Food grade diatomaceous earth has many uses and excellent health benefits for humans, plants, and animals.
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.
*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).”
*RESULTS ON FEEDING CODEX FOOD GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH TO WALKING HORSE, L. Thomas, Trainer, L. Frank Roper Stables, Winter Garden, FL: “With horses fed approximately 5 oz. of DE mixed in the feed twice daily, the following results were observed: Stopped scours even on horses that had not responded to any other medications. Noticeable fly reduction. Horses showed an increase in appetites. Weight gain due to better feed conversion. Reduction in manure odor. Elimination of any internal parasites. Healthier appearance.
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, Alpacas, & Llamas - 2% in grain
Horses - 1/2 to 1 cup in daily ration
Zoo animals - 2% in daily feed
*Humans - 1 heaping tablespoon daily
Internal feeding of food grade diatomaceous earth helps eliminate most internal worms, including roundworms, pin worms, tapeworms, etc. 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, it helps reduce the manure odor and kills flies that come in contact with it.
Mix in animal feed or grain and/or feed free choice.
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. Some horses do fine on 1/2 cup of DE daily, others need a full cup. This reminds us, that all beings are different. So again, if the worm and ova counts are not zero, increase your daily dose.
*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.
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