed into the tissues at a slow enough rate that it is not irritating to the tissue, unlike silver nitrate which reacts violently with body tissue because of its caustic action. The colloidal particles diffuse gradually throughout the blood and give prolonged therapeutic action.

How colloidal silver worksMany forms of bacteria, fungi and viruses utilise a specific enzyme for their metabolism. Silver is reported to disable

bacteria, protozoa, parasites and many viruses by disabling the oxygen–metabolism enzyme thus destroying the germ as it is unable to breathe. The dead germ and its toxins then have to be removed by the body by the immune and lymphatic systems. It is not clear how silver upsets the enzyme in these single celled microbes, but it is believed that the positive charge on the silver element is influential.

Colloidal silver leaves the animals cell enzyme intact.

It has also been claimed that there is no known disease–causing organism that can live in the presence of even minute traces of the element of simple metallic silver and are killed within minutes of contact.

Suggested dosage

Cows: 30ml twice daily orally

Some organic farmers have used colloidal silver in new cases of mastitis during the dry cow period (often in conjunction with homoeopathy) and have reported improvement in mastitis.

Please note: The use of colloidal silver internally

remains controversial. No trial data to support its

effectiveness has been presented by those who sell it.

Silver is a heavy metal (of low toxicity) that will accu-

mulate in tissues over time – there is the potential for

a residue problem if it is used extensively. The use of

colloidal silver internally in farm animals is therefore

not recommended.

Websites you are strongly urged to research colloidal silver yourself and heed the warnings listed above and come to your own opinion on the use of colloidal silver in your cows.

These websites are current (15/8/03)

• www.silverinstitute.org/• www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/ANS00971.html• www.toolsforhealing.com/Health/Colloidal_Silver/colloidal_ silver.htm• www.silvermedicine.org/scientificstudies.html• www.astek.co.nz/silver/info.html• Silver Bullet Enterprises. The Colloidal Silver Manual. This comprehensive new 180–page manual is available for only US$47.00 from Silver Bullet Enterprises, 25277 W. Main St., Dept. SF, Lenwood, CA 92311 Phone: (760) 253–2988. • www.thenaturalconnection.net/TNC%20Columns%202000/ colloidal_silversafe_or_scam.htm• John Hill. Colloidal Silver: A Literature Review: Medical Uses, Toxicology &Manufacture, 2nd Edition A comprehensive and objective reference on colloidal silver has recently been published as an on–line book by John Hill. This electronic book is available for $12.95 at the Web www.clspress.com/tox.html It covers what is known about colloidal silver, what it does, how it works, risks of toxicity, and what is not known about it.• www.colloidal–silver.com/whatiscs.htm• www.colloidal–silver.com/animals.htm• www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/PhonyAds/ silverad.html

Specific Health Problems

Despite the benefits of good organic farming, animal problems and issues do occur from time to time. It is important that we deal with them as they arise. In this section, we have tried to cover the most likely problems that would occur, giving a brief insight into the problem and its causes, prevention treatments and treatments for acute cases. These range from management suggestions to homoeopathic and herbal treatments. The homoeo-pathic remedies are indicated by a potency (e.g. 30c or 1m) after the name of the remedy.

We have listed every possible treatment known to us, with the aim of informing you of a range of options. We stress that what you ultimately decide to do is your responsibility, and we do suggest you make further enquiries to your vet or your certifying agency and do further research if you are unsure. The Veterinary Guide is a good resource to help this process.

Above all else, remember to uphold the 5 Freedoms of the Animal Welfare Act; the fifth one being ‘Protection from, and rapid diagnosis of injury and disease.’ This means we cannot let an animal suffer and if necessary, conventional medicines must be used.

1. Calf management and worms• Rear calves as naturally as possible

• Treat problems early

• Prevention is essential

• If unsure, get a test for worms done for your calves

• Worms and lice can be problems

• Calf health is a good indicator of organic system health.

These animals will suffer if things are not in balance. Use your strong powers of observation to see what is happening with them. Detect any changes or signs of problems as early as possible and deal with them before they get worse. The most common signs are worms and lice. There are remedies that can help with this, but it is best to prevent them with good management.

Rearing calvesKeep this procedure as natural to the calves as possible. It is said that animals that can run and jump around after feeding develop stronger bones. They need colostrum for 4 days, and preferably their own mother’s for at least the first 48 hours, to absorb antibodies, which leads to the development of their immune system. They then need fresh whole milk (preferably your own organic milk) for a minimum of 3 months. They also need access to grass and a paddock to run in. Keep them warm and give them shelter. Keep the milk supply constant. There are many methods of rearing calves and they all have their merits. Meal can be fed, but it needs to be a special brew to avoid the antibiotics and preservatives etc. Always remember to ask and get a signed statement with all the contents of any brought in feeds for certification. Other farmers avoid this and give them good hay, chaff or silage to help develop the rumen system. It does not matter so long as the basics requirements are present and the animals are healthy and happy. Once weaned, they must be given good pasture to avoid a check in growth, and possible health problems.

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Scour treatment:The calf must have electrolytes to maintain hydration – 2 litres twice daily. Those containing sodium citrate work best. If it cannot or will not consume enough by mouth, your vet can give fluids intravenously. Maintain body temperature – a heat lamp is good for this but be careful not to allow the calf to get too hot. As the calf recovers, milk can slowly be reintroduced and the electrolytes cut back. Do not mix milk and electrolyte (the milk won’t clot in the calf’s stomach) – instead feed little and often with at least a two hour gap between milk and fluids. A dose of vegetable rennet (5ml) immediately after the milk feed will assist clotting and help get the digestive system used to milk again.

Problems that can be encountered when rearing calves:

RotavirusCauses scouring in calves of up to 4 weeks of age (usually around the 10 day mark). The virus is carried by adult cattle who show no symptoms. Shedding by the cow in its dung is likely to occur at calving since there is a short, temporary decline in immunity at this time. A calf may be infected during the first 24 hours with the cow and be incubating the disease when you bring it in to the calf shed. It then spreads through the rest of the mob. Death rates have climbed dramatically in recent years. Once calves are 4 weeks old, they are naturally immune.

Signs

Pale yellow watery scour and marked dehydration (off milk, dry nose, lethargy, sunken eyes, a tent of skin pulled up is slow to return). In terminal stages the calf cannot stand (or even sit up), feels cold and has a weak or absent sucking reflex.

Treatment

See Scour Treatment section above.

Prevention

Isolate sick calves. Ideally, if your set–up allows, healthy animals should be removed from sick ones (rather than the other way around) and placed in a ‘quarantine pen’ for a week. If they’re still healthy after a week, they’ll be okay.

An infected calf excretes huge quantities of virus. Try not to spread it around on boots, hands, feeding utensils etc. AgriQuality allows the use of sodium hypochlorite as a disin-fectant. If you operate an all–in all–out system with pens containing no more than 20–30 calves and the pens have solid walls (e.g. plywood), this will increase your chances of confining the disease. Leave a pair of boots and leggings in a tray outside the infected or quarantine pen for use only within that pen. You can reduce the amount of virus in the environment by steam cleaning the walls of the pen (don’t try to steam clean the bedding!) and topping up the bedding with a good layer (3 or 4 inches) of new material.

A note on steam cleaning: remember you’re killing the virus with heat not pressure. Excessive pressure may aerosol live virus into other pens.

At the end of calf rearing, scrape out all the bedding (makes great compost) and thoroughly steam clean the shed.

Vaccination

If there is a demonstrated need, your certifying authority will allow vaccination. The cows are vaccinated 4 weeks before calving (timing is critical) and antibodies are passed in the colostrum. They are ‘contact antibodies’ so at–risk calves need to be fed it every day. Thus it is essential the colostrum from vaccinated cows is stored.

Worms in calves• Will cause ill thrift

• Worms need oxygen, warmth, moisture to survive.

• Worms live in grass up to 2 cm long

• Learn the causes and work on prevention.

When moving from conventional to organic, there will be some animals that will not cope, simply because they have a body locked into the chemical regime through their breeding. You can use one drench a year during conversion with Demeter. This animal will lose meat status for life and for milk for 12 months. It is suggested you consider carefully before using and if the animal is still not coping, she should be sold on to a conven-tional farm or culled. The worm problem does reduce the longer you practice organics.

Characteristics of parasitic worms:• Can cause death if not prevented or treated

• Spend the greatest part of their life outside the animal

• Unhealthy animals with low immune systems are more

susceptible.

• In larval stage on ground, don’t move any further than

30cm radius of dung they were deposited in

• Need oxygen, moisture, and warmth to survive

• Can survive in water that animals have dropped faeces in

• Located in the bottom of the grass sward

• Sunlight, snow, spreading manure, earthworms, ground

fungi, dung beetles destroy eggs and larvae

• Hay, silage, regrassing and cropping will reduce worms

and lead to worm free paddocks until reinfected.

Worms in calves was a problem to one farmer. His vet offered the following management system to reduce this, which has now been successful for 8 years.

Rear your calves in a different paddock each year (like rotational grazing) and this will avoid any build up of worm eggs. As a result a moveable half round hutch and portable trough were purchased. A paddock that needed resting was chosen and split into two using electric fencing. At four days to one week old the calves are transferred from the calf shed to the paddock. They are fed 3–4 litres blood warm milk in the paddock twice a day and also offered hay and silage. Groups are kept to small numbers (no more than 25). Once a month, after the full moon, when the calves have expelled intestinal worms onto spent pasture the calves are shifted to the other half of the paddock. The worms expel themselves from the animal 12–24 hours before the full moon. After gradual weaning, the calves are all put as one mob and moved each day ahead of the cows. If necessary they are drenched for worms. Grazing them on plantain dominant pasture just before and on the full moon are a good pick–me–up for the calves.

Suggestions from this information• Worms are more likely to be active in autumn and spring

depending on your area.

• Rotationally graze open pasture that is long to allow animals to only graze down to 2.5cm to limit larval uptake, which results in animals that are healthier with good immunity. This practice has the added benefit of enabling the soil to rest and become healthy.

• Offer clean water in troughs.

• Test animals before treating.

• Breed for worm resistance/resilience.

• The need for prevention reduces with age (except with goats).

• Adult animals rarely need worming.

• Herbs help the intestinal tract to be healthy and discourage worms.

• Drench animals, hold them in the yard for 12–24 hours to clean themselves out and expel the worms; then move them on to clean pasture to avoid build up of worm numbers on the pasture and reinfection.

• Modern biodynamic farmers are finding that drenching 12–48 hours before the full moon helps the effectiveness of worm treatments.

• Two calves per paddock (post weaning) is another way to get healthy, well grown, ‘worm free’ stock, with minimum hassle.

• It is said that worm larvae come up the stem (2cm) and make themselves more likely to be ingested when the grass is damp, migrating to the base of the stem of grass in hot dry or windy weather. So shift the calves to fresh grass later in the day.

• Keep the calves on a fast round ahead of the cows, prefer-ably shift them daily.

• Well grown and healthy calves with healthy dams are less susceptible in the first place.

You may be able to pick up more from the above information and come up with other theories worth trying. Do so, as there is no closed shop on this.

Some worm treatments

• Plantain (Plantago sp.) is one pasture species containing higher levels of tannins and works as an anthelmintic. There are others such as Birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniulatus), sulla and docks. Include them in your pasture.

• Feed willow leaves, also linseed as a stock food.

• It is said that feeding of hay or chaff develops the rumen system. The result is a healthier and more resistant calf.

• 1kg garlic crushed and steeped in 10–20 litres cider vinegar. Seaweed can also be added. Steep for up to 30

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days before use (can be used after being steeped overnight but the longer the better) Strain. Add 1 litre olive oil for every 10 litres just before drenching. Forty-eight hours before full moon bring animals in and drench 100mls per calf. Leave 2 hours and drench with another 100mls. Leave in yard to empty out. Put on fresh paddock. Store unused drench in container in dark place for future use. This remedy can vary in amounts and it does not matter. The key elements are the garlic, cider vinegar and olive oil. Molasses can also be added.

• 15ml raw linseed oil and 7ml pine tree turpentine (not mineral turps) plus herbs or a pinch of ground ginger given as a single drench to the animal.

• Homoeopathic Cina and Santonia 30c in the trough once day for three consecutive days, then once a week can help calves build a resistance. Others: filix mas, arsenicum 30c. There may be others. Check the homoeo-pathic section for more information on this subject.

• The following herbs should be steeped in cider vinegar for 1–3 weeks, then strained and used to drench animals or put in their trough. The vinegar draws out the properties of that herb and adopts it. It is also a natural preservative. If time does not allow it, these herbs can be made into a tea by pouring boiling water over them and steeping them for at least 12 hours before use. Details on using herbs are found earlier in the health chapter.

– Steep wormwood or tansy in cider vinegar and drench 100mls. Both have abortive properties, due to their volatile oils, so it is recommended to not drench pregnant animals with this. They could also be toxic in high doses.

– Pumpkin seed: ripe and as fresh as possible. Crushed and steeped in vinegar.

– Thyme steeped in cider vinegar or used as a tea (tonic and cleanser).

o Stinging nettle: the leaves and roots (a tonic rich in minerals).

Other suggested treatments for calf conditions (mainly homoeopathic remedies)

Calving trauma Arnica and Bellis perenis 30c(bruising/swelling)

Coccidiosis Mercurius 30c or a Coccidiosis nosode

Scours

Homoeopathic nosodes are available to help the animal fight it.

Green slimy Calc phos 30c

White China or aconite 30c

` White/change of feed Arsenicum 30c

Yellow/colic Colycinthis or bryonia 30c

Abdominal pain/green/cold Vertratum alb 30c

Prevention (put in milk) Yoghurt with acidophilus

Prevention (put in milk) Aloe vera

Prevention (put in milk) Cider vinegar

Stop diarrhoea Slippery elm powder (available from Healtheries) , flax (Phorium tenax) leaves

Bio Pect available from your vet clinic has natural products. Check the label for restricted materials before administering.

Also permitted but some are restricted (Check with your certifier):

Chalk products, electrolytes, and iodine.

Others

To help develop strong bones Calc phos 30c

Weaning Ignatia 200c

Mothering up Sepia 30c

Pneumonia Bryonia 30c

Navel Ill Diseases

Nosode Streptococcus 30c

Early stages Aconite nap 12x/Pyrogenum 200c

Hock and tendon swelling Benzoicum acidum 6c

Fetlock inflamed Ruta grav 1m

Swollen & hot joints Bryonia 30c

Shoulder & fetlock swollen Ledum paustre 30

Lungworm An old remedy for lungworm is to put animals in an enclosed shed and burn sulphur. The inhaled smoke kills the lungworms

Black leg If a problem get permission to Vaccinate.

