Homeopathy is becoming widely used in Europe to prevent and treat diseases in lifestock. In this study from the Netherlands, new-born piglets were treated with homeopathy to prevent neo-natal diarrhea. Homeopathy is becoming widely used in Europe to prevent and treat diseases in lifestock.
Animals can very successfully treated with homeopathy which goes to show that it is more than a placebo effects, as many critics of homeopathy suggest.
In this study from the Netherlands, new-born piglets were treated with homeopathy to prevent diarrhea which is a common problem in piglets.

Homeopathy as replacement to antibiotics in the case of Escherichia coli diarrhoea in neonatal piglets

Background

The use of antibiotics in the livestock sector is increasing to such an extent that it threatens negative consequences for human health, animal health and the environment. Homeopathy might be an alternative to antibiotics. It has therefore been tested in a randomised placebo-controlled trial to prevent Escherichia coli diarrhoea in neonatal piglets.
Method
On a commercial pig farm 52 sows of different parities, in their last month of gestation, were treated twice a week with either the homeopathic agent Coli 30K or placebo. The 525 piglets born from these sows were scored for occurrence and duration of diarrhoea.
Results
Piglets of the homeopathic treated group had significantly less E. coli diarrhoea than piglets in the placebo group (P < .0001). Especially piglets from first parity sows gave a good response to treatment with Coli 30K. The diarrhoea seemed to be less severe in the homeopathically treated litters, there was less transmission and duration appeared shorter.
 

I. Camerlink (1), L. Ellinger (2), E.J. Bakker (3) and E.A. Lantinga (4)

1 Biological Farming Systems Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
2 Centaurea, Orderparkweg 5, 7312 EN Apeldoorn, The Netherlands
3 Biometris, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands

Received 6 April 2009; 
revised 26 September 2009; 
accepted 28 October 2009. 
Available online 15 January 2010.