The Success Behind Essential Oil For Mastitis Treatment

Dairy farming started many years ago. Mastitis, a nightmare for many farmers, also dates many years back. This has been a pain for almost every farmer. Treatment for mastitis has never been easy. It’s costly and may result in huge losses. Sometimes it will cost you a number of animals. The good news is that mastitis can be treated with antibiotics and without antibiotics.

Most dairy farmers are used to getting the easy way out especially when it comes to cow’s treatment. Their target is getting back to the profit-making streak as soon as possible. This makes them disregard their animal’s health and safety. A wise farmer ought to make informed decisions that will see them milk the cow for many years.

Informed decisions are particularly important when it comes to dealing with mastitis. Once mastitis sets foot in the farm, it may last years before it can be completely eradicated. The painful truth is that it might be there to stay. When confronted by such a situation, all you need to know is how to manage mastitis in your farm effectively.

Mastitis management requires investment in long term solutions. With time, cows develop resistance to antibiotics used to treat mastitis. Mastitis treatment without antibiotics remains to be the sure way of managing the disease in the farm.

There are many forms of mastitis treatment without antibiotics. These include homeopathy, use of antioxidants, using topical oils, herbal treatment among other natural remedies. These natural mastitis treatment methods have proven to be very successful and can be used for many years.

Extraction Of Essential Oil

Essential oils are plant compounds. They capture the flavor and scent of the plant from which they are extracted. They may be obtained through mechanical methods such as cold pressing or distillation.

Essential oils may be extracted from barks, leaves, cloves or roots. Some plants such as Aloe Vera have a lot of pulp in their leaves and tend to produce a lot of oil.

Effectiveness Of Essential Oils In Dairy Mastitis Treatment

It is worth noting that most commercial products used to treat mastitis contain essential oil compounds. This makes it necessary to understand these essential roles and the role they play in the treatment of mastitis.

Essential oils have successfully been used in the prevention and treatment of mastitis. Research has shown that essential oil can also be used to treat joint pain and inflammation which are common in cows suffering from mastitis.

Some of the commonly used essential oils are wintergreen, Japanese mint, aloe vera and eucalyptus oil. All these oils have unique properties that make them effective in the fight against mastitis infections.

10 Types Of Essential Oil For Mastitis Treatment

1.      Japanese Mint Essential Oil

Japanese mint is renowned for the high menthol content. It is the menthol that gives mint its anti-inflammatory characteristic. It also makes it an effective antibacterial against bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp. The menthol increases heart rate, vessel constriction and excites the sensory and motor nerves. This eases the pain associated with mastitis and boosts the immune system.

2.      Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Eucalyptus essential oil contains eucalyptol which is one of the most powerful antiseptics. This makes it a reliable analgesic, anti-inflammatory, insecticide and anti-bacterial remedy. In the fight against mastitis in cows, it may thus be used to treat burns, eczema, wounds and control external parasites.

3.      Wintergreen Essential Oils

Wintergreen essential oils are rich in methyl salicylate. This serves the same purpose as aspirin. It is an anti-inflammatory remedy that has analgesic, rubefacients, anesthetic and antiseptic properties.

4.      Aloe Essential Oils

Aloe essential oils have a long history in treatment of animal as well as human diseases. Aloe Vera has antibacterial, analgesic, antiseptic, antifungal, angiogenic and moisturizing properties. This makes it effective in treatment of ulcers, eczema, open wounds, mycosis and allergic reactions.

5.      Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender essential oil is highly antibacterial. It has cleansing properties that gives the cow a calming, soothing and relaxing feeling while treating the infection. This relives the cow of the stress associated with mastitis.

6.      Tea Tree Essential Oil

This is commonly known as melaleuca. It is best known for its antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial and antiseptic properties. The oil helps fight mastitis in cattle when applied on the infected area.

7.      Basil Essential Oil

Renowned for its ability to draw heat and curb infections, basil oil treats cows mastitis when applied on the infected region. It may be diluted with coconut oil to facilitate efficient massaging of the teats and udder.

8.      Oregano Essential Oil

Oregano essential oil has been proven to treat mastitis in cattle. It may be diluted in honey and used to massage affected teats. The oil has anti-bacterial properties that make it very effective.

9.      Frankincense Essential Oil

Frankincense and resin essential oils have been used for thousands of years to treat chronic pain and inflammation. The acid contained in the frankincense has analgesic and anti inflammatory properties that go a long way in preventing cartilage damage.

10.  Evening Primrose Essential Oil

This is a type of oil that is rich in an acid known as gamma linolenic acid. This is classified as omega-6 fatty acid and has strong anti-inflammatory properties. These properties help reduce skin stiffness, joint pain and tenderness.

Are Essential Oils Used To Develop Mastitis Antibiotics?

Essential oils are not only used to treat mastitis naturally but are also used to make antibiotics. The organic oil contains antibacterial properties. When hypothesized, a blend of essential oils may be formulated. This brings synergy thus the production of an effective mastitis antibiotic.

The commonly used essential oils for mastitis include Oregano, Lemongrass, Thyme, Tea tree and cinnamon. These have been blended and tested on E. coli and the results have been impressive.

Conclusion

Essential oils have been in existence for millions of years. They are just as old as the trees are. Their effectiveness in treating major diseases such as mastitis was discovered way before civilization. The ancient men crushed plants and treated their animals even without the understanding of the science behind the plants’ composition.

To date, essential oils remain to be a key pillar in the treatment of mastitis in dairy cattle. These serve as the natural remedy for the perennial problem that seems to develop resistance against most of the antibiotics.

The natural oils coupled with regular therapy deliver desirable results. As more scientists continue to conduct research on these oils and their effectiveness in treating mastitis, the future is bright and dairy farmers can rest assured that they will always have a way round this monster.