Lepto You may need to vaccinate.

Note: It is important to get a GE free declaration for any vaccine.

2. Trace element deficiencies• Initial problems can occur while adjusting to organics

• Identify deficiencies through testing and samples

• Ongoing deficiencies can be dealt with using accepted management plan. Speak with your certifying agency first

• Weeds and plants are good indicators

• Remedies are available.

There should be a multi–pronged approach to dealing with trace element deficiencies:

Identify the problem through:

• Tests: liver biopsy, blood, soil and herbage tests

• Observing your animals and pasture (especially weeds).

5 parallel actions:

• Fertiliser plan

• Use of liquid fertilisers etc to fine tune biological activity

• Immediate animal treatment for acute cases

• Prevention

• Balance your grazing.

While the soil, plants and animals adjust, there will be still the likelihood of problems in this area, especially if you had one while you were conventional farming. Once you achieve full certification, many of them will fade away. However some, depending on your soil base, may linger due to a certain lack of these minerals being present. You will still need to monitor any known deficiencies.

If you do have an ongoing deficiency (e.g. selenium or boron, copper), please be assured that it can be addressed and the certifying agencies are willing to discuss these with you and come up with a plan. As long as you communicate to them, giving evidence of your problem, as well as a possible short and long term management plan involving fertiliser, animal remedies etc. that can show you are overcoming this problem, they will help you through it.

Liver samples are the current preferred indicators for:

Selenium (Se), Copper (Cu) and Cobalt (Co)

Blood samples are the current preferred indicators for:

Zinc (Zn) and Iodine (I)

Appendix 6 shows a table of mineral deficiency indicators in clovers and legumes.

Minerals required for the functioning of human cells

Although this is a list for all the minerals required for

fully functioning healthy human cells, the list required for

animals will be very likely to be the same because of similar

processes and chemical reactions. Some are required in

ultra trace amounts.

Antimony Barium Beryllium Bismuth Boron Bromine Cadmium CalciumCarbon Cerium Caesium ChlorideChromium Copper Dysprosium ErbiumEuropium Fluorine Gadolinium GalliumGermanium Gold Hafnium HeliumHolmium Hydrogen Indium IodineIridium Iron Lanthanum LithiumLutetium Magnesium Manganese MolybdenumNeodymium Nickel Niobium NitrogenOsmium Oxygen Palladium PhosphorusPlatinum Polonium Potassium PraseodymiumPromethium Protactinium Rhenium RhodiumRubidium Ruthenium Samarium ScandiumSelenium Silica Silicon SilverSodium Strontium Sulphur TantalumTechnetium Tellurium Terbium ThalliumThorium Thulium Tin TitaniumTungsten Vanadium Ytterbium YttriumZinc Zirconium

A total of 78 minerals required.

The 17 elements in bold are currently considered to be necessary for beef cattle and sheep but the number of minerals is probably higher than this.

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Fertiliser plan• It is important that this problem is addressed to enable all

round balanced stock

• Identify your mineral imbalances and needs through soil and herbage tests, as well as any other tests you may need

• Remember, it is important to have a balance of elements (see the Soil Chapter of this Resource Guide)

• Seek good advice on products that are available

• Draw up a short and long term plan for fertiliser

• When doing your plan incorporate the time strategy for certification

• The certifying agency must give permission before use. This could be given only where deficiencies can be demon-strated by soil and blood tests, and less soluble forms are preferred if they are available. If you are planning on taking some time to achieve certification, it may be best to overcome this while still moving towards organics. The sooner the better is the key

• Do not forget to include liquid fertilisers, biodynamic preparations, compost teas etc. to fine tune and help the biological activity of the soil.

Immediate animal treatment• Administer the trace elements

• For certification, drenching and injections are allowed on a restricted basis and can be used for specific animals with an obvious deficiency only

• Bolus treatments are not allowed

• If in doubt, contact your certifying agency

• Always remember all minerals must be balanced with the other minerals. Consult your vet, if in doubt.

• Mineral chelates can be an option. Check the details with your certifying agency first

• You may need to consider culling or selling animals that have repeated problems, as they are probably struggling with the organic system, and may always do so.

Prevention – long term• Be proactive, and wherever possible, anticipate these

problems, as many occur at certain known times of the year (usually stress times or mating time for the cows)

• Administer preventative treatments to your herd if you have acute cases, because if one cow is sick it is quite likely the others may be having similar, but less obvious problems.

• Try and use methods where stock can take what they need individually (e.g. licks, in water troughs, and through feed troughs)

• Use tonics such as cider vinegar, liquid seaweed (as a stock drench), and molasses. (Be aware 10% brought in feed limit for molasses to meet certification and check its source)

• At all times keep your animals as healthy as possible, well fed, and their immune systems in top form so they can move through stress times more comfortably

• Talk to older farmers who farmed before the 1960s and try to find alternative remedies and methods. Pass new findings on so we all get to learn them

• If going for certification, check your certifying agency rules to ensure the substance you plan to use is allowable. If in doubt, please check with them before commencing.

Balance the grazingMany pasture species, weeds, herbs and trees have the ability to produce more of one specific mineral, minerals that are lacking in the soil and pasture.

Many plants have the ability to absorb and store higher mineral levels than others.

A mixed pasture including some of these plants can be used to improve the nutrient levels of grazing animals. Some weeds will grow in a particular area because of certain soil character-istics – for example low or high nitrogen levels, poorly or well drained areas, with certain mineral levels. This is nature’s way of healing the soil. For example, the thistle indicates a lack of copper there (it does have a balance of other interacting minerals too). Nature is telling that plant to grow there, die, and the copper that is in the leaves will rot into the topsoil and rebalance the soil.

Therefore look at your weeds and combine this with all the other information you have built up and you will get a picture of your farm. You may also note that animals prefer a certain weed at certain time of the year and yet leave the same weed at another time. They know what they need and when they need it, if available. This is the main reason to have a mixed pasture for feeding your livestock.

Some weeds or herbs can be used as foliar sprays, or in teas or tinctures to help animals overcome deficiencies, and can be sprayed on or put in troughs (or drenched if acute). Please make sure the herb is not poisonous or has the ability to abort animals before using. A good herb book should tell you this. See compost teas in The Environment chapter of this Resource Guide. It is best, however, to make them available through your pasture.

We could also apply the same theory to trees when we are considering planting shade and shelter or fodder trees. Flax

is another good native all rounder and, if available, cows will nibble on it when they have the need.

Deep rooting plants, such as chicory and plantain, will also absorb the minerals from the subsoil and make them avail-able to the animals. There are some legumes that are also deep rooting and grow well in summer and have high mineral content (e.g. Lotus corniculatus and Caucasian clover). Maybe a specific crop could offer a short–term answer to a mineral imbalance.

The use of biodynamic preparations 500, 501 and especially the compost preparations (502–507) allow the soil to rebalance at a faster rate, and then maintain that balance through yearly application. The compost preparations are processed through a medium before applying to the land, using a compost heap, cow pat pit, liquid fertiliser brew, or effluent pond. Further details on this are in the Soil section.

Some Suggested Treatments• Cider vinegar

• Native flax: Good general tonic for nibbling when needed

• Liquid seaweed as a drench or in trough. (good overall source, especially of iodine)

• Fresh seawater (10–20L) straight from the sea in trough or made available to the animals. (watch for excess chlorine).

• Herb teas: Pour boiling water over the herb/weed for up to 12 hours. Drench animal with it or put it in trough. This will only keep up to 3 days

• Cider vinegar tincture: Steep herb/weed in cider vinegar for 1–2 weeks. (see de Bairacli Levy, 1988.) The cider vinegar draws out the oils and minerals from the herb). Sieve off the vegetable matter and store in a dark place until required. Keeps at least 3 months, some say up to 2 years Drench animal with it (200ml for a cow) or put in trough 1 litre per 100 cows.

Certifying agencies generally prefer you to address any short term mineral deficiencies through licks and salt blocks, so the animal has a choice as to whether they take them or not. The long-term approach, of course, is to have a long term plan through your fertiliser programme. It is most important you are conversant on these matters if you wish to become certified, as this is where most people stumble.

A further breakdown on herbs used for specific illnesses are on page 71.

Specific deficiencies and their treatment

Cobalt• Herbivores need cobalt to synthesize Vitamin B12

• Deficiencies occur mainly on volcanic and pumice soils

• Young stock are more susceptible, especially after weaning

• Poor appetite, general ill thrift

• Lots of plants and trees contain cobalt

• Moisture and liming is a factor limiting cobalt availability.

Cobalt is a component for Vitamin B12 production. Its defi-ciency will show up as loss of appetite, poor growth, weight loss, anaemia, wasting and in severe cases death. The eyes have a watery discharge. A cobalt deficiency is associated with an increase in infertility and metabolic diseases. Cobalt in soil is sensitive to moisture and higher soil pH. Deficiencies can be found mainly on volcanic and pumice soils. It is important to talk to your certifying agency on your options before beginning to address the problem.

Treatment

• Administer cobalt solutions (1/2 tsp cobalt sulphate

per 150 cows per week in water supply weekly

and/or Vitamin B12 short term). Get permission

first.

• If you are administering cobalt sulphate or B12

injections, check the rulings with your certifying

agency beforehand

• Long term give homoeopathic Cobaltum 1m and

Cobaltum Chloridum 30c once a week for 3 months

to stabilise the element in the cow’s system.

• Plants such as red clover, juniper, dandelion, trees

such as mahoe (Melicytus ramiflorus – also known

as whiteywood), contain higher levels of cobalt.

There are others.

Selenium• Deficiencies cause ill thrift in young, and infertility

• Specific plants and trees contain selenium

• Selenium is deficient in most sandy soils

• Selenium deficiency is linked to higher incidence of early abortions and late returns after mating your herd

• Cider vinegar contains selenium

• Can be rectified with seaweed as a liquid fertiliser

• Can be rectified in fertiliser.

Selenium deficiency is also known as white muscle disease and causes ill thrift in young growing animals. It also causes infertility, reduced milk flow and retained afterbirth in cows. Ill thrift can occur in all ages with a selenium deficiency. Thirty

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percent of NZ land is selenium deficient; mainly on sandy soils of all types including pumice soils and the loess soils. Excessive amounts can poison an animal. Some native trees such as coprosmas are high in selenium. Deep rooting plants contain selenium (e.g red clover, horsetail grass). Selenium deficiency can be rectified through your fertiliser, but talk to your certifying agency about your options, and present soil/herbage/blood tests as evidence of a shortage.

Copper (check with certifier)• Copper deficiency is indicated by faded harsh dull coats,

scours, poor growth

• Young and pregnant stock are more susceptible to Cu deficiency

• Is usually a soil deficiency/imbalance

• Prevention measures available

• Acute cases: contact your vet and certifying agency

• Excess zinc causes a lack of copper

• Antagonistic with a number of elements.

Affected animals look starved, even though there is an abundance of feed around. Their coats are faded and harsh. They are scouring and the young animals are poorly grown, with ill thrift. Lack of copper increases susceptibility to worm infestations. Specific plants that contain copper are red clover, yarrow. All thistles are indicators of a deficiency. A lack of copper is related to the soil and is common mainly on peat, sandy, and pumice soils. It can be made unavailable through an excess of other minerals including molybdenum, sulphur, zinc, iron, and phosphates which restrict the uptake of copper.

Treatment

• Vet help may be needed and if necessary

permission from your certifying agency. To help

the body utilise the copper available naturally, use

homoeopathic Cuprum met 30c in the trough once

a week

• Cut up a copper hot water cylinder or pipe and put

some in each trough. Alternately put a huge

section in your main feeder tank.

• Plants that contain copper are chickweed, chicory,

cleaver, dandelion, fennel, garlic, sorrel, yarrow.

• Use mineral licks with copper added (permission

must be granted)

• Check with your certifying agency before using

copper bullets or routine injections.

Zinc• Can be caused by over liming

• Herbs and weeds contain zinc

• Supplementation can cause other imbalances

• Excess of zinc can cause a lack of copper

Zinc deficiency is not usually a problem in NZ soils or pastures. Therefore there are few problems, except in the facial eczema season when more zinc is needed. It can be caused by over liming.

Treatments

• Dandelion, garlic, cider vinegar, rosemary,

shepherd’s purse contain zinc

• Zincum met can be used in the trough once a

week to help the body metabolise the zinc it takes

up

• Other treatments from the vet containing zinc

(such as zinc oxide) can be used, but check with

your standards first and if you are still unsure check

with your certifying agency.

• Zinc treatments in large amounts can block the

uptake of other minerals such as copper.

Iron• Iron deficiency causes loss of appetite, and anemia

• Occurs with cobalt deficiency

• Stinging nettle is high in iron

• Homoeopathy can help.

Lack of iron often occurs with a cobalt deficiency but can also occur with other illnesses and be a cause of them. Indicators are a loss of appetite, weakness and anaemia.

Treatments

• Plants such as stinging nettle, blackberry and

raspberry, garlic, chicory, dock, groundsel, parsley,

vervain, watercress, and nasturtium contain iron.

• Homoeopathic remedies:

Ferrum met 30c to allow body to utilise available

iron.

Chincona 30c anaemia arising

Nat mur 30c helps eliminates salts etc

Trinitrotoluene 30c helps haemoglobin to

produce

Vitamin C • Usually not a problem in healthy animals

• Can also be used to detoxify after eating poisonous plants.

All our healthy domestic animals (excluding guinea pigs) synthesise their own vitamin C so in theory do not suffer defi-ciency symptoms. Vitamin C levels increase in animals (except guinea pigs) when an infection is being fought. There is not good evidence to support the need for Vitamin C treatment, although it is being used by farmers.

