How we use Homeopathy on the Farm
What is Homeopathy and how can we use it on our farms?
Homeopathy is a gentle, yet highly effective system of medicine that uses naturally occurring substances, in the form of remedies to stimulate the body’s own healing power. It was founded by Dr Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician, 1745-1843. Widely used today by people who prefer to use a natural approach to health, it is an individualized prescription based on a totality of symptoms, basically that means that both emotional and physical states are taken into account. As a homeopath I see many clients with ailments such as psoriasis, eczema, fears, phobias, anxiety, teething, constipation, alopecia, menopause, grief, sports injuries etc both acute & chronic, and I prescribe a remedy suited to their physical, mental and emotional symptoms based on their story.
How then can we apply this system to animals?
One of the most important tools in homeopathy is observation and the farmer is great at this as he herds his stock.
“That cow is on her own, gathered in herself and a bit of a blow on her!
That bullock is lying in the dampest part of the field and when I put him up he is lame on the side he was lying on and just wants to lie down again!
That cow wants to stay in the shed and it’s one of the loveliest sunny days that came! He is a bit empty in himself, I couldn’t see anything on him at the minute but I’ll have a look at him again later on!
That heifer was the quietest before calving and since calving she would go for you!” Of course to get to the correct remedy more symptoms than that are needed in each case.
Administering homeopathy to animals is very easy. Equip yourself with plant misters of ½ litre volume or less. Put a few pills of the relevant homeopathic remedy along with 100mls cooled boiled water and 1 teaspoon of vodka to preserve it. Label the mister with calf id number remedy and the date it was prepared. Then all you do is spray/mist the vulva or the nose of the animal.
Some examples of how we use homeopathy on our farm
Remedy Potency & Use
SSC; Silicea, Sulphur & Carbo veg combo 200c At the first onset of curds in the milk
BBU; Belladonna, Bryonia & Urtica Urens combo 200c; At the first sign of Mastitis
Ignatia; 30c or 200c or 1 M; For weaning/grief, loss of a calf at birth.
Aconite; 200c #1 remedy for nipping anything in the bud; colds, shock, chills or anything that has come on suddenly etc
Arnica, bellis perrinis & hypericum 200c; For soreness and bruising after calving
Pulsatilla 200c; For retained placenta
Pyrogen 200c; Retained placenta with foul smell add Pulsatilla pillules also
Thuja 30c; #1 remedy for warts on spins
Caulophyllum 200c; Only to be used when the animal is in labor. Aids easier calving in cases where the cervix / calf size may be an issue, or calving is slow .
Ipecac or Phosphorus 30c; For blood in milk after giving birth
Urtica Urens 6c ; Helps to dry up milk supply
Nux vomica 30c; Digestive problems, constipation, bloat
Arsenicum alb, Verat, Merc, Podophyllium; various calf diarrhea; Lots of remedies depending on the colour, odour etc
China 30c; Where an animal is exhausted and weak after loss of fluids due to diarrhoea
Euphrasia 30c; Gunky Eye
This list just gives some indication of the various uses of a few remedies bearing in mind there are hundredths. All of these remedies are non toxic and in most cases but not all will eliminate the use of antibiotics.
As always……..If in any doubt …Call your vet out!
A case of a bull with an abscess on his hind quarter/rump.
While herding one day Gerry noticed a swelling on the bulls’ hind quarter. The bull himself was in great order and didn’t seem to be bothered by it at all. The next day it was a bit bigger and bigger again the following day, but still not a bother on the bull.
Gerry brought him in the following morning to get a closer look at it. It was soft to touch, no heat in it and looked for all the world like an abscess. No other symptpoms, good eye, no lameness, no sign of temperature, eating and drinking normally. If there had been any of these symptoms, they are taken into account when deciding on a remedy and if it looks like this or any animal needs a vet, the vet is called without question. Now is probably the most relevant time to mention that every Homeopathic remedy has a Materia Medica which lists the healing abilities of each remedy. Silicea is a great remedy for abscess formations on any part of the body and I felt it was the best choice at this stage. So 5 pills of silica 30c into a spray bottle + 100 mls of water + 10 mls of vodka. This was sprayed on the bulls nose 3 times this day for 3 days. We kept him in a small paddock near the house so you don’t have to be bringing the animal in all the time.
Day 2; abscess had come to a head and was oozing, the bull carefully observed and seen to be very well.
Day 3, still oozing and animal very well.
Day 4; still oozing but reducing in size, animal very well, so at this point we discontinued the homeopathic remedy.
Day 5; oozing very little but reducing in size a lot.
Day 6; completely gone.
There are lots of great books written by homeopathic vets on the internet, some dating back to the 1850’s. One of my favourite Materia Medicas’ is Boenninghausens.
Background;
Organic farming since 1999
Certified Organic Farming since 2002
Dairy since 1970’s conventional and then organic, up until 2012
Dairy processing on site 2006 -2012
30 acres of Tillage and dry stock from 2012 to date
When we closed our dairy processing business I found it heart breaking. It’s not something you envisage when you start up. After we closed, you have to find it somewhere in you to get up and going again. I trained as a health care assistant and worked in a nursing home before working for an agency which led to employment in dialysis, oncology and medical wards in the Midlands Regional Hospitals. I really enjoyed my work and learned so much in this time but a part of me was unsettled. I thought about a career in nursing, but having always had a huge interest in herbs and homeopathy, I knew the choice to study homeopathy was the right career choice for me. I started my studies in the Irish School of Homeopathy www.ish.ie in September 2013 and I continued to work in HSE until 2015. I finished work then to concentrate on my studies and assignments’ and I graduated in June of this year 2017. I absolutely loved every minute of this 4 year course and feel blessed to have family support to complete it. I am currently doing Postgrad in the same College.
Mary Kelly Homeopath Lic ISH
Mullingar Homeopathy/Specializing in Fears, Phobias Grief & Sports Injuries
Moon Shine Organic Farm, Ladestown, Mullingar, Co Westmeath
marycoloe@gmail.com
0879934108