Diatomaceous Earth for my sheep

Kalma Hayes
Buccleugh Farm
George

I keep a small flock of SA vleis Merino/ Witkop Dorpers. I was visited by a DE agent plus-minus 5yrs ago and I put all my sheep on DE with amazing results. You might not be aware but this area is not a sheep area according to the powers that be and I was told that my sheep will start dying and be totally infested with worms. On the contrary, my sheep were healthy happy sheep. We slaughter at home so could always check livers etc no problems. The sheep I did send to the abattoir was A3. I found that because my sheep were healthy they produced very healthy stunning lambs in fact I hardly lost a lamb. In my small feedlot, the weaners were given dry food with DE at lib. Slaughtered at 4-5 months and slaughtered out between 21 - 35kg. Then the agent immigrated to Australia and no one could tell me where to find DE the people I did speak to said that they were not mining any more so hence back onto chemicals. Disaster!!!! For a year cydectin la, ivermectin etc, sick sheep, puny lambs, the list can go forever, even bought in stud rams to improve stock. Nothing changed except that I had no DE. My weaners same food etc no DE just didn't grow slaughtered out 18 - 21 kg. Was over the moon when I saw the article in the Farmers Weekly 4th June edition and called Izak Maritz and the rest is history my sheep are now back on DE and will be reaping results soon. I did have worm counts done when I first started but unfortunately have mislaid them over the years, my vets were amazed but sceptical. Will take worm counts and send results.