Mineral Sources from Plants and TreesCommon name Botannical name Mineral Sources

Anise Pimpinella anisum Phosporous

Asparagus Iodine,iron, phosphorous, silicon

Borage Borago officinalis Potassium

Chickweed Stellaria media Copper, phosphorus

Chicory Cichorium intybus Calcium, copper, iron

Cleavers Galium aparine Calcium, copper, iodine, silicon,sodium

Clover Sodium

Comfrey Symphytum officinale Chlorine, iron, potassium, sodium

Dandelion Taraxacum officinaleCalcium, copper, iron, magnesium, silicon, potas-sium

Dill Anethum graveolens Phosphorous, sodium

Dock Plantago spp. Calcium, magnesium

Fennel Foeniculum vulgare Copper, potassium, sodium, sulphur

Honeysuckle Lonicera caprifolium Potassium

Marigold Tagetes sp. Phosphorous, sulphur

Plantain Plantago spp. Calcium, potassium, sulphur

Sorrel Rumex acetosella Calcium, phosphorous, copper

Sow thistle Sonchus oleraceus Calcium

Wormwood Artemisia absinthum Iron, potassium

Yarrow Achillea millefolium Copper

Trees

Apple Malus domestica N,P,Co,Io,Mg,Mo,K,Se,Zn (fruit)

Elderberry Sambucus nigra Ca, K, P

Loquat Eriobotrya japonica Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, K, Zn (fruit)

Mulberry Morus alba Mg, Ca, P, K, S

Olive Olea europaea Ca, P

Peach Prunus persica Co, Mo, Zn (Leaf) Bo, Ca, Cu, Mg, P, K (fruit)

Poplar Populus Mo, Zn

Willow Salix spp. Calcium

Contributed by Ian Buckingham from various sources

There are more, especially with trees. Check various publications and websites for these.

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3. Mastitis • Mastitis is an

inflammation of the mammary gland

• Mastitis may be an indicator of the health of the immune system

• There are 2 types: subclinical and clinical

• Somatic Cell Counts indicate the level of subclinical mastitis and a response to an infection

• The change from subclinical to clinical may be rapid

• There are many causes of mastitis

• Take all steps to identify cause and deal with it

• Preventative measures are available

• Different cows respond to different treatments

• Different causes require different treatments.

What is it?Mastitis in an inflammation of the mammary gland. This leads to a response caused by the cow’s body releasing white blood cells to fight the inflammation in the mammary glands (udder). It is an efficient immune system that is working to destroy or neutralise the infec-tions and related toxins, so the mammary gland can go back to a normal function.

There are two main stages:

1. Subclinical – the most common with no outward

signs.

2. Clinical – which may appear as:

a. Subacute – abnormalities can be seen with

changes in milk (flaky, watery, stringy) and a

slight swelling udder.

b. Acute – has a sudden onset, swelling and

pain, milk is foul, and cows may show other

signs of systemic infection

(e.g. temperature, pulse, off food etc

c. Chronic – long lasting infection. Can be both

clinical and subclinical.

Somatic cell counts (SCC)Somatic cells are a normal constituent of milk as they are cells that make the first line of defence when pathogens (bacteria etc.) invade the udder. Elevated somatic cell counts are an indication of the presence of subclinical and clinical mastitis and are a measure of the inflammatory response mounted by the animal. There are many factors, which can affect this from season to season (aside from the main factor of subclinical mastitis). Some are: split herds with cows drying off at different times; the weather and presence of environmental bacteria; stress on cows; low production at the end of lacta-tion; lameness; stray electricity.

In general an indicator from a bulk sample test SCC is:

At 400,000 indicates 40% of your herd is infected 250,000 25% 100,000 * 10% (Source: www.dexcel.co.nz)

* If your herd is constantly at this level, a sudden jump to

129 –140,000 indicates 1 new clinical case. Higher daily cell

counts do not indicate this.

The reason why high SCC get penalised is because they may reduce product or processing yields, and they affect the flavour and shelf life of dairy products. There is a view that getting the SCC down too low is not desirable, because it is believed the cows lose the efficiency of their own natural immune system at this level. This can become even more likely if you choose to breed from cows with low Somatic Cell Counts.

Causes of mastitis The primary causes are:

• Environmental bacteria invading the udder and releasing toxins

• Faulty milking machines

• Bacteria spread through contamination.

Other causes are:

• Injury – bruising or surface damage

• Exposure to cold resulting in a chill.

Important: Identify the bacteria that is causing the

mastitis. If you can’t, get a vet to diagnose.

Bacteria spread through contamination:Spread from cow to cow during milking by hands and liners. More likely to create mild subclinical infections.

Staphylcoccus aureus

Rapid onset swollen & purple udder

Clots, systemic signs.

Coagulase Negative Staphyloccus (CNS)

Once considered not to be significant but can cause elevated SCC.

Streptococcus agalactiae Mild fever for 24 hrs only.

Cornebacterium pyogenes Summer mastitis. Thick cheese-like smelly secretions. Can burst through outerskin. When burst, contaminates others.

Environmental bacteria:Increases with heat and humidity, dampness, mud and yarding. Harder to control.

Coliforms Thin yellow flaky milk. High temperature.

Systemic signs.

Streptococcus uberis Fever. Severe swelling quarters and abnormal milk.

Streptococcus dysgalactiae

Enterococcus faecalis

Norcadia asteroides Hard lumps in the udder. Will not respond to antibiotic treatment.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Extremely sick cow. High temperature. Mastitis severe, brown and watery discharge, lumpy udder. May also have severe diarrhoea.

Now look to see how the problem can be eliminated, espe-cially if it is environmental.

Having mastitis problems? – what should I do?

If you are having a continual stream of new cases of mastitis occurring every week there are a few things to consider doing to identify the possible source of the problem and then elimi-nate potential problem causes.

Collect a milk sample in an aseptic manner and drop it in to your veterinarian. If you cannot do this the same morning then you may freeze the sample until you collect a few cases or until you can deliver this to the vet – the bacteria will still survive this.

The goal here is to find out which sort of bacteria is causing the mastitis – see previous column. If it is an environmental bacteria and the most common one is Strep. uberis then at least you will know that you do not have to start looking for a milking plant hygiene and function problem and can target likely race problems – like muddy puddles at the entrances to the milking parlour.

If you find the problem is a Staph. aureus then you will have to look at milking plant hygiene, function, and milker techniques etc.

Cows must have an immune system that can function at the optimal level. To do this she must have good nutrition, must have all the required trace elements in her blood and not be stressed.

Adequate levels of selenium and iodine in the blood are often overlooked in herd mastitis cases. Selenium is very important for the immune system and is a vital component of enzyme systems, and in conjunction with vitamin E is a powerful anti-oxidant in the body. The thyroid gland has a high requirement for iodine and the cow in early lactation often does not get enough iodine. (Note: the use of chlorinated water significantly reduces the amount of iodine obtainable from water if this is your method of medicating cows.) Zinc also has a huge role in many body systems but is very important for the hooves and skin – especially the keratin plug of the teat canal. Just prior to calving the cow has a natural drop in zinc levels in her blood. One wonders if this factor may influence the cow’s ability to keep infection at bay from the udder.

Adequate calcium is also important for the sphincter teat muscle contraction.

Copper and cobalt are also very important for many enzyme systems in the cow though are probably not so directly related to mastitis.

So, if you are having problems with mastitis do the following;

• Collect a milk sample

• Blood test for selenium, copper, cobalt, iodine, zinc

• Take another machine test if milk sample report indicates a problem in this area

• It is also an idea to get a fresh set of eyes if you have

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to redo a milking machine test – use a different testing agency as often a fault will be picked up quicker this way.

Sampling milk for mastitisBoth you and your veterinarian want to identify the bacteria that are causing the mastitis in your cow so there is no point supplying a contaminated sample of milk from your hands or from dirt on the teat or udder.

If you do not feel you are competent in collecting a sample your veterinarian can help you.

You will need

A sterile sample bottle

Methylated spirits (meths)

Sterile swabs

CLEAN HANDS

• If the teat is grossly contaminated with faecal (dung) material then wash the teat very well with water.

• Next using a sterile swab and meths clean the teat again concentrating on the end of the teat where the little hole is (the teat opening)

• Turn the end of the teat on an angle and look to see that the teat end is clean

• Do one more clean with another sterile swab and allow the meths to dry

• Taking care not to touch the end of the teat with your hands, and watching to ensure a movement of the cows rear append-ages do not contaminate the sterile teat, squirt the first 3 squirts of milk on to the ground

• Remove the cap from the sample bottle (holding the bottle in the groove of your hand and then holding the cap against this between your first finger and your thumb) hold the bottle on a forty five degree angle then squirt the milk into the bottle and ensure that the bottom of the bottle is covered. The reason for holding the bottle on its side is that you will be less likely to have dust or dirt dropping into the bottle from the udder if the cow moves. Drop the sample into your local veterinarian and if it cannot be done that morning you may freeze the milk sample. Yes, the bacteria survive this!

Other considerations (in no particular order)• Check liners are compatible with your cup shells. (Measure

your cups if you are working in an older shed as often these have been ‘cut down’ to mimic another type of shell)

• Use thin rubber gloves when treating animals

• Have an annual machine check done using a tester with a current practicing certificate

• Check for stable vacuum and pulsation

• Have the shed checked for stray voltage. One contact at the time of printing is Harry Dewes of Hamilton and he has other contacts. Maybe your local power board can do this

• Follow the SAMM plan. The booklet is available through Livestock Improvement

• Ensure good shed hygiene

• Be mindful how you remove the cups and keep them clean. This transfers the bacteria, causing new outbreaks

• Avoid hand contact on teats

• Post milking teat dips/ spraying all year round

• Cull constantly infected cows

• Check the history of dams when keeping offspring

• Efficient drying off. (homoeopathic Lac canium will assist with this)

• A cow needs a minimum of four weeks dried off for the udder to go through the necessary processes, ready for the next calving

• Ensure clean and dry stand off areas with plenty of room

• Calve on clean paddocks

• Avoid cows walking in mud

• Do not overmilk or undermilk

• If in doubt, check a cow using rapid mastitis test

• In general use herbs and cider vinegar as a preventative and homoeopathy for a cure for clinical cases

• Freshly calved cows – put hungry calves on to suck the cow empty

• Read Managing Mastitis – A Practical Guide for NZ Dairy Farmers available for $15 from Livestock Improvement.

TreatmentsSome treatment considerations

Remember – different causes require different treatments.

In organics we must look at the problem quite differently and aim to treat the whole organism. In the words of Juliette de Bairacli Levy (1988) ‘herbal treatment is a tonic to the whole organism and will leave the cow so treated in better health than she enjoyed before the onset of the disease’.

We must• Identify the problem. If you can’t – get a vet to diagnose

• Brain storm and research the possible options

• Decide on the treatment

• Ask why did it happen?

• What could be the causes?

• What does the cow need to do to remove that infection?

• What is happening to that cow?

• How can I help her?

• What preventative measure or treatments (both environ-mentally and herbal) can I do to stop more animals being affected?

Nature has given the cow a substance called keratin that grows on the teat lining and will form a barrier to stop bacteria being able to enter. It also forms a plug when the cow ceases milking for the season.

One farmer is having success by stripping the milk from the infected quarter and giving it back to the cow as a drench each milking. He also adds colloidal silver. His theory is that this immunizes, or forces the cow’s immune system to deal with the particular infection by giving it to her. Many put mastitis nosode (available from most homeopaths), or take infected milk from their particular herd and get a homeopath to potentise it (use a sterile bottle and clean teat. Need 100 ml). The potentised form is then given to all stock (5ml in main farm tank once a month all year or 1x a week in troughs all year), so their immune system deals with it and can cope when an infection occurs.

Note: Please check the section on Colloidal silver earlier in this chapter before using it.

Ointments applied to the udder and teats

• Peppermint oil ointment is now available from the vet for swelling. Warning: peppermint oil will reduce milk flow so use carefully. Also check with your certifying agency before use.

• Whakatane herbalist Tracey Steele has made one up using pasture species. It is now being manufactured.

• Weleda (phone 06 877 7394) has 2 ointments – Melissa–marjoram, and argentum ointment

• Marshmallow plant (all parts including roots) finely chopped, pulped in boiling water. Stir in vegetable fat and allow to set. Draws the toxins out.

Veterinarian

You may ask for the use of Vitamin C treatment for intravenous use.

Teat sprays

Iodine based sprays are OK to use

Substances allowed: glycerine, iodine, plant oils, teatree oil etc.

Home made teatspray:

In 20 litre container mix 500ml sorbitol (available from Dairy Coy) 500 ml aloe vera, 1–2 small bottles teatree oil concentrate or pure, calendula oil (if available).

Add water to top up.

You can alter these amounts as you experiment. The key elements are teatree oil, sorbitol and aloe vera.

Udder treatments for acute and hard to fix cases

Using a sterile syringe (without needle) into affected quarter one of the remedies below:

• 1ml teatree oil to 10ml vegetable oil. Give 10ml

dose 2x a day until cleared and hold milk until

teatree oil has dispersed.

• 1 ml Aloe Vera to 10 ml vegetable oil as above.

• 1ml teatree oil and 10ml aloe vera as above.

• 1ml manuka honey and 10ml vegetable oil as

above

• Equal parts active manuka honey with distilled

water. Put 10–15mls in affected quarter after each

milking until better.

Caution: Because these treatments and methods have not been tested for withholding periods or hygiene etc, you are using them at your own risk.

Herbal and cider vinegar treatments

Mainly used as preventative. If drenching cow with cider vinegar 100– 200mls is the recommended amount.

An old ‘recipe’ that has been used for some Strep.uberis infec-tions is as follows:

Treatment regime for streptococcal mastitis6 a.m. 180 ml apple cider vinegar + 180ml water orally

8 a.m. 5ml Lugols iodine + 180 ml apple cider vinegar + 180ml water orally

10 a.m. 180ml apple cider vinegar + 180 ml water orally (see Coleby, 2002)

12 noon 180ml apple cider vinegar +180 ml water orally

2 p.m. 5ml Lugols iodine + 180ml apple cider vinegar + 180ml water orally

4 p.m. 180ml apple cider vinegar + 180ml water orally

7 p.m. 180ml apple cider vinegar + 180ml water orally

– Also 60ml of vinegar were poured over the ration of each cow at twice daily feedings

– Continue for at least three days some cases take up to 18 days.

This method would take a fair bit of dedication but is put here as another option.

Lugols iodine

Note: Lugol’s iodine will have to be ordered from your veterinarian or pharmacist.

It consists of 5% elemental iodine in a 10% solution of potas-sium iodide. This is not stock iodine!

You will have to put in a special order for this at your pharmacy or veterinary supplier.

Cider vinegar in trough (1 litre/100 cows/day)

Aloe vera as a drench.

