Sheep parasites/Diatomaceous earth

[Oilystairs]

Hi, the range of different products for worms, fluke and flystrike is frankly baffling and i wondered if anyone can recommend brands or treatments they have found to be effective. I would like to try diatomaceous earth for worming (they were treated with cydectine by the farmer who sold them to us) but i am not sure if the stuff sold on Ebay UK is any good and does this sort out fluke worms and can it be dusted for flystrike? Could anyone recommend good products? I have 8 berichon du cher/cross sheep in a river valley setting with plenty of fresh grazing (they shouldn't be on the same grazing more than once every 6 months) Thanks

[dustydave]

I occasionally work with diatomaceous earth. To be honest there is not a lot of diatoms in the average diatomaceous earth. The principle that that the silica diatoms are angular and are a deterrent to pests and insects offers limited plausibility to their use as insecticides. The other downside is that they are a silica dust, so have as much potential for causing lung issues as acting as an insecticide. If I had a diamatceous earth source local to me I’d probably use it, but I wouldn’t pay too much.