Anyone else use Molly's Herbal wormer and NOT vaccinate?

[chicks & ducks]

Was reading about Molly's herbal wormer and I like the idea of herbal preventions. I've had an email back saying that, although it's expensive at first it can be used for all my critters so the convenience is a plus. But I was also reading on the site(fiascofarm.com) that the owners there only give the herbal wormer, no vaccinations! Just wondering if anyone else follows the same pattern? Or-any thoughts on Molly's products in general?

Thanks! y'all are great!

 

[freemotion]

This probably should be in the organic section....no bashing allowed there.

I use Molly's herbals and am also looking into growing my own herbs to make my own mixtures. I got wormwood seeds from Baker Creek recently. I have black walnut trees galore. And all the other herbs I either already grow or are readily available in the store.

I got a microscope and accessories so I could run my own fecals. Whether it works for me or even your next door neighbor does not guarantee that it will work for you. I find that even among my herd there are stronger and weaker goats as far as worms go. So I keep a bottle of Ivomec in the fridge. I've rarely had to use it, but was glad I had it.

I don't use the schedule for the herbs anymore, it was overkill for my herd and my property. I even use the herbals as needed. My property is fairly new to goats, though, and that may have something to do with it.

I do use the cd&t vaccine but no others.

 

[chicks & ducks]

OMG! How did I not see the organic section!?! At first I thought you were making a joke!

Mods-can this please be moved, sorry-didn't realize!

 

[ksalvagno]

I would suggest still giving the CD&T shot. Dying from these diseases is painful.

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

I would suggest still giving the CD&T shot. Dying from these diseases is painful.

I second that!

 

[Our7Wonders]

I use Molly's herbals and do not vaccinate. My girls are now 4 and 3 years old - I bought them from an organic farm where they do not vaccinate, I've had them for four months.

According to Pat Coleby's book there is an immunity that is built up over time and one should never vaccinate an older goat that hasn't been vaccinated before, apparantly they have a higher risk of a severe reaction to the vaccine at that point. I don't know if that's true or not as I have no experience with it. I do know that my goats come from several generations of non-vaccinated goats. It was important to me to get goats that come from a hardy line. I've heard horror stories of people getting goats that they want to raise naturally. But they were from farms that previously vaccinated and practiced medicated preventions. To a certain extent the goats immune system had come reliant on those measures - and *natural* won't cut it on them.

I'm not knocking the non-natural route by any means, so please don't anyone think I am.

Personally, I wouldn't take a goat that was raised the modern way and go straight over to a natural/holistic way. Nor would I take a baby from lines that were raised that way and do the same. I would work towards my goal by using the herbs or other natural preventatives along with frequent fecals and I'd also have the medications on hand should they be needed. If I had a baby from a vaccinated mom I'd have to think long and hard before deciding whether or not to vaccinate the baby, I think I'd be inclined to give cd&t for them.

 

[sunfisher]

I'm glad i came across this thread..I have an older goat around 9. My husband brought him home from an older lady that had a bunch of animals..She said that he was part of a petting zoo when he was younger. Thats all I know except roughly his age and that he is a fainting goat. I was going to vaccinate him until I read what our7wonders wrote:

According to Pat Coleby's book there is an immunity that is built up over time and one should never vaccinate an older goat that hasn't been vaccinated before, apparantly they have a higher risk of a severe reaction to the vaccine at that point

So now to vaccinate or not?? What would you do? Thanks for any help....