Herbs that can be steeped in the cider vinegar

Garlic, sage, marjoram, lemon balm, curly dock, red clover, echinacea, nettle.

There are probably many more. Check your herb book and the actions you are trying to promote in the cow e.g. suppuration, circulation, blood purifier, infection etc.

Clinical cases with swelling

Use packs to reduce swelling and break up congestion.

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• Hot – breaks up bacteria and reduces congestion.

• Cold – removes inflammation.

Brew dock leaves in water and soak rag in that.

New cases and tissue damaged

Some people give colloidal silver orally for new cases. For tissue, damage colloidal silver must be dosed in conjunction with homoeopathy. Please read the section on Colloidal Silver in this chapter first.

HomoeopathyPrevention

• See Homoeopathy section for administration details.• Mastitis nosode • A nosode made from your own cow’s milk. Contact your homoeopath.• SSC – Silica, Sulphur, Carbo veg (30c)• Put in water trough 1x a day for 3 days, then 1x weekly. Or 5ml in main water tank monthly• Don’t forget your heifers. Use cider vinegar in conjunction with remedies.

Clinical cases

Routine in all cases Aconite 6x

Light flakes SSC 30c

Udder shows acute swelling Belladonna 1m

Udder swelling is hard Bryonia 30c

Clots in milk/stringy Phytolacca 30c or 1m

Freshly calved heifers Apis mellifica 6c Urtica urens 6c

Watery hard quarter, thick and yellow Staphylcoccus/Streptococcus 30c

Tea type Streptococcus 30c

Udder swelling is hard Bryonia 30c

Watery milk Calcarea carbonica/Arsenicum alb 30c

Black mastitis Lachesis 30c Arsenicum Album 30c

Summer mastitis Hepar Sulphur 6x to suppurate

Abscesses Silica 200c

Last resort Homoeopathic gunpowder 30c

Blood in milk Ipecac /Bufo 30c

Thick pudding type milk Hep sulphur/ Pulsatilla 30c

Selecting homoeopathic remedies on cow behaviour you may consider:

Lying on affected side, slow moving Bryonia 30c

Flighty, highly strung cow ‘dairy type’ Cal phos 30c

Peaceful ‘blocky type’ cow Cal carb 30c

Fights when quarter stripped Phytolacca 30c

Check potencies and methods of administration with the homoeopath you contact for your remedies.

It is recommended you go to a course on homoeopathics if you can.

4. Lice• Need warmth and blood to thrive

• Work from head to tail via backbone

• Pick on weaker animals and those that don’t fit in to herd

• Endemic during transition

• An indicator of herd health

• Observe your animals frequently.

What is it?There are two types of lice. One is a breed that lives on the bits and scales on the skin. The other is the sucking type that feed on the blood of its host. This enables it to breed.

Initially you will see them as small whitish things moving about the hair. Later, it appears as a darkened area on the skin, and the skin appears to be oily. Later, there will be hair loss usually around the neck. The animals are itchy, always finding some-thing to rub on. The lice focus in on warmth, knowing this is a source of blood. It will never kill the animal, but could create a secondary condition that could kill. This is because they need their host alive for blood. The animal does tend to lose vitality and lose condition.

Lice are picked up through body contact. They can stay dormant in cold weather and appear in warmer wetter weather. The adult lays the egg, which is glued to the hair. It hatches in 5–6 days and develops over 28 days to an adult, constantly feeding on its host. As a result there is always overlap of different stages present on an animal. The eggs cannot be destroyed. Adult lice tend to move from the head of the animal to the tail along the backbone.

Lice will also only go for weak animals and can sense the ones that are struggling emotionally or unable to fit into the pecking order. In a transitional organic system, the animals that tend to have a problem with lice are the unhappy ones, those that cannot cope with the conversion. If they do not improve they should be culled, as they will never overcome their problems. One synthetic drench can be used in Conversion with Demeter, but the animal will never be able to be sold as organic meat. Check with your certifying agency.

Usually, once an organic system is in place the victims are the young freshly calved heifers that are finding it hard to fit into the milking herd and a fresh regime. They hang back and always get picked on, not necessarily finding the best grazing as a result. The longer you practice organics the least common this problem is.

PreventionThe most important thing is to remember there are four main strategies.

1) To work out why that animal has lice and what her behav-iour is. Then try to find a solution if she appears stressed. It may be a good idea to put a calf on her or put her in a smaller herd. It may be prudent to mix the heifers and main herd before calving so they can adjust.

2) To remember most treatments only make the environment an unpleasant one for the lice so they leave.

3) To remember lice do not like strong healthy animals, so keeping their blood and immune system strong through feeding and management is paramount. Keep stress to a minimum.

4) Treat sick animals both internally and externally.

Something to think about:

Close contact allows lice to spread and increase more quickly (e.g. mob stocking in winter dry period). Lice numbers should fall and obvious signs of lice disappear as animals are given a bigger area and feed better (e.g. after calving). This has the effect of less stress as well.

Some treatments:•An old remedy from a farming book:

Dissolve 250g soft soap, in 4.5 litres boiling water. Stir in 500ml kerosene (Soft soap is a form of natural insecticide and pesticide. If not available try Earthwise, Box 9128 Hamilton)

Add enough cold water to make up to 20 litres. Apply to affected areas with a brush, thoroughly soaking the hair. Keep the animal out of the sun, as it will cause skin damage. Repeat 2 to 3 times over 3 to 4 days.

• Brew tobacco powder, flaked garlic, and leaves of geranium in 4.5 litres cold water. Simmer 2 minutes. Allow to sit and brew for a minimum of 6 hours. Do not strain and rub well into body of animal. Apply every few days until the skin is clean.

• 2tsp eucalyptus oil to 4 tsp ammonia mixed in 500ml tepid water and rubbed into the affected area, especially the neck.

• Rub the neck and backbone well with a mixture of vege-table oil and teatree oil.

• (You could probably steep tansy or wormwood or penny royal in the oil for at least a week in the sun before applying to get their insecticide properties as well)

• Spray using pure pyrethrum (without piperonyl butoxide synergist)

• Neem oil could be worth investigating. Spray 3 times 9–10 days apart.

• Ask your homeopath to make a nosode if you can get some of the lice off and into a bottle or container. Dose the main water tank monthly or in troughs 1x a week most of the

year, so the animals develop an immunity to them.

• We have success with elemental sulphur sprinkled down the back from the head to the tail. If lice are bad sometimes a second treatment is needed 2 weeks later. It is thought that lice might be an indication of low soil sulphur levels so work on correcting those also. (Do not get this in your eyes!!)

Homoeopathy

• Ledum 30c for puncture wounds made by the lice

• Nat mur 30c

• There are other remedies, check with your homoeopath.

Herbs

Herbs with insecticide properties work well. Steep them in cider vinegar and drench at 100–200ml. They may be abortive, so be aware.

• Tansy

• Wormwood

• Penny Royal

• Garlic

Other

• Seawater as an external wash.

• Bettacrop have organic animal remedies for lice etc that are Bio–Gro approved. Box 9128 Hamilton. Ph (07) 824 4881 www.organics@xtra.co.nz

Other skin conditions• Ringworm: lemon juice. Baccicillum 30c

• Mange

• Scabies

5. Ticks• Linked to water and warmth

• Use animal blood to breed

Strategies:• Keep your animals healthy and strong.

• Use a teat spray with teatree oil in it to deter them in milking cows. (Recipe in Mastitis section)

• Keep grass short

• Top rushes and long rank grass

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• Avoid grazing on wet areas

• Watch the weaker animals

• Make sure your grazing patterns and herd management are as natural as possible to the animals.

What is it?With our climates getting hotter and wetter in some places, ticks are becoming more of a problem. Similar to lice, they rely on a host animal and its nice warm blood to enable them to multiply.

They are linked to watery aspects of our environment and need warmth and moisture to survive. Their life cycle is 4 staged. They go from larvae to nymph to adult while living in the grass. They then move up the grass to hop onto their host and settle on them for a week, gorging themselves on blood. After a week when they are nice and fat, they drop off to lay their eggs in the grass. All this happens around November and December and during the summer if there are outbreaks of rain. Their host can survive if there are only a few, but if it is constant invasion the animals tend to become anaemic, have sores from the damage caused by ticks latching on, lose weight and have ill thrift. As with lice, if the tick has a choice they tend to invade the weaker animal.

Treatments• The sprays and drenches for lice in the previous topic

should work.

• If it is a problem try getting a nosode of ticks from your own property made up by a homeopath.

• Homoeopathic Ledum 30c

• Homoeopathic Nat mur 30c

• Spray the animals with neem oil: spray when there is evidence of ticks on the animals. Spray, the whole animal, especially the underbelly at a rate of 0.7%–2% with water depending on the concentration of the neem. Neem oil is currently allowed under certification. Neem oil also inter-rupts the breeding cycle of ticks. If in doubt, check with your certifying agency.

6. Bloat• Bloat is caused by a build up of gases in the rumen from

fermented grass

• A tendency to bloat is inherited

• Occurs on new damp pasture and specific crops

• Related to levels of nitrogen in the grass

• Prevention is best.

What is it?A cow gorging on damp pasture that is lush, has grown quickly, and is clover dominant may develop bloat. This type of pasture tends to have a low roughage rate. It often occurs when overnight temperatures drop. Bacteria in the rumen produce methane and CO2 gases as they break down food. Some chemicals from the clover combine with the gas to form a stable foam which builds up pressure in the rumen. As bloat develops, the animal’s breathing becomes laboured and they grunt and groan. The cow’s sides become enlarged and the animal may try to lick its flanks. If serious enough the cow will lose balance and can die rapidly.

Cows will try to help themselves by standing uphill to help the gas escape by belching. This also gets weight off the diaphram to enable easier breathing. They will often try to find a position in a breeze with cooler air.

The predisposition to bloat is inherited – so breeding against bloating is an option to help reduce the problem.

A well run organic farm should not have clover dominant pastures. Their pastures should be a mixture of grasses, clovers and herbs, and should have grown over a longer period. All these factors should mean bloat not being a serious problem on organic farms. The main problem areas appear to be associated with new grass paddocks where clover may be dominant. Crops such as lucerne, turnips and greenfeed may also cause bloat if cattle gorge themselves or the crop has grown rapidly. Grazing management that does not lead to animals gorging themselves can minimise the bloat problem.

It still pays to be mindful of the possibility of bloat occurring.

Potassium: Sodium ratios in the diet is a factor K : Na 30–50 : 1 definitely dangerous 10–15 : 1 ideal

Lower bloat on organic farms is lower plant K in relation to Na levels.

A grass sample test will show you this.

Further Information: Work done by Max Turner – Massey University

Prevention• Select the pastures you put your animal on and try not

put them in hungry. Avoid putting them on before the dew lifts.

• Put the cows on the night paddock half an hour before evening milking to prevent them gorging themselves after the evening milking.

• Spraying biodynamic preparation 501 on pastures will strengthen the plant and making it easier to digest.

• A supplement of hay (roughage) before putting them on

the pastures fed to them

• Dry bran on the hay (lots of it) also helps to lessen fermen-tation

• When sowing new grasses, look for variety and have a mixed sward, especially chicory

• Treat the troughs with a suitable detergent or permitted anti foaming agent

• Cchamomile tea could be used

• Spraying the pasture with vegetable oil (especially linseed oil) or paraffin prior to grazing. (Check with your certifying agency first)

• Treat individual animals prone to bloat with vegetable oil or baking soda

• Homoeopathic chamomile 1–2 weeks before 1x a day for 3 days then 1x a week, stepping up to every day if the presence of bloat is a possibility

• Cider vinegar in trough regularly

• Garlic, nasturtium and cider vinegar drenched to animals

• 20ml orange roughy oil drenched twice daily

• Once the clover starts to flower the bloats season is usually over because of the high tannins in the flower.

Treatment• Vegetable oil (linseed oil preferable) or liquid paraffin or

fat (85–118ml diluted in water). Check on paraffin and fat with certifying agency.

• If beginning to sway and be bad, use a bloat knife for a rumenotomy. Stab the cow’s left flank.

• Mild cases – get them walking especially towards an up hill position.

• Post trauma –

– linseed tea (flax seed boiled in water and steeped)

– powdered charcoal or crushed charcoal tablets given with milk to remove any lingering gases.

– teas of fennel, dill, peppermint, German chamomile, ginger, or lemon balm to sooth. See the previous Herbal section

on how to make teas.

• Homoeopathics: 1 treatment every 10 mins for 4 times, then review. Can be included with other treatments above.

Frothy Antimonium crudum 6c/ Apis 6c

Less acute Carbo veg 6c

Bad Colchium 1m

7. Facial eczema• Caused by fungal toxins on pasture

• Warm humid weather and decaying litter are factors

• Affects the liver

• Prevention is the only cure.

What is it?Facial eczema is caused by toxins from the spores of the sapro-phytic fungus known as Pithomyces chartarum. This fungus is important to the breakdown of ryegrass litter. This fungus lives in dead vegetative material in pastures, especially ryegrass.

It rises up and multiplies between January and May when the weather becomes warm, wet and humid. Light rain or dew, warm nights and litter in the pasture are usually the most common triggers. Overnight grass minimum temperatures have to be warmer than 12ºC for 2 to 3 nights or more. The youngest spores are the most toxic and a spore count above 60,000 is considered dangerous.

The spores are soil born, so they live in the lower areas of the pasture on dead ryegrass litter. Often there is a mineral or bacterial imbalance in the soil. This then allows the fungi to become more dominant and create an imbalance.

The spores generally cannot survive in hot dry weather, or cooler tempera tu res. Heavy rain will wash the spores down the plant making them unavailable to be taken in by the animal.

The toxin, spori-desmin, that is produced, is one that the animal’s liver cannot metabolise. As a result the toxin accumulates in their blood supply and photosen-sitising occurs. Symptoms appear ten to twelve days after ingestion.

Facial Eczema Chain reaction

Toxin in litter6

Liver unable to metabolise6

Toxin accumulates in blood6

Photosensitization of white skinLook for shade, twitch ears repeatedly.

Dark green diarrhoeaCoat dry and harsh, ill thrift and lose conditionListless, fidgety, sunburn on teats, noses etc.

6Itching, swollen, scabs, redness.

6Loss of appetite

6Gross number of toxins

6Liver gives up

6Malfunction of liver

6Goes down at calving or stress times

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Photosensitization occurs especially in non–pigmented skin (white areas of the udder, ears or nose). Facial eczema affected animals may survive the initial attack, but because their liver is damaged, the animal may succumb to feed stress or metabolic diseases at some late stage.

