WO1999066798A1

WO1999066798A1 - Garlic pour-on cattle and sheep anthelmintic

Info

Publication number: WO1999066798A1
Application number: PCT/AU1999/000509
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Stephen Middleton
Original assignee: John Stephen Middleton
Priority date: 1998-06-25
Filing date: 1999-06-24
Publication date: 1999-12-29
Also published as: AUPP430698A0

Abstract

A method of treating animals against internal and external parasitic infestations which comprises applying to the animal, preferably along its back an oil, possibly canola or safflower into which has been macerated garlic whereby the garlic is carried through the animal's skin in the oil and internally treats the animal. The method is particularly suitable for worm infestations in cows, sheep and horses and is also effective against lice in these animals and mites in dogs.

Description

GAR IC POUR-ON CATTLE AND SHEEP ANTHELMINTIC

This invention relates to a garlic based pour-on cattle and sheep anthelmintic.

It is quite usual in the animal husbandry industry to use artificial chemical compounds to control internal parasites of animals, and particularly sheep and cattle.

Many people suffer allergies to the chemical impurities which are introduced into the flesh of the animals by use of such material, and many others are concerned at the use of artificial chemicals to treat conditions in animals which are to be slaughtered for food because of the possible introduction of pollutants into the flesh of the animals.

Also many farmers and other persons employed on the land who are forced to handle these artificial treatment chemicals are concerned that they often have contact with the materials in high concentrations and these can cause long term medical problems.

It has been known that garlic acts as an effective treatment to control parasitic internal worms, and particularly round worms in animals, but it has been difficult to introduce sufficient garlic into the animals in a ready manner.

The present invention has as its object a method of treating animals by the use of garlic to control parasites in animals, particularly internal parasites including worms thereon, but also, in a similar manner, control external parasites such as lice.

The invention includes a method of treating animals comprising macerating garlic in a vegetable oil until the soluble components of the garlic are effectively carried by the vegetable oil and then placing the garlic/vegetable oil mixture onto the skin of the animal, whereby the garlic components are transferred through the skin and acts as a specific against parasites. The parasites can be internal parasites, such as worms, particularly round worms or external parasites, such as lice. The word parasite is to be considered broadly.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, we shall describe one particular embodiment of its use, together with certain modifications of this.

We firstly make a paste of crushed fresh garlic and a vegetable oil, and in one preferred example, we mix 160 grams of garlic paste to one litre of vegetable oil.

Whilst this is a preferred ratio, the garlic can be used in an amount of between 120 and 320 grams per litre.

It appears there can be certain advantages in the use of aged garlic or aging the mixture after this is prepared. It appears that aging reduces the burning characteristics which can occur where fresh young garlic is used. It is believed that the mechanism for this is that once the garlic is crushed, or where garlic has been aged there is an inter-reaction between alliin and the enzyme allinase which reaction produces the antibiotic allicin and the desideratum is to produce a mixture where this reaction has occurred.

The actual vegetable oil used can be varied but it could be canola or safflower oil.

The mixture is allowed to stand for a period to permit full maceration of the garlic in the oil, so that the constituents of the garlic are transferred into the oil.

At the end of the period of maceration, the solid matter from the garlic which will largely be fibrous material, can be separated therefrom by settlement, filtration or centrifuging. When an animal is treated, we apply the vegetable oil containing the garlic constituents to the back of an animal, basically from the shoulder to the rump at the rate of the order of 10 millilitres of the mixture per 100 Kilograms live weight of the animal. We can use quantities of the garlic/oil mixture between 8 and 15 millilitres per 100 Kilograms of live weight.

Preferably I use as a treatment regime applying the treatment three times in the first year of treatment with each treatment being a month apart and preferably with the treatments being effected during the Winter months when worms are more prevalent.

During the second year, the treatment may be effected twice, again approximately a month apart in Winter and during the third year applying the treatment once prior to Winter.

I then prefer to apply the treatment once a year at approximately the same time although after some years of treatment when the worm burden on the property has reduced substantially, the animals appear to have developed a degree of immunity to worms and provided there is good grazing management the worms are largely maintained under control.

The above treatment regime is particularly satisfactory for use in Tasmania but it may be found that variations can be made in this to provide optimum results for other climatic areas.

I have found that the action against internal parasites such as worms is particularly effectively in cows and sheep, but it can be used on other animals.

The properties of the vegetable oil are such that it can pass through the skin of the animal carrying with it the garlic constituents and from there to the blood stream of the animal, where it acts against internal parasites, particularly worms such as round worms.

At the same time, the internal action of the garlic throughout the blood stream can act against external parasites such as lice. There will be some external reaction of the material against lice but as it is applied over only a relatively small area of the animal's body, and there is not a great deal of movement of the mixture applied, this will be relatively minor.

I have found that where a similar treatment regime is used with horses, with approximately the same input of material we have found that the problem of worms with these animals are very substantially reduced.

Also, we have used the treatment for dogs and in this case it appears to be effective both against worms and mites. Where animals have been treated we have found a reduction in the mites and mite induced allergies being substantially controlled which causes the animal to stop scratching and permits the regrowth of the coat which can be of a glossy and satisfactory appearance.

Whilst I have described herein particular concentrations of the garlic mix and particular quantities of application, it is to be understood that these can vary, depending to an extent on the animal with which the admixture is to be used, the severity of the infestation and the particular form of infestation being treated.

Also, whilst I have stated that the carrier is a vegetable oil, other forms of carrier can be used.

Claims

I claim:

1. A method of treating animals comprising macerating garlic in a vegetable oil until the soluble components of the garlic are effectively carried by the vegetable oil and then placing the garlic/vegetable oil mixture onto the skin of the animal, whereby the garlic components are transferred through the skin and acts as a specific against parasites.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein garlic cloves are formed into a paste and are added to a vegetable oil in which they are left to macerate for a predetermined period after which the solid matter is removed from the mixture.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein there is between 120 and 320 grams of garlic for each litre of oil.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein there is 160 grams of garlic per litre of oil.

5. A method as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the period if maceration is four to ten days.

6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the oil is a vegetable oil.

7. A method as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein the garlic/oil mixture is applied at a rate of between 8 and 20 ml per 100 Kg weight of the animals being treated.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the garlic/oil mixture is applied at the rate of 10 ml per 100 Kg weight of the animal.

9. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the garlic/oil mixture is placed along the spine of the animal being treated.

10. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the parasites being controlled are internal parasites.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the parasites are internal worms.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the parasites are round worms.

13. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the parasites being controlled are external parasites.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the parasites are lice.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13 when the parasites are mites.

16. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the animal to be treated is selected from the group comprising sheep, cows, horses and dogs.