Diatamaceous Earth????/Bentonite?????????

[wawa]

My local feed store sold me Feed Grade Bentonite and said it was the same thing as Diaiamaceous Earth (DE) is this true???????????????????????????

 

[joedie]

No they are not the same thing.
Bentonite is an absorbent aluminium phyllosilicate, generally impure clay consisting mostly of montmorillonite. Bentonite usually forms from weathering of volcanic ash. Bentonite can be used in cement, adhesives, ceramic bodies, and cat litter. I don't think this is approved as a feed supplement.
Diatomaceous earth also known as DE, is a naturally occurring, soft, chalk-like sedimentary rock that is easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder. Diatomaceous earth consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. Natural freshwater diatomaceous earth is used in agriculture for grain storage as an anti-caking agent, as well as insecticide. It is also approved by the USDA as a feed supplement.
It is also used as a neutral de-wormer. Some farmers add it to their livestock and poultry feed to improve the health of animals. "Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth" is widely available in agricultural feed supply stores. It is acceptable as organic feed additive for livestock.

 

[ChickenToes]

All I know about bentonite is that it's used a lot when pouring concrete, and that when it gets wet, it swells. Sometimes it can swell up to 10 times it's original size.

 

[wawa]

Quote:
I got it at a feed store and the guy said it was for animals and on the bag it said "FEED GRADE" not food but FEED Grade. I not sure if I should use it or not I don't want to feed it just use it on the floor.

 

[ChookHappy]

I found this on one of the local chicken ladies websites about the use of DE:
"Food Grade DE is a fossil shell flour that can be used as an internal wormer, to control insects and to aide in parasite removal in both animals and people. We have a client that add a teaspoon of Food Grade DE to her yogurt every morning. She swears by it.

With regard to DE and your chickens: DE can be scattered around the coop, mixed in with bedding material in nesting boxes and does wonders in your flocks favorite dusting holes and gullies. Flies don't like the powder and therefore it works wonders to reduce, if not eliminate, those pesky flies. Chickens can get mites on their skin in and around their feather follicles, but mites can't stand up to being "dusted" with DE and therefore perish. It helps to use a flour sifter when trying to cover a large area."

We did get a small bag of this to try it out but we are just now getting our girls established so we will give them a bit to figure out where I should concentrate it. The lady I quoted swears by DE, that and colloidal silver. Now that is some amazing stuff!

 

[honeydoll]

People can eat DE?!!!! For what? Do I understand correctly to remove parasites from people? I would have never thought of consuming DE. Hmmmm....that's different.

 

[sundance]

Quote:
from some of the health programs I have seen on tv tapeworms are as much in people as animals,and I admit I tried it before I gave it to my dogs, to me has no taste, but It sure worked this summer on flies in the coop and near my trash cans to keep both flies and odor down.I buy mine from the local flea makert from a man who sells exotic bird food.bugs got on my tomatoes this year and I dusted them down good with DE and no problems after that.

marrie

 

[honeydoll]

DE as a dietary supplement. I would have never thought. I wonder if there are other health benefits to it than the worming. Being around animals so much it's scary to think of being infected with worms. Gives me the creeps. But I know it could happen. DE seems to be like ACV, many uses and nature's little wonder drug.

 

[VA from WV]

Feed grade Bentonite is a binder for animal feeds. Your pelletized feeds usually have it in there.

Not the same as DE. You can order Food Grade DE off the internet, usually for cheaper than you can off the shelf.