Facial eczema does not seem to be a problem on organic farms where they have developed healthy soils and good mixed pastures: pastures are not so ryegrass dominant, any litter is broken down and incorporated into soil organic matter quickly and generally animals are not grazed as hard as on many conventional farms. A combination of these factors can explain the situation on organic farms. You will notice they do not have the litter on the ground for these spores to live in.

Prevention is the best cure – the effects are not easily reversed.

Organic certifying agencies recognise the problems associated with facial eczema and allow remedies to be used as preven-tion. It is best to begin earlier rather than later. Homoeopathic Zincum met 30c in the trough will also help the animals utilise the zinc.

Currently: (These are constantly changing)

Bio–Gro allows zinc oxide or zinc sulphate where

pasture spore counts indicate a definite need.

Demeter allows zinc oxide as a restricted substance

and can be used where spore counts indicate a need.

AgriQuality does not specify.

Please check your certifying agency’s current standards

before using these.

Other considerations• Reduce the spore intake by having a forage crop (e.g. bras-

sicas) or a supplement (e.g. silage) as part of the summer programme. These allow higher grazing residuals and are very useful to help prevent FE in young stock.

• If the risk is rising, put zinc sulphate in troughs daily. There are interactions with, especially with copper and selenium; and farms deficient in these trace elements should consult their vet before using too much zinc sulphate.

• Give them shade, especially affected animals.

• Affected animals should be fed well and have no stress to enable them to recover.

• Be aware when topping prior to a possible dry period, as this can cause litter. Maybe it might be better to leave that grass standing up. An alternative may be to keep those paddocks out of the round in December, and have it as a mature pasture or standing hay when the flush of grass appears, break feeding it off. This also has the added advantage of restocking pasture species and giving the paddock a rest.

• Don’t forget your young stock – they are more prone.

• Identify your paddocks that have the potential for the toxins. Avoid them, and use later as standing hay or use it as a small portion of daily feed with a crop or silage.

• Exposed windy paddocks have fewer spores.

• Cull early to reduce pressure on grazing.

• Check how much dead litter you have in the base of your pastures.

• Remember the lower the animals graze the more likely they are to pick up the spores.

• Paspalum and low fertility species such as poa, brown top, sweet vernal, danthonias, lotus major, flat weeds is a safer pasture. Ryegrass seems to be the problem.

• Avoid extremes of grazing – from dry pasture to lush fresh pasture, or under-supply to over-supply of feed. Graze animals on matured pastures and give them a constant supply. Supplements are a good alternative. Try Brassica crops.

• Use your local newspaper ( the climate or rural section), MAF or consulting officer or check on the websites for up to date counts if your unable to monitor them yourself.

www.dexcel.co.nz

www.fencepost.com

Treatments for Facial ExcemaUse at the first signs of irritation or skin damage – you will usually see the cow irritated days before you see any damage.

Homoeopathic:Prevention: Zincum met 30c alternated with mineral compound (available from HFS)

First signs of skin damage and to counteract effects esp. on white cows Hypericum 30c

Redness, swelling, itcheson skin Sulphur 30c

Inflammation and oozing Rhus tox 1mof serum from skin Graphites 30c

Liver damage Chelidonium 30c

Skin and hair repair Arsenicum alb 30c

Effects of sun Sol 30c

There is also a homoeopathic nosode available.

Other treatments2 cups cold pressed linseed oil/cow for 2 days; 1/2 cup linseed

oil/calf for 2 days (too much is poisonous). Also check with your certifying agency first.

Drench the animal with 1⁄2 cup castor oil, 1 tablespoon linseed oil, 1⁄2 teaspoon olive oil and 1⁄2 teaspoon cod liver oil. This is good for recovery and provides the fat soluble vitamins needed.

Access to willow bark and green leaves – contains aspirin and helps alleviate symptoms, i.e. cut down branches and let cows browse – they will go for them.

A lick with seaweed, zinc sulphate (check this is allowed), vitamin C and cider vinegar mixed together.

Access to honey locust pods help.

Help the skin and wounds from further sunburn with ointments:

• A zinc ointment sold by vets.

• Charcoal or soot mixed with Vaseline or lard

• 30ml zinc oxide mixed with benzoated lard 120ml. Benzoine is a tincture used to preserve and stop fungus from growing and can be purchased through the chemist.

• Spray aloe vera on the skin, then cover with a zinc ointment/peanut oil paste. (This stays on quite well compared to some ointments)

• If the animal develops lice, these must be treated before treating the eczema.

• Manderson’s Mixture

This mixture is recommended when you have a cow/heifer or calf that has been affected by facial eczema. The white areas of the animal’s skin can crack and peel and this mixture of oils can be given orally to assist the skin healing process. This mixture can also be used in cases of ‘spring eczema’ which has a slightly different aetiology, however, the resultant damage to the skin is the same.

Manderson’s mixture is available from Dominion Chemicals, East Tamaki, Auckland, or you could source the raw ingredients yourself and mix your own.

Castor oil 88%

Linseed oil 6%

Cod-liver oil 3%

Olive oil 3%

The dose recommended is 85ml per adult cow (reduce propor-tionally for younger cattle) and to repeat in 2–3 days as required.

• 1⁄2 cup castor oil 1 tablespoon linseed oil 1⁄2 teaspoon olive oil 1⁄2 teaspoon cod-liver oil This dose is for a cow. Smaller doses would help a sheep to recover.

• To help with itching alternate the following solutions on the affected skin (see Waterman, 1980):

– 15 ml Boracic acid and 240ml water – 30ml Creolin and 1 litre water When a healthy scab is has establish use: – 30ml Creolin and 500ml sweet oil

• Peach tree leaves and bark are a source of zinc. You could make a tea out of them by pouring boiling water over them, steep for up to 6 hours and then add to trough or drench.

8. Milk fever (Hypocalcaemia)• A metabolic disease caused by a nutrient imbalance

• Lack of blood calcium

• Usually affects older cows.

What is it?Milk fever is a metabolic disease that can occur within 2 days before or 2 days after calving. It is at a time when the grass is high in calcium in the month prior to calving. There can also be an imbalance of calcium and magnesium. Excessive potas-sium and nitrogen also contribute to this imbalance that can cause milk fever. There is a drop in calcium in the blood due to the mechanism for calcium becoming inefficient and hence an imbalance in nutrients just at the time when the animal has an immediate need for it. There is a high pH in the intestines and this suppresses calcium and magnesium absorption.

The hormone PTH needs magnesium to function too, so if there is not enough of this then the whole bone mobilisation of calcium falls over. Hence the reason for using magnesium supplements prior to calving.

Susceptibility to milk fever can be inherited and tends to affect cows 5 years or older. The animals are usually in excellent condi-tion and have had access to lush pasture prior to calving.

Most fully certified organic farms do not strike this problem due to the grass being in better balance through more consistent growth.

• First signs are restlessness and disorientation, followed by depression and paralysis.

• She shows weakness in her hind legs, staggers falls down and is unable to rise again.

• Her temperature drops.

• She lies on her breastbone with her neck in an S shape against her right or left flank.

• She appears asleep, her eyes glazed and dilated.

• If untreated this can lead to a coma and eventual death within a few hours.

• Another test is the fluid in the eye of a fresh dead animal to get accurate information on calcium magnesium levels. Ask your vet for details.

PreventionAvoid a complete change of diet when calving.

• Avoid lush pasture and have the animals on not too tight rations the final 3 weeks before calving. This is to avoid

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a change of diet soon after calving. One suggestion is to ensure cows have 1–2 hours grazing on grass a day

• Feed hay that contains a good percentage of clover. This will increase the calcium content, while at the same time through the extra chewing, increase the amount of saliva reaching the gut and therefore helping to stabilise the pH.

• Give her a dose of 2 tablespoons Epsom salts in one cup of the cows’ own milk 24 hrs before calving to discourage over–rapid production of milk. (Note: check your standards and make sure you are allowed to use it)

• Animals are unable to store magnesium in their body, so it needs to be administered daily

• Keep a close eye on your cows 5 years and over

• Weekly doses of homoeopathic Cal phos and Mag phos in the trough weekly last 3 months and first 4 weeks of lactation to help the animal metabolise both

• Vitamin D will help the animal metabolise the calcium

• Provide lime flour to colostrum cows by pasture dusting, with molasses (high in calcium) or other feeds. (Check with your certifying agency first.)

• Ensure the cow’s diet is not high in potassium (K) especially pre and post calving.

Current Standards: (these may change)

• Bio–Gro allows injections of calcium borogluconate

or natural vitamin D. They also allow addition of

magnesium and/or phosphorous salts to metabolic

solutions to allowed to help with recovery.

• Demeter allows calcium borogluconate prepara-

tions to be used as a restricted remedy when needed.

Magnesium sulphate is also restricted. Calcined

magnesite, chalk and dolomite are also permitted.

• AgriQuality allow calcium gluconate, calcium

lactate, calcium carbonate, and shells of aquatic

animals. Also magnesium sulphate, chloride,

carbonate and anhydrous magnesia.

Please check your certifying agency’s current standards before using these.

Calcined magnesite is also known as magnesium oxide and causmag.

Treatments• Common sense with any milk fever case is to warm the cow

up. Parallel to treatments is the importance to get them out of the wind and the wet ground. Get them in the barn, put a cover over them or whatever you have to do to get them warm.

• Additions to hay could be: dolomite, molasses, liquid seaweed and cider vinegar

• Administer 25% calcium in the vein as an IV solution. The secret is to allow this to go into the vein slowly – let it take 15 minutes.

• Alternative, as soon as you detect milk fever inject a bottle of calcium borogluconate under the skin using a flutter valve. If necessary, administer another later

• Keep her warm and cover if she is cold

• Do not milk the cow out completely for 2–3 days or leave the calf on the cow for 36 hours

• Move her from one side to another every day while she is down. Give her molasses

• Plants rich in calcium – watercress, crushed nettles, molasses, chickweed, comfrey, alfalfa, willow twigs and boughs, root crops, poplar, tagasaste, birch, barberry, plantain, red clover, raspberry, rosemary, shepherd’s purse. Many have a balance of calcium and magnesium. Plant them or make a tincture with cider vinegar when they are growing to drench the animals with it at calving

• Immediately give calcium and iodine rich drench with 2 handfuls powdered seaweed mixed with 1kg molasses. This is then mixed with warm water or milk to make it runny, drinkable consistency. Repeat this hourly

• Another is 1 cup molasses, 4 tbsp linseed oil or meal, 2 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp calcined magnesite or dolomite. Give as a lick on feed.

• A salt lick recipe used:

– 10 litre bucket of seaweed powder – 10 litres cider vinegar – 10 litres water or molasses – 20 litre bucket of salt – 1 sack of dolomite

Mix all together in a concrete mixer, liquids first then solids

Epsom salts can be added or replace the salt to add more magnesium. Please check with your certifying agency first.

HomoeopathicViolent movements Belladonna 1mStaring pupils can be alternated with Aconite 30cPrevention Cal phos 30c/Mag phos 30c weeklyOverall Mag phos/Cal carb/ Belladonna 30cTo prevent deficiency Mag phos 30c

TwitchingNervous peripheral parts Stramomium 200c

Col extremities, pain, oppressed breathing Ammonium causticum 30c

Comatose Opium 200c Phosphorus 30c

Recovering andRelieving cramp Cuprum met 1m

Bloated Colchium 200c

Severe Cicuta 30c

Tossing head, no balance. Rising on fore legs only Nux vomica 30c

Prevention of it recurring once OK Sulphur 30c

9. Grass staggers (Hypomagnesaemia)• Caused by low levels of magnesium

• Sudden stress is a trigger

• Can be confused with milk fever or ketosis

• Timing after calving is the key indicator

• Prevention prior to calving is best.

What is it?Grass staggers is a low blood level of magnesium. Magnesium is held in the muscle and used by the muscles and nerves. The heavy milkers we are breeding in NZ are secreting lots of calcium and magnesium through their milk. This results in fluctuations in blood levels. Grass staggers can occur up to 12 weeks post calving in the spring when the grass is short and growing rapidly. A tendency to this illness can be inherited. Sudden stress brings it on.

The grass and ground levels of magnesium can be high or low and this metabolic disease can still strike. It indicates more an imbalance of minerals, particularly with calcium and potassium. Too high a level of potassium in the diet suppresses magne-sium absorption from the rumen. This indicates a farm heavily manured will be prone to grass staggers. Young grass in this type of scenario will be rich in protein and potassium and low in calcium, making the magnesium hard to take up in the body. Mature grass is normally high in calcium.

Too high a level of potassium in the diet suppresses magne-sium absorption from the rumen. This occurs in rapidly growing grass. Use of lower potassium feeds such as hay, more mature grass etc. have a real benefit at this time of the year if staggers is a problem. High potassium (K) will be an issue for many farms still in the conversion process and/or on soils with a naturally high available K.

Organic farming combined with the use of Biodynamic prepara-tions 500, compost preparations, and preparation 501 at the appropriate times can eventually avoid this problem.

• A sudden change to low mineral content ,

especially in spring

• Excitement for some reason

• A chill from cold, wet weather

• A cow needs 10–20 gm magnesium per day

• Because magnesium is held in the muscle and is

important for nerve function, it has a short life in

the body especially if there is any stress.

Signs• Nervous, irritable, aggressive, twitching eyes, jumpy, anti

social.

• Staggering and taking high steps, thrashing at sides, eyes glaring.

• Collapsed, coma, unconscious, leading to death. Brain damage can occur.

Beware: It can be confused with milk fever or ketosis (sometimes called pregnancy toxaemia) due to the symptoms. They all occur at the same time of the year. Timing is the key to a more accurate diagnosis.

• Milk fever usually occurs before or straight after

calving.

• Grass staggers occurs later after calving and the

animal usually goes down at the shed or straight

after being milked.

• Ketosis has the same nervous symptoms but she

tends to be losing weight fast yet there is a good

feed supply. This also happens after she has calved

– sometimes a long time after.

• Age and obesity is a predisposing factor.

PreventionGive prevention remedies prior to calving for good insurance.

• Give mineral licks before and after calving. These are avail-able, but please keep the labels for certification and ensure they do not have any prohibited materials in them. If in doubt, check with your certifying agency.

