WAGZ N WIGGLEZ

Diatomaceous Earth or DE for short, is the fossilized remains of the diatom, a single celled aquatic plant that lived some 20 million years ago.  The remains of the diatoms formed deposits of diatomite in sedimentary layers.  It is found in  various dry lake bed deposits which were formed anciently from the skeletons of millions of microscopic diatoms as they died and fell to the bottom of the lake or sea bed.  It is dug out of the ground and mined in different parts of the world.

For pets and livestock, food grade DE is used to control internal and external parasites. Mix it in feed for internal parasite control.  For external parasites, lightly dust or rub it onto the animal. It controls fleas, ticks, mites.

Along with controlling parasites, long-term users of  DE contend that it also stimulates basic metabolism, converts feed better, results in better coat condition, reduces annual vet bills and reduces animal stress. We feed it to our own animals and are firm believers in its health benefits

FOOD GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH
FACTS & INFORMATION
Diatomite ~ Amorphous Silica

Thursday, July 16, 2009

FOOD GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH INFORMATION

Facts, Info, & Feeding Rates DE & Worming DE Human Benefits
DE for Fleas & Ticks Mites, Insects, Morgellons DE Analysis
DE Retailers Buy Diatomaceous Earth DE Dusters
DE & Fly Control  

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is the remains of microscopic one-celled plants (phytoplankton) called diatoms that lived in the oceans and lakes that once covered the western part of the US and other parts of the world. These deposits are mined from underwater beds or from ancient dried lake bottoms thousands of years old. This means, diatomaceous earth has an unlimited shelf life provided you keep it dry.

Diatomaceous earth is mined, milled, and processed into a myriad of types for a large variety of uses. Filtering and filler are two main uses but diatomaceous earth also ends up in paints, cosmetics, drugs, chemical insecticides, etc. Because the milling produces different sized and shaped particles, it is important not to use the filtering type for agricultural purposes.

Pool filter grade diatomaceous earth has been heat and chemically treated and will poison an animal or human who ingests it, so it is always of utmost importance to only obtain food grade diatomaceous earth to use in and around your household.

Diatoms (DE) are the grass of the oceans and lakes. Just as grass is the staple food of earth animals. Diatoms (algae) are the food of the ocean or fresh water grazers. Magnified 7000x, diatomaceous earth looks like spiney honeycombs.

Food grade diatomaceous earth is EPA approved to be mixed with grains to control mealworms and other pests and has been exempted from tolerance requirements as an inert, inactive ingredient in chemical pesticides. Diatomaceous earth is EPA approved against indoor and outdoor crawling insects. Diatomaceous earth is USDA approved as an anti-caking agent for animal feed. Diatomaceous earth is FDA approved for internal and external use and has a rating of Food Chemical Codex Grade.

INTERNAL PARASITE CONTROL: Food grade diatomaceous earth makes a very effective natural insecticide. The insecticidal quality of diatomaceous earth is due to the razor sharp edges of the diatom remains. When diatomaceous earth comes in contact with the insects, the sharp edges lacerate the bugs waxy exoskeleton and then the powdery diatomaceous earth absorbs the body fluids causing death from dehydration.

Food grade diatomaceous earth has been used for at least two decades as a natural wormer for livestock. Some believe diatomaceous earth scratches and dehydrates parasites. Some scientists believe that diatomaceous earth is a de-ionizer or de-energizer of worms or parasites. Regardless, people report definite control. To be most effective, food grade diatomaceous earth must be fed long enough to catch all newly hatching eggs or cycling of the worms through the lungs and back to the stomach. A minimum of 60 days is suggested by many, 90 days is advised for lungworms.

Food grade diatomaceous earth works in a purely physical/mechanical manner, not "chemical" and thus has no chemical toxicity. Best yet, parasites don’t build up a tolerance/immunity to its chemical reaction, so rotation of wormers is unnecessary.

People often ask why DE is rated Food Chemical Codex Grade. If it was only labeled as "food" grade, people would think it is only useful as a food supplement and since DE "acts" like a chemical by dehydrating insects, it was labeled "Chemical" grade since it acts like a chemical, but it is NOT a true chemical like a pesticide or insecticide. It is perfectly safe for oral consumption.

*CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS OF FEEDING CODEX FOOD GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH TO DOGS, O.C. Collins, DVM, Midland Animal Clinic And Hospital, Midland, TX: “In clinical observations of feeding dogs over 35 lbs. 1 tbsp./day and under 35 lbs. 1 tsp./day of DE, within seven days all ova disappeared from stools. DE controlled Ascardis (Toxacara canids), Hookworms (Anclyostoma caninum), and Whipworms (Trichuris vulipis).”

Daily recommended food grade diatomaceous earth feeding rates:

Kittens - 1/2 teaspoon
Cats - 1 teaspoon
Puppies - 1/2 to 1 tsp.
Dogs under 35 lbs. - 1 teaspoon
Dogs over 35 lbs. - 1 tablespoon
Dogs over 100 lbs. - 2 tablespoons
Cattle, Dairy Cows, & Hogs - 2% of dry feed ration
Chickens - 5% in feed
Goats & Sheep - 2% in grain
Horses - 1/2 to 1 cup in daily ration
*Humans - 1 heaping tablespoon daily

Internal feeding of food grade diatomaceous earth helps eliminate most internal worms, though possibly not all. It's also excellent when fed daily to keep down fly loads, since food grade diatomaceous earth is eliminated from the body, exactly the way it went in and kills flies that come in contact with it.

*Some recommend to dose humans by mixing food grade diatomaceous earth in a glass of water before bed or first thing in the morning, well before breakfast, to allow diatomaceous earth time to move through and absorb toxins from ones digestive tract without interfering or absorbing nutrients from foods or liquids. Some report great results consuming 1 tsp. in a glass of water prior to each meal, 3x/day.

If fecal counts are not zero for worms and ova after feeding DE for 30 days, increase the daily dose. Feeding too small a dose of DE will not give desired results. Increasing the dose, even if greater than the above recommendations, will not harm anyone.

 HOME APPLICATIONS:   If you are building a new home, barn, or other structure that is the perfect time to use DE and apply it on the inside of the walls, in the attic, etc. to prevent pesky bugs now and in the future.

If the insect problem is coming from outside the home and the insects are now residing in your home, treat both outside the home and inside at the same time for maximum effectiveness.

EXTERNAL APPLICATIONS FOR DOGS & CATS: Lightly rub food grade diatomaceous earth into pets coat, fur, and bedding to dehydrate fleas, lice, mites, and ticks. Dust them lightly, but thoroughly, as in order to kill the parasites, they must come in contact with the DE. Note, external application can take up to 72 hours to dehydrate external parasites.

Lightly sprinkle in household carpet. Leave for 2-3+ days, then vacuum. Please do not get heavy handed with the DE in your carpet, as I have heard from some people advising it causes problems with their vacuum.

PLEASE NOTE: Many people advise using ONLY food grade diatomaceous earth eliminates a flea problem, but we cannot say that it does this for everyone. If you are dealing with a flea infestation, we usually recommend food grade DE in the household carpet, pet bedding, on the pets, and outside in the dry areas where fleas congregate. But in the moist areas, such as lawns, gardens, etc., we have always recommended using beneficial/parasitic nematodes. These microscopic nematodes parasitize flea larvae. DE, as far as we know, only kills the adult fleas that come in contact with it. So DE possibly does not kill flea larvae.

It is said that only 5 to 15% of a flea infestation are the adult fleas that you see. The remaining 85 to 95% of your infestation are the larvae waiting to hatch!! As such, and although we have many customers who advise using only food grade diatomaceous earth worked to eliminate their flea problem, we still recommend using the food grade DE in conjunction with beneficial nematodes in outdoor moist areas.

YARD, GARDEN, & LANDSCAPE APPLICATIONS: DE’s minerals are great for the yard and gardens.