• One mix is: 25kg Epsom salts, 25kg dolomite (check for possible heavy metals), and 8 litres molasses. Note: Epsom salts is a restricted treatment and most certifying standards are specific on what you can use it for. Please check with your certifying agency before using it.

• If staggers is a problem, feed molasses or 35–75 gm/cow/day of Epsom salts, or 50–60 g/cow/day of calcined magnesite or dolomite on hay or silage prior to calving. This will balance the high protein content in pasture as well as

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supplying a ration of magnesium.

• The calcined magnesite and dolomite at the above rates can be dusted onto pastures one to two days before grazing.

• Epsom salts can be put into troughs at the above rate. However for full effect the troughs must be the only water supply for the herd.

• Homoeopathic Cal phos/Mag phos and Kali phos 30c in trough weekly 2 months before and after calving. This can be done in conjunction with the above suggestions.

• If you need to lime, consider topdressing with dolomite. Dolomite has calcium and magnesium in it. Check its heavy metal levels first.

• Avoid sudden feed changes. Save up and use older pasture for first 6 weeks after calving. If this is not possible, supple-ment fresh young grass with hay or silage. Put cider vinegar in the trough each day.

• Spray pastures with biodynamic preparation 501 during the ascending phase to bring light into the pasture and strengthen it.

• Give the animals sheltered paddocks in cold and stormy weather.

• Do not breed from animals prone to grass staggers.

What the certifying agencies currently allow (These may change)

Bio–Gro – magnesium chloride, dolomite, magnesite. You can add magnesium and/or phosphorous salts to metabolic solutions to assist recovery. Epsom salts is restricted as a fertiliser.

Demeter – Magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts) is restricted, magnesium chloride is restricted. Calcined magnesite, chalk, dolomite is allowed.

AgriQuality – anhydrous magnesia, magnesium sulphate, magnesium chloride, magnesium carbonate.

Calcined magnesite is also known as magnesium oxide and causmag.

Remember check your copy of the certifying agency standards and if in doubt contact your certifying agency.

TreatmentInitially administer an injection into the blood stream of calcium (25%), magnesium (4%), and dextrose (25%). This gives them the calcium and a little magnesium.

Then follow this with a dose of magnesium sulphate (40%) under the skin. Do not put the magnesium sulphate in the vein – you will kill her! Other doses can be followed in 12 hourly intervals. These products are available from your vet.

Keep them warm, quiet and avoid loud and sudden noises.

HomoeopathicallyTo help them recover and limit the damage to the central nervous system give Mag phos 30c plus:

Cramps/ spasms. Mild cases Cuprum aceticum 30c

Convulsions and dilated pupils Belladonna 1M

Tendency to fall to the left side Stramomium 200c

If down, raises and lowers head Neck twisted or backwards, twitching Cicuta virosa 200c

10. Infertility• Can be a multitude of reasons

• Learn to understand the process of oestrus

• There are some good practices to follow

• Close observations are important

What is it?Infertility is the inability of an animal to conceive and/or produce a fulltime calf. These animals are regarded as ‘empties’ when pregnancy testing is carried out, and are often culled at the end of the milking or rearing season, depending on your regime. If you are calving year round, or split calving, there is a chance she may get pregnant at the next round of mating. This, in turn, can be a factor in breeding infertile animals if it is not monitored well.

Infertility seems to be a problem with herds both conventional and organic. There is no obvious reason why but there are many possibilities. The main reason is underfeeding and the under-nourishing of animals. Another is a history of focusing in on production, rather than longevity and fertility, resulting in a strong push to breed high producers, which are so busy producing milk, that they have no reserves left to begin oestrus. Others are temperamental factors, early abortions, and 2 year olds teething. Endocrine dysfunction is another cause and this includes silent heats, anoestrus, cystic ovaries, frequent returns, uterine and genital infections, and persistent corpus iuteum.

Natural mating sees the bull naturally insert a small amount of semen with high density of sperm into the vagina. One of the cow’s response to the smell of the bull is to bring on heat and the mating itself. The contractions from a stimulated cow through lots of foreplay, enables the hormones to be interacting fully, rhythmically helping the sperm to move towards the uterus and begin fertilisation. Artificial insemination is used widely, and it is reliant on the cows in the herd to produce the stimula-tion in preparation for mating.

A hypothesis:Sometimes one of the problems during artificial insemination that can occur is when a technician places a small amount of semen through a tube into the uterus. Because there has been no stimulus and foreplay from the bull, the hormones are not in full gear and have not switched on the mechanisms to assist with fertilisation. Therefore the uterine identifies this semen as a foreign body and pushes the semen away, rejecting it.

If injury by the technician occurs, blood is an effective spermi-cide. Rough or insensitive handling by a technician can also lead to reverse peristalsis. Long–term use of AI may develop a sterile cow in terms of fertility, because of the suppression of behaviour patterns associated with mating. Through the lack of natural patterns, the cow is unable to or reluctant to come into heat, resulting in anoestrus.

This is a topic that could create much discussion. This is more fully explained in Biodynamic Perspectives – Farming and Gardening, edited by Gita Henderson. Published by the NZ Farming and Gardening Assn, P O Box 39 045, Wellington. pp 86–91, A Critical Look at Reproduction Technology by Jorg Spranger.

What is oestrus?It is when a cow comes ‘in season’. It lasts approx 15 hours for cows and 10 hours for heifers.

There are 3 stages:

1. Coming into heat

a. Aggressive, restless

b. Disturbs other cows – I want your attention

c. Or stands alone or away from other cows – I feel different.

2. Approaching a standing heat

a. Holds milk, vulva swollen

b. Smooching up to other cows

c. Paws ground and frequent urination

2. Standing heat.

a. Stands to be ridden – I want to play

b. Front mounts other cows

c. Mucus near vulva

d. Hair rubbed off tail base

e. Raised tail and arched back.

Ovulation occurs 14 hours after the end of oestrus.

The five stages of the oestrus cycle:1) Pro–oestrus – the Graafian follicle grows leading to

follicular fluid

2) Oestrus – the period of excitement and desire, the ovary is matured

3) Metoestrus – the day after, leads to the rupture of the follicle and explosion of ovum

4) Dioestrus – the uterine walls thicken and the uterine glands are active. If pregnancy happens this continues. If not a new oestrus cycle begins

5) Anoestrus – inactivity period. If the animal is healthy this lasts 21 days.

PreventionGood practices and things to know for efficient mating:

• Mark on your calendar in bold, 60 days prior to the first day of mating. Make sure you never let your cows go hungry from that day until the end of your mating

programme.

• Keep good records of oestrus/heats and mating.

• The first heat usually occurs within 40 days of calving and then every 18–24 days.

• A 65% to 70% AI conception rate is considered accept-able.

• The animals must be in good condition – score 4.5 (well covered backbone) to 5 (well covered back and hip bones) and on a rising plane of nutrition.

• Fat cows and skinny cows usually fail to conceive.

• Check cows that have had difficult births. You may need to help them clean their uterus.

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• Watch your second calvers. They are usually the hardest to get in calf

• Lessen stress: look at your herd size and make up. Maybe the group needs to be smaller.

• Late oestrus is usually due to lower protein levels in the grass early spring because of the lack of nitrogen fixing by clover. Because if this it may be wise to allow mating to last 3 months.

• Put your non–cycling cows, especially your skinny ones, on once a day. Get a vet in to diagnose the problem.

• Check bulls for testes and feet.

• Have 1 bull to every 25 heifers.

• It is a good idea to change the bull regularly, say every 2–3 days depending on how busy things are.

• With chin ball markers, check their marker every 2–3 days. Have a different colour for each bull.

• With teaser bulls, keep a close eye out for heat detection. Change the bulls every 4–5 days. Have 3–4 bulls for 100 cows.

• Tail painting and heat detectors are the most common methods used to check for cows ready for mating.

• If hand mating, give the bull 1–2 cows at a time to avoid wastage of semen. Restrict the bulls to 8–10 services a day.

• If there is little activity close to AI, put the bull in for a few days, just to remind the cows it’s mating time again.

• Sunshine and warm weather have a big effect on oestrus. More cows come into season on those days. Oestrus lasts longer in sunshine days than in wintry days.

• If trying to mate when weather is not so kind, especially cloudy weather, try putting liquid seaweed in the trough or drenching them with it. (This has iodine in it – essential for hormonal activity)

• High energy molasses in low sunshine periods increase energy levels of the diet and help. Pasture growing in extended low sunshine is lower in energy than when there is adequate sunshine.

• Another herbal help is cider vinegar.

• Mineral imbalances in the grass and the animals can be a factor of anoestrus. Selenium is the most important. Checks on copper, iodine and vitamin B12 (cobalt) help to identify overall health,which is important for this situation. Check with a blood test.

• Fat bulls are not very fertile, as their sperm become infer-tile.

• Using virgin bulls on your herd helps eliminate most of the risks that opponents of natural mating bring up.

• Treat cows post calving that have had damage during calving or post calving infections.

Some treatments for anoestrus

Homoeopathics:A good general remedy is Sepia 200c. Unless recommended otherwise, give only once. Folliculinum given 1xday for 3 days is helpful.

Temperamental Factors

Refusal to mate Sepia 200c 1x wk for 3 wks

Abortion (early stage) Viburnum opulus 30c

Sepia 200c

Silent heats (winter problem) Sepia 200c 1x only

Leuchorrhea Pulsatilla 30c

Creamy discharge Cal phos 30c

Also douche 1tsp Dettol or few drops teatree oil in 1 litre warm water. 3x day until Discharge ceases. Boil gear after each use to avoid reinfection.

Catarrhal dischargeDuring urination Platina 30c

Silent heatRetained placenta Pulsatilla 30c

Small, shrivelled ovaries Iodum 30c

Cystic ovaries Apis mellifica 6c

Murex purpurea 30c

Colocynthis 30c

Frequent heats Pulsatilla 30c

Cal phos 30c

Iodum 30c

Oopherinum 30c

Infection of uteris Hep sulph 30c

Mercurius Sol 30c

Hydrastatis 30c

Pulsatilla 30c

After conception Viburnum opulis 30c once only

Helps prevent abortions

11. Calving• Good management is important

• Aim to have fit and healthy cows

• Keep things as natural as possible

• Several herbal and homoeopathic remedies are available

• Make up a calving kit of remedies.

Calving should be straight forward if you have fit, healthy cows. At times, however, problems do crop up.

Strategies to make calving easier• Choose a bull from easier calving lines. Look at him care-

fully – his shoulders, rump. Check his temperament.

• Give your cows a walk every 3 days to keep them fit.

• Dry off 8–12 weeks before calving depending on condition and grass availability. The udder goes through a period of involution, getting ready for calving. The cow needs a minimum of four weeks dry.

• Cows should be a score 5 one month before calving. It is important they have a layer of fat on the hips, ribs, backbone, tail base and rump.

• Skinny cows may need to be dried off earlier and given unlimited grazing, and fed hay or good silage until 3–4 weeks before calving to build up condition.

• In the final 3–4 weeks prior to calving there is an active development of the foetus and excess grazing will only result in a bigger calf for calving time.

• Break feed rough mature grass and hay the last 3–4 weeks before calving. Block graze them so they do not over indulge. The shape of the break influences the amount of walking and therefore potential for mud/soil damage, especially in wet weather; (i.e. a square is better than a thin long rectangle).

• There is much controversy over the best method of feeding the week before calving from all hay to lots of grass to develop the udder. The rule of thumb is usually to ensure the cow gets grazing on pasture. Feed pasture and hay the first few days after calving to avoid metabolic problems.

• Put homoeopathic caullophyllum in the trough 6 weeks, 3 weeks and 1 week before calving. This helps the uterus to prepare.

• Don’t forget about milk fever and grass staggers preven-tion. Check these sections for information.

Tip: If you want cows calving during the day rather than at night, move them onto their fresh break in the afternoon rather than the early morning. An old practice, which is dying out but seems to work.

Some suggestions to help with problems encountered

These are many and varied. You will not need to use all of them. Pick out the ones you feel happy with and have the resources for.

Pre calving• Cider vinegar in trough. Others – aloe, seaweed,

seawater.

• Herbs to steep with cider vinegar or make as a tea:

i. Garlic, stinging nettle, chickweed (general health)

ii. Fennel (promote milk flow and let down – use 1 week prior & 1 week post calving)

iii. The native shrub Pate helps with parturition

iv. Red raspberry leaves (fresh or dried) (promotes healthy uterus).

Homoeopathics

• Caullophyllum 30c in trough 6 weeks, 3 weeks and 1 week prior to calving and 1x post calving. (good remedy for toning uterus)

• Cal phos/Mag phos/Silicea 30c to prevent milk fever. Add Kali phos 30c to Cal phos/Mag phos/Kali phos 30c to prevent grass staggers.

• Arnica 30c 1x a week in trough to ease delivery and calving paralysis.

2 weeks prior to calving could give laxative once or twice to suspect cows: pulped carrots, bran mash, and ground oats, linseed meal.

To initiate labour

To help bring calving on – Caullophyllum 200c

Heifers starting but not progressing – Gelsemium 30c

Threatened abortion

Give a concentration of vitamin C

Blackcurrant, rosehip juice. Blackberry, black currant, straw-berry, hawthorn, also contain Vitamin C.

Homoeopathic Sabina 30c

During and post calvingSeveral procedures have been described in books. Mother

nature usually allows a cow to calve with no problems and then lets her lick her young and then the calf will suckle her. All these processes are important to allow the glands, muscles and nerves to perform, as they should to allow a natural state (see de Bairacli Levy, 1991).

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Homoeopathic Remedies for:Recovery and deep bruising Arnica/Bellis Perens 200c

Grief and putting uterus back Sepia 30c

Caesarean Arnica 30c

Milk let down and flow Belladonna 30c

Bright red blood and clotting. Feverish Belladonna 30c

Watery bright red and clots. Persistent Sabina 30c

After pains Sabina 30c

When taking away calf (grief, parting) Ignatia 30c

For possessiveness of calf Pulsatilla 30c

Paralysis • Keep her constantly warm.

• Give her fresh food and water each day and lift her up. Change the sides she lays on each day.

• Fast the animals, giving only water or water, milk, molasses the day after calving to allow the body to put everything right.

• Watch for uterine infections as the cows can’t empty their bladders properly.

• 250gm Epsom Salts 1–2x a week as a drench to action the bowels. (Check Epsom salts are permitted with your certifying agency)

• Plus 112gm ground gentian root, 112gm saltpetre, 112gm nux vomica (helps the body remove toxins). Mix, give 1 Tablespoon in slop 2x a day.

• Rub loins and hips 2x a day with heat salve .

• A drench with cayenne pepper will get the organs moving again.

Homoeopathic remedies for paralysis:

Plumbum Metallicum/Hypericum 30c

Hypericum 1m (helps nerve endings) 30c

Arnica 30c

Sepia 30c

Ledum 30c

Carbo veg 30c (for vegetative states)

You will still need to do what you normally do to a cow in this state, as these remedies are only an aid to that process.

Treatments for Pain ReliefCurrently veterinarians administer ketoprofen, which has a 4 day meat withholding, and a nil milk withholding period.

Aconite 30c (mild pain) or 1m (acute pain) may help.

Arnica 30c or 1m will also aid with recovery

Hypericum 30c will assist with sore, bruised, shooting or tearing pain, especially in the lower back.

Bryonia 30c will help with muscular pain.

Higher potencies may benefit here.

Bladder problemsHerbs and grasses that are helpful – raw carrots, parsnips, yarrow, charcoal, shepherd’s purse, linseed tea, cleavers (bidibidi), raw peas, parsley, comfrey, seaweed, cherry stalks and twigs, heather, fennel, chicory, couch grass.

Dead foetus not expelledThese often go rotten inside the animal. Douching twice daily with clean water, teatree oil and colloidal silver along with echinacea by mouth and belladonna homoeopathically. Cider vinegar and rosemary is another remedy.

Note: Before using Colloidal Silver, please be sure to read the section in this chapter.

Retained membranes

It is important to allow the calf to suckle and be licked by her mother to stimulate the nerves of the cow’s uterus and allow removal of the membranes. If a heifer is reluctant to lick, put molasses on the calf.

• 2.5 litres beer, 500g brown sugar (or molasses), 56g nutmeg, cider vinegar. Drench the animal with this as needed.

• 3:1 of raspberry leaves and feverfew in 1 litre of water and mix with 500g molasses. I wonder if blackberry leaves would be just as effective??

• 2 ltrs tansy tea, 500g Epsom salts, 56g ground ginger, 1/2 litre own cows milk. Two days later give linseed oil to remedy the effects of the Epsom salts.

• Cider vinegar with tansy or rosemary or thyme leaves. These herbs could also be used as a straight tea and drenched.

• Ivy leaves (Hedera helix, Araliaceae), lavender flowers, thyme leaves as a douche or added to feed fresh. (This remedy has not been tried. It was found in an English book)

• Thyme or rosemary leaves made into a tea and drenched.

• Check the herb section for other possible remedies.

• Homoeopathics:

Sabina 30c Afterpains. Bleeding with clotsSecale 30c Dark bloodPulsatilla 30c Persistent holding onBelladonna 30c Beginning to get feverishPyrogenum 30c Really bad, putrid smellyPyrogenum/Caullophyllum/Silica 30c combination works well on some cows.

Metritis (infection of the uterus)It can be a cause of infertility and even death through blood poisoning. Begins with healthy but whitish pus discharging from the vagina. Leads on to loss of appetite, high temp, brown or yellow pus if not dealt with.

• Give a laxative 500gm Epsom salts and repeat half doses in two days if the effects of the first dose are not quite marked. (Check with your certifying agency re Epsom salts)

• Mild cases, a douche of antiseptic solution (teatree oil) into the uterus.

• Homoeopathically:

Aconite 30c for emotional shock and fears

Sabina 30c bright blood stained, retaining placenta

Secale 30c dark fluid blood, lean appearance

Pyrogenum/silica 30c to remove the infection – push it out.

Severe cases

Belladonna 1m fever etc

Echinaecea 30c to help body fight septicaemia signs

Lachesis 30c throat swollen, limbs swollen

Mercurius 30c

Hydrastis 30c thick, yellow discharge

Pulsatilla 30c brown or yellow pus

§ Colloidal silver. (see section on Colloidal Silver before making a decision)

• If nothing works, do not linger. Use antibiotics and deal with certification issues.

• Side effects of this illness can be things such as pneumonia, peritonitis, enteritis, meningitis, nephritis. They have to be dealt with in their own way if they occur.

• These animals will need lots of building up to get them cycling again. Cider vinegar, molasses, nasturtium and stinging nettle etc.

A Hypothesis on calvingproblems (see de Bairacli Levy, 1991)

There are three theories on these.

1) The cow’s emotional condition during the whole reproduction process. This also indicates lack of fitness.

2) The low vitality of the cow means the nerves and uterus are not toned – another indicator of fitness.

3) Sometimes through AI there is an incomplete fertilisation process

Suggestion: Get yourself a detailed homoeopathic and/or herbal handbook that has a materia medica section in it, so you can learn the actions of these plants and remedies and lots of ideas for treating the problems you encounter. There is never one single answer. An alternative to this is to find a good homoeopath and/or herbalist to help you.

12. Lameness• Can have one of many causes

• Poor feet are inherited

• Be observant – deal with the problem sooner rather than later

• Prevent by using footbaths.

What is it?Several things can cause lameness:

• The bugs Dicalybacter nodosus/Fusibacterium necroph-orum, Arccinobacter pyogenes and Bacteroides Nosodus (affects sheep) that live in the soil and the mud in races.

• Laminitis

• Inflammation of joints and muscles

• Trauma causing damage to the foot through:

Injury through sharp stones or sticks

Overgrown toenails and frames of the feet

Fescue grass

White line disease (a hoof weakness caused by poor nutrition).

The damage from the bugs that live in the soil and mud in races and tracks arise when wet conditions underfoot soften the interdigital skin, allowing the infection to invade the foot.

This then leads to footrot, which causes interdigit inflammation and necrosis, which in neglected cases can lead to secondary infections around the bulb of the heels and the coronet. If left untreated this inflammation can extend up the leg to the joints.

Penetration by sharp objects, such as stones, sticks, staples can also cause a foot abcess, which can be complicated by walking on races and tracks with the bugs in the race, allowing them to invade. First signs are lameness due to severe pain, with the

foot held off the ground.

Dogs and humans moving the cows faster than normal cause most of these problems. A cow is designed to mooch around and graze. Her back feet land exactly where her front feet have just lifted from the ground and this lessens the chance of injury.

Laminitis is becoming an increasing problem in our dairy herds today, due to a lack of fibre and unbalanced diets, especially if introduced to rich foods too suddenly. Dietary upsets lead to a pH change (acidic) in the rumen and this leads to subclinical cases. It is an inflamma-tion of the sensitive structures of the foot. The animals persist in lying down most of the time, and they stand with their front feet well out in front of them, hind feet

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drawn under her. The feet are hot and the top of the hoof is swollen. It tends to affect the front feet. Later the feet become elongated and grooved.

Overgrown toenails and frames of feet lead to unbalanced walking for the cow, allowing one digit to be higher than another. This then puts pressure in places there should not be and the end result is often lameness. An inspection of animals’ feet regularly and giving them a manicure, if necessary, avoids this situation. This trait may also be inherited.

White line disease is a gradual infliction, caused at any time the animal goes through stress or periods of poor nutrition causing stress. It shows on the hoof as a white line and is a weak point. As the hoof grows these lines eventually get to the part which is in contact with the ground. The end result is a foot prone to injury.

Zinc is an important element for the animal to have in their system to allow a strong keratin structure to be present.

Offspring from overseas stock can show a tendency to lameness, because of their breeding. Their ancestors are used to standing in barns, with very little walking. Their diets are also quite different and this may affect their offsprings’ consititu-tion and physical make up. They are living in conditions quite different in New Zealand – fed mainly on grass and having to walk long distances every day. Result: weaker feet.

Photos: Left: Healthy hoof Right: Hoof showing nutrition

and stress lines.

copper sulphate. These are restricted remedies and for footbaths only as these substances, especially copper sulphate, kill earthworms.

• Bacteroides nosodus survives in wet muddy conditions for no more than 3 weeks. It hates sun but can be passed on from one animal to the next. If you suspect this is the problem get the vet to test to make sure what bug you do have.

• Overgrown toenails and excess around the sides of hooves are hereditary. They can be trimmed using a hoof knife, but must be trimmed in such a way it is comfortable for an animal to walk. (It is like us losing 1⁄2 a sole of a shoe)

• Invest in a good set of clippers and hoof knives.

• Homoeopathic arnica 30c and silica 30c, alternated in the trough weekly for prevention.

• Never restrict their nutrition levels.

• Check liver for copper levels and blood samples for zinc levels.

TreatmentsWith inflammation between digits, treat a.s.a.p. to stop the pus from burrowing under the horn.

Wash with soapy water or antiseptic or teatree oil or cider vinegar. Cut all loose decaying flesh. Apply poultice with linseed meal and use a shoof to hold poultice. When pus has gone, protect wound with Stockholm tar. (Check with your certifying agency.)

Clean between the toes with cider vinegar, then put active manuka honey up between the toes, along with fresh

plantain leaves and hold it in place with insulation tape. Change it daily for 3 days (more if needed) as well as treat with homoeopathic Pyrogenum 30c. The infection usually stops getting worse straight away, but swelling can take up to 10 days to go down.

Use a shoof to hold poultices, keep the digit clean, and to take the pressure off the damaged digit.

Mix Stockholm tar and copper sulphate to pack a wound (check these remedies with your certifying agency first)

Comfrey poultices, plantain poultices, warm linseed meal poul-tices, epsom salt poultices work well on severe cases.

Warm Epsom salts in a foot bath

If there is no recovery, and the animal is in pain and is suffering, you will need to call your vet and you may need to treat the animal with antibiotics.

Homoeopathic:Lameness, severe pain Aconite 30c

Resolve abscess Hepar sulphur 30c

Drain pus Hepar sulphur 6x

Works on the infectioninternally Silicea 200c

Severe infection Gunpowder 30c (Homoeopathic)

Gonitis (inflammation of stifle joint). Older animals tend to get it due to joint degeneration Arnica 30c

Sprains Rhus tox 1m

Periosteum of bone Ruta grav 30c

Fracture Symphytum 30c

Others

Stops the development ofexcess hard tissue Calcarea fourica 30c

Reduces infection and ulcerations Nat mur 200c

Young calves

To metabolise calcium Cal phos 30c

Growing rapidly Phos ac 30c

• Nosodes for footrot are available if it is a constant problem. Talk to your homoeopath

• Couch grass and dandelion are high in silica which strengthens the feet

• Herbs and poultices could come in handy – see the herb section.

13. Ketosis (acetonemia or acidosis)This can be confused with grass staggers or milk fever. It occurs 6–10 weeks post calving. It affects high producing cows when there are larger demands of their body condition. It affects high producing cows at a time when even a high dietary intake of energy is insufficient for the animal’s needs. The animal starts breaking down its own fatty acids and producing ketone by–products. Body fat deposits are depleted and there is a rapid loss of body condition.

The causes can include high protein low digestibility feeds, poor feed quantities, stress and/or adverse weather. Ketosis is often a secondary disease associated with metabolic diseases. Metabolic imbalances usually lead to a decline in appetite which increases the risk of suffering from Ketosis.

This means it is due to one of the following: the quality of nutrition in late pregnancy; shortage of feed; poor quality feed;

stress and adverse weather.

• Drench with one of the many remedies available. Check your standards booklet on what is permitted

• Drench with 250ml glycerine and 250 ml molasses.

• Check for milk fever, which can also occur at the same time.

• Mineral compound (homoeopathic remedy available from HFS) could be helpful.

• Cider vinegar to aid digestion.

• Homoeopathic lycopodium 1m

14. Black leg (Entero–toxaemia)Black leg is one of the clostridial diseases of farm animals. Pulpy kidney, Red water are other clostridial diseases. Clostridia are found in the soil and in animals. Black leg will grow rapidly when offered the right conditions. Bruising and wounds are often related to outbreaks of clostridial diseases. Black leg often affects the most rapidly growing animals which have been grazing high protein, low fibre moist pasture. The kidneys are unable to handle the clostridial toxins and death often follows quickly.

• If it is an ongoing problem, apply to get permission to vaccinate for it.

• Some vaccines are GE and combination vaccines (5 in 1 etc). Check with your vet before vaccinating what you are using and ensure the vaccine has not been genetically engineered. Ask for a certificate stating this.

• Watch the grass you are putting the animals on. If neces-sary, keep giving them some fibre, such as hay.

• Keep animals in a healthy and fit condition.

• Homoeopathic remedies will help but will not cure: Crotalus horridus 30c, Bothrops/Lanciolatus 30c, Lachesis 30c

15. Salt PoisoningSalt can be poisonous in large doses.

Avoid uncontrolled access to agricultural salt. Some cows develop a real liking for it and poison themselves.

Give the animal warm water and linseed tea – as much as possible.

Give the heart a stimulus – strong coffee, brandy.

Homoeopathics are available.

PreventionA few pointers:

• Let the cows wander to the shed where possible.

• Keep your races, gateways and trough surrounds in good order.

• Feed them some fibre, such as hay or straw when the grass is growing quickly.

• Ensure your pasture sward has a variety of grasses and herbs in it to ensure the animal has fibre in their diet.

• At the first sign of feet trouble investigate and deal with it. Check for stones lodged in the claws. Arnica 2x a day for 2 days often works plus a footbath for the herd.

• Footbaths can be made with zinc sulphate, mono zinc or

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16. Pink Eye (conjunctivitis)

What is it?Pink eye is an eye infection (Moraxella bovis). Predisposing factors include dust, bright sun, flies, and environmental irrita-tions (thistles, ragwort, ryegrass seeds). Mycoplasmas may also be involved. It occurs in summer and autumn. It can be heredi-tary and it is contagious.

The four stages are

• Tears streaming

• Blinking frequently

• The eye showing signs of infection and

• Opaque cornea indicating possible permanent damage.

Treatments

Eye washes:Boracic acid.

2.5% solution of zinc sulphate in water. (28g zinc sulphate dissolved in 1 litre water)

Eyebright tincture in water.

Homoeopathics:Prevention Pink eye nosode

First signs Aconite 30c

Early stages Kali hydr 30c, Euphrasia 30c

Cause is a blow Arnica 30c

Inflammed eyeLight sensitive Belladonna 30c

Corneal opacity(Beginning to do this) Acidum nitricum 200c

Absolute cornealOpacity Silica 200c

17. Woody Tongue

What is it?Woody tongue can be caused by either a bacterial infection (Actinobacillosis), or by a fungal infection (actinomycosis),

of the soft tissues around the tongue and mouth. If serious enough it can infect lymph glands. Most infections start with cuts or scratches in the mouth or on the tongue.