Apply DE to ant hills. Small ants may require a few applications to completely eliminate them, as they burrow new hills elsewhere, after we cover their initial hill with DE, but if we keep at it, eventually they disappear. Big ants are eliminated within two applications of a reasonable amount of DE applied to their ant hill. Ants in trash cans can be controlled by either painting DE around the bottom of the trash can or sprinkling it dry around it. They'll go elsewhere, as they do not like walking over DE. Of course, you will need to find their home to completely eliminate them, but it will keep them away from areas you put DE. Sprinkled around the house foundation keeps new crawling insects from coming inside.

OUTDOOR BUGS AFFECTED BY DIATOMACEOUS EARTH: Ants, fire ants, caterpillars, cut worms, army worms, fleas, ticks, cockroaches, snails, spiders, termites, scorpions, silver fish, lice, mites, flies, centipedes, earwigs, slugs, aphids, Japanese beetles (grub stage), bed bugs, fruit flies, corn earworm, cucumber beetles, corn borer, sting bugs, squash vine borers, thrips, loopers, etc., etc.

Pests that lay eggs may require a second application to catch the hatching eggs.

MINERALIZATION: Natural food grade diatomaceous earth contains 15 trace minerals: calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, copper, zinc iron, phosphorous, selenium, etc. People note shinier coats, better overall health, better production, etc. in their animals who are fed food grade diatomaceous earth regularly.

MORE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH BENEFITS: Food grade diatomaceous earth has been reported in scientific literature to absorb methyl mercury, e-coli, endotoxins, viruses (including polio virus), organophosphate pesticide residues, drug resides, and protein, perhaps even the proteinaceous toxins produced by some intestinal infections. Food grade diatomaceous earth detoxes.

There are some features about food grade diatomaceous earth that correspond with its ability as both a digestive aid and a colon cleanser. The honeycomb skeletal form of diatomaceous earth is found, under microscopic evaluation to reveal a tendency to become filled and clogged with hard debris such as intestinal scale. Food grade diatomaceous earth has not been found to cause any insult to the mucosa or barrier wall.

Diatomaceous earth has a negative charge and bacteria has a positive charge, wherein it is believed by some that food grade diatomaceous earth sweeps bacteria out of the body by trapping it in its honeycomb shaped skeletal form.

There is no withdrawal period when given to milking or feed animals. No toxins. Decreased mortality, increased milk production, decreased mastitis, better feed conversion.

CAUTIONS:

· DE manufacturers who work in diatomaceous earth mines 5 days/week advise inhaling it is not a problem (tho of course, don't be snuffing it) and we have not had problems when inhaling DE in small amounts. IF you have asthma or some other lung ailment, either wear a mask or be very careful when using food grade diatomaceous earth.
· Do NOT get diatomaceous earth in the eyes. DE is drying to the eyes, so do NOT put it out when you or your pets are down wind of it. DE is drying to your skin, hands, and feet, just as it can be to your pets.
· Do NOT use heavily in carpet. Some advise too much DE causes vacuum problems.
· NEVER use pool filter grade or any diatomaceous earth other than those labeled "Food Grade" for yourself or your animals. It can poison or kill them.
· Some people experience a healing crisis (detox reaction) when beginning DE consumption. If this occurs, reduce the dose, till your body is cleansed, and then increase to the RDA.
· Remember, DE will kill beneficial insects as well, so don't put it on your flowers where the honey bees go and use wisely.

FOOD GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH BENEFITS SUMMARY:

· Natural wormer – eliminates many parasites without chemicals
· Safe, non-toxic, parasites don’t build immunity as they do with traditional wormers
· 15 trace minerals – great for animals, humans, plants, and soil
· No feed withdrawal for milk or feed animals
· Decreased mastitis
· Reduced scours
· Decreased mortality
· Better feed conversion
· Helps detox heavy metals, ecoli, bacteria, viruses, etc.
· Promotes shinier coats
· Digestive aid
· Colon cleanser
· Better production
· Better overall health
· Eliminates pests in stored grains
· Reduces flies, fleas, ticks, etc.
· Reduces manure odor
· Drying agent
· Reduces moisture and pests in barns, coops, kennel, litter boxes, compost piles, and other moist areas
· Anti-fungal properties – good for garden fungal growth
· Reduces overall animal stress
· Cost effective
· DE health benefits mean reduction in vet bills and dis-ease