Prevent access to material that might cause mouth lacerations (boxthorn, barberry) and avoid damaging animal mouths while drenching. Isolate any infected animals and treat any clinical cases.

The tongue becomes hard and swollen, making it hard to eat. The animal dribbles, like after you have had an injection for dental treatment.

TreatmentsFor the whole herd, increase your seaweed intake for iodine.

For individuals:

• 1st give an internal cleansing using 250g Epsom salts as a drench.

2nd drench with 500g powdered seaweed (or liquid seaweed) in molasses and garlic.

3rd massage the hardened area with 1 part vinegar and 3 parts seaweed and 1 dessertspoon paprika.

Note: check with your certifying agency if Epsom salts is permitted.

• Colloidal Silver (15ml) (see earlier section on Colloidal Silver)

• Drench 250ml cider vinegar with 4 tablespoon seaweed granules a few times a day.

Homoeopathics:

Left swollen glands Mercurius Iodatus Ruber 30c

Right swollen glands Mercurius Iodatus Flavus 30c

General help Kali Hydr 200c

Belladonna 30c

18. Wounds• Clean using cold water, salt and a disinfectant healing herb

(e.g. teatree oil)

• Rub some of the herb leaves and cider vinegar into the wound (see Herbal section)

• For inflammation, rub cider vinegar and plantain

• Old wounds use aloe vera juice

• Dose internally with garlic to strengthen healing process

• Check the herb section

• Infected: honey and plantain poultice along with Homoeopathic pyrogenum. 30c

• Active manuka honey is remarkably good on many infections

HomoeopathicsInfection: Hepa sulph 6c – 1m (low potencies promote suppuration, high promote resolution or healing)

Silica 6c – 1m ( pushes infections out. Low potencies bring abscesses to a head heals scar tissue.)

Arnica

Hepa Sulphur and Silica are both important remedies in healing,

especially in infections. Ask your homeopath what to use and when.

19. ShockMental Aconite 30c

Rescue remedy 30c

Physical Arnica 30c

20. Drying offDrying off should occur at least four weeks before the cow is due to calve again. The udder goes through a period of involu-tion, cleansing and preparing for calving again.

Below are some treatments. Feed management should ensure energy and water intake is maintained but protein is reduced. So replace some of the diet with hay and do not feed high quality crops, such as brassicas and young grass while drying off.

• Peppermint, ginger and asparagus help slow milk flow.

• A dose of Epsom salts 28g every 2 days. (Check you are allowed to use this under these circumstances)

• Homoeopathic Lac Canium 30c in trough after final milking.

• Check for any individual mastitis cases 1 and 2 weeks post drying off and treat accordingly.

21. Udder ProblemsCracks

Clean teats

Apply ointments or udder grease to keep moist (see herb article)

Homoeopathic:Peeling skin Bryonia 30c

Oozing Graphites 30c

Bleeding Silica 30c

Abscesses Phytolacca 30c

Warts Homoeopathic thuja 30c

Ulcers Homoeopathic sulphur 30c

Chaffing Vaseline

Udder cream

Slow parts to heal use zinc oxide in an ointment

Sore TeatsMix hypericum and marigold (50/50) with honey and use for all sore and cut teats.

Calendula cream or oil.

22. RingwormHomoeopathic bacicillum 30c

23. CatarrhHomoeopathic:

Yellow discharge Mercury/Pulsatilla 30c

Itchy Sulphur 30c

Yellow stringy Kali birch 30c

Thick discharges Hydrastatis 30c

24. Cow poxIt is infectious via the milker handling teats. Usually it is oval shaped. Allow the animals to develop an immunity if you have an outbreak.

• Dose with garlic and cider vinegar

• Elder and watercress is good fodder.

• Bathe with a brew of elder and dock leaves (2 handfuls of each), cut finely and steeped in 1 litre of water. This will also cure large open ulcers.

• Alternative to above brew is flaked garlic root.

• Maybe teatree oil could be used.

• Responds well to active manuka honey.

• Rub pure manuka honey on.

Chapter 2 ANIMAL HEALTH

106

Organic Pastoral RESOURCE GUIDE

107

HomoeopathicsPrevention nosode

Dry skin lesions Antimonium Crudum 30c

Pox like eruptions Cuprum Aceticum 30c

Crater like, discharge Kali Bich 30c

Vesticular Ranunculus Bulbosus 30c

25. PneumoniaHomoeopathics:

Not moving Bryonia 30c

1st remedy Aconite30c

Aid recoveryand prevent from recurring Sulphur 30c

Herbs may help.

26. LeptospirosisThere are three types of lepto that can infect cows. All of them can infect humans resulting in a debilitating illness, which may last for months. In some people it periodically recurs. New Zealand is rather unique among dairy farming countries in that there is a high risk of lepto infections in unvaccinated animals and the people that work with them.

The organism is highly infectious. Although it is killed by sunlight and desiccation, it can travel quite some distance in water, certainly from one farm to the next.

Hardjo is the ‘normal’ cow lepto. Most non–vaccinated herds carry it and usually effects on cows are minor, although humans are at risk. If a vaccination programme is halted, after a year or two hardjo often returns and abortions can result.

Pomona is the ‘normal’ pig lepto and effects on pigs are minor. However, if it spreads to unvaccinated cows, a serious abortion storm is likely. It also produces red–water in calves resulting in a lot of sick animals and some deaths. I try to discourage pigs on dairy farms. If you must have one, it should be vaccinated.

Copenhageni is spread by rats. It is uncommon on dairy farms. It’s the one lepto that can affect dogs (death rate is close to 100% in unvaccinated dogs) and it can kill people as well. Effects on cows are minor.

The standard lepto vaccine protects against hardjo and pomona. If there is copenhageni in your district, it would be advisable to use the vaccine that includes this.

With the ACC ruling, you will probably need to vaccinate, espe-cially if you have others in your shed from time to time. It is not

worth the risk.

Check the vaccine that is being used, that it is lepto only (there are combination ones) and that it is GE free. Get a certificate stating this. Remember after the shot it is too late!

There are nosodes available but are not recognised by vets.

Check with your certifying agency for permission first.

If the answer is yes, get the straight leptospirosis vaccine, not the combination one.

27. General tonic for rundown cows• Powdered oak bark, a little powdered ginger steeped in 1

litre hot water, then drenched.

• Cider vinegar, seaweed, molasses, seawater

• Chilli pepper

• Check the herb section.

There must be others!!!

28. General informationA very good drench gun, which administers 200ml at a time for drenching high volumes is available. See your veterinarian.

Manuka honey is remarkably good on many infections.

ReferencesCalf management and worms

Websites:

www.attra.org

www.lifestyleblock.co.nz ( practical information on calf rearing)

Books and papers: Barrell,G.K., (Ed) 1997. Sustainable control of internal parasites in rumi-

nants. Animal Industries Workshop. Lincoln University, Canterbury. June. pp 280.

Coleby Pat. 2002. Healthy Cattle Naturally ISBN 0 643 06765 5.Available from Touchwood Books, Box 610 Hastings. Ph (06) 8742872

www.touchwoodbooks.co.nz.de Bairacli Levy Juliette. The Complete Herbal Handbook for

Farm and Stable Pub 1988 Faber ISBN 0–571–13205–7.McBride, Judy. 1998. An ounce of prevention equals pounds of milk. Ag

Research January p10–11.MacLeod G. The Treatment of Cattle by Homoeopathy Available

from NZ Homoeopathic Assn.Verkade Tineke Homoeopathic Handbook for Dairy Farming

Available from HFS P O Box 9025 Hamilton. Ph: 07 858 4233.

Wynn, Susan G. 1996. Anthlemintic therapy in holistic veterinary practice. Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Assn Feb–Apr p15–19.

Cider VinegarBiodynamic newsletter, Autumn 1990.Bragg Paul and Patricia Apple Cider Vinegar ISBN 0 87790 0418Thacker Emily 1994 The Vinegar Book. Pub Tresco, New York.

ResourcesCoral Tree Organic Products Ltd, 44 Waihou Rd, P O Box 660, Levin,

Ph: 06 368 0833, Fax: 06 368 7888, Email kim@coraltree.co.nz

Web: www.organically–nz.co.nz.

Facial EczemaFarm Fact Sheets 1–8 from Dexcel.Waterman, G.A. 1980 The Practical Stock Doctor. Detroit. F.B.Dickerson

Cp. p 808.

Herbal MedicineFisher Carole & Painter Gillian. Materia Medica of Western Herbs

of the Southern Hemisphere ISBN 0 473 03982 6.Grieve Mrs M. A Modern Herbal ISBN 0 140464409.Hoffmann David. The Herb User’s Guide ISBN 0 7225122880.Kloss Jethro. Back to Eden ISBN 0 912800127.Lawrence Hill. Comfrey. Pub Doubleday Research Institute, England (try

Touchwood Books).Pritchard EA for the NZ Weed and Pest Control Society. A Guide to

the Identification of NZ Common Weeds ISBN 0 959767614 .Riley Murdoch. Maori Healing and Herbal ISBN 0 854670955.Stuart Malcom. The Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Herbalism ISBN

0 856130672.Veterinary Science at Massey University The Farmer’s Veterinary

Guide Revised and updated by a panel of Veterinary Experts. Available through NZ Dairy Exporter, Box 299, Wellington.

HomoeopathyDay Christopher MRCVS, VetFFHom. The Homoeopathic Treatment

of Cattle ISBN 0–906584–37–X.MacLeod G. The Treatment of Cattle by Homoeopathy Available

from the New Zealand Homoeopathic Association P O Box 67 095, Mt Eden, Auckland, Ph: 09 630 5458.

Verkade Tineke. Homoeopathic Handbook for Dairy Farming, ISBN 0–473–08376–0 available from the author at HFS, P O Box 9025, Hamilton.

www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4152521,00.html – a scientific paper on homoeopathy.

Resources

NZ Council of Homoeopaths, P O Box 51–195, Tawa, Web: www.homoeopathy.co.nz Email: nzch@homoeopathy.co.nz.

HFS (Homoeopathic Farm Support) offers a range of product & advice, P O Box 9025, Hamilton, Ph: 07 858 4233, Fax: 07 858 4234,

Email: hfs@xtra.co.nz Web: www.farmsupport.co.nz.Animal Health Solutions offers a range of homoeopathically based

products for most commercial stock. Contact: Heather Stewart, Welcome Bay, Tauranga, Freeph: 0800 926 462,

Web: www.animal.co.nz.Spray bottles are available through Payless Plastics or HFS. Ask your

homoeopath how to mix your remedies into the spray bottles. Keep the same spray bottle for the same remedies.

Infertilitydu Faur Ralph 1981 Dairy Herd Husbandry Dairy Exporter ISBN

0–908596–11–1.Henderson Gita Biodynamic Perspectives – Farming and

Gardening,. Published by the NZ Farming and Gardening Assn, P O Box 39 045, Wellington. pp 86–91 A Critical. Look at Reproduction Technology by Jorg Spranger. ISBN 1–86941–460–8.

MacLeod G. MRCVS,DVSM,AF Hom 1992 The Treatment of Cattle by Homoeopathy by Jain Pub, India. Available from NZ Homoepathic Assn pp 76–80.

MastitisAllen and Molan. Activity of honey in agriculture – mastitis

bacteria.

Livestock Improvement, Managing Mastitis – A Practical Guide for NZ Dairy Farmers.

Livestock Improvement SAMM Plan 1992.NZ Journal of Agricultural Research 1997 Vol 40 p 537–540.

Trace Element Deficienciesde Bairacli Levy Juliette 1988 The Complete Herbal Handbook for

Farm and Stable Pub Faber ISBN 0–571–13205–7 pp170 – 173 has a comprehensive list of the herb mineral properties..

Bettacrop Organics, Hamilton, Ph: 07 824 4881, have a commercial drench with garlic, cider vinegar, amino acids, mineral oils and kelp.

Pfeiffer Ehrenfried E. Weeds and what they tell by, Published by Biodynamic Association USA. ISBN 0 938250–04–3.

General Resources for Animal Health Coleby Pat. 2002 Healthy Cattle Naturally ISBN 0 643 06765 5

Available through Touchwood Books: touchwoodbooks.co.nzColeby, P. 2000. Healthy Sheep Naturally. Landlinks Press,

Collingwood, Vic. 2nd Ed.de Bairacli Levy Juliette. The Complete Herbal Handbook for Farm

and Stable Pub 1991 by Faber. ISBN 0–571–13205–7.Day Christopher MRCVS, VetFFHom. The Homoeopathic Treatment

of Beef and Dairy cattle ISBN 0–906584–37–X.Davies P 1988 Organic Farming in New Zealand, The Farmer

and His Environment. Pub by Tokoroa Printers Available from Touchwood Books.

du Faur Ralph. Dairy Herd Husbandry, ISBN 0–9–8596–11–1.Harrison Adele and Gilbertson Helen. Remedies for Farm Animals

Pub by NZ Biodynamic Assn P O Box 39 045 Wellington Mail Centre. PH (04) 589 5366.

Henderson Gita. Biodynamic Perspectives – Farming and Gardening, Pub by NZ Biodynamic Assn P O Box 39 045 Wellington Mail Centre.

Johnston JG. 1941 NZ Veterinary Handbook Pub NZ Dairy Exporter.Macdonald’s Press Macdonald’s Encyclopaedia of Medical Plants.Verkade Tineke Homoeopathic Handbook for Dairy Farming

Available from HFS, P O Box 9025, Hamilton. Ph: 07 858 4233.MacLeod G. The Treatment of Cattle by Homoeopathy Pub 1992

B Jain, India Book Code B–2361 Available from NZ Homoepathic Assn.Massey University Vetereninary Science 1992 The Farmers Veterinary

Guide, pub Dairy Exporter Books. Available from Dairy Exporter NZ.Ruddock Dr The Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Veterinary

Medicine. Available from NZ Homoeopathic Assn.Massey University Organic Unit, see Appendix 2

NZ Agrisearch Units at Ruakura & Lincoln Web:www.agrisearch.co.nz

www.dexcel.co.nz www.farmwise.co.nz

www.caprine.co.nz www.lifestyleblock.co.nz

www.2farm.co.nz www.vetgate.co.nz

www.attra.org