Apple cider vinegar (raw) and garlic: good for animals, too! Apple cider vinegar is a source of vitamins, minerals and enzymes, in particular phosphorus (for goats). It
helps strengthen the immune system, improves digestion, and balances internal pH. When added to water, it helps keep the water fresh. Garlic, we all know, has amazing anti-fungal and antibiotic properties.
Want to share those benefits with your animals? Here’s how you can, with every drink. This idea comes from our friend Jami. We’ve been using it for several months now, for both the ducks and the goats. You’ll need garlic and raw apple cider vinegar. Organic ingredients are preferable.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 head raw garlic
- raw apple cider vinegar
Instructions
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Put a whole head's worth of raw garlic cloves in a wine-type bottle, and fill to the top with raw apple cider vinegar.
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The cloves don't have to be peeled, but I usually do peel them.
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Add 1 tablespoon of the mixture to every gallon of their drinking water.
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I keep my bottle (picturein the barn, bringing it to the house when it needs refilling.
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When the bottle runs out, keep refilling it with raw apple cider vinegar.
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Add more garlic cloves periodically, either leaving the old ones in there or replacing them.
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Very flexible!
Our goats and ducks love the water, and I’m happy it fortifies their health with every drink. Thanks for this great idea, Jami.
...without giving up the foods you love or spending all day in the kitchen!
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Alicia says
Do you have a post about making your own apple cider vinegar? I use Braggs but would love to try my own.
My dog has bad breath, I wonder if this would help!
Wardee says
Alicia — No, I don’t have a post on that. I would love to try my own someday too. Hope this helps your dog’s breath!
Iheide says
Will this work with getting rid of worms in the goats
Danielle says
Hi Iheide,
We’re not sure.
Wardee used DE for that, or an herbal deworming blend added to their feed.
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
agnes says
probiotis, kefir, yogurt coconut oi for bad breath in dogs along with a few drops of ACV in water bowl, check his teeth he may have dental carries, then a trip to the vet may be necessary. Brushing with coconut oil works great and dogs love it not like using doggy toothpaste. Do not use Human Toothpaste on you dog..you could make him dangerously ill.
Angela says
that’s a fantastic idea. I love adding ACV to the animals water but hadn’t thought of making a tincture for them…now I’m wondering if my wormer-herbs might be even more beneficial to them in a tincture added to their water as well.
Sustainable Eats says
Alicia I tried to make my own ACV last winter and BLEH! Right up there with my dandelion root coffee. Double BLEH!
Michelle says
I don’t think the cats will go for it, but….
Sheila says
My cats drink vinegar water just fine..they don’t seem to notice the dif.
Connie says
Well, we give our cat 1 tsp ACV
each morning in her wet canned food along with 1 tsp d.e., 1 tsp Missing Link Vitamins, 1 tsp raw virgin coconut oil. What a combination, huh? She is healthiest cat we have ever had. Our secret to success however is that we started her on all this the day we brought her home as an 8 wk old kitten probably.
Teri says
need to get more garlic and this will be on the goats from nowon! thanks! do you use loose mis salts as well? i love that it will also help keep there water! i learn so much! i have to share this!
Teri says
Love this so exciting! I just truly love finding more ways to keep our animals healthy especially since they are our source of food! Makes it so much more important and immediate as well!
Sandy says
🙂 I did this for my cats when I had them. My cat use to have allergies and the Vet just said to let him in the shower when we take showers so that the steam would help him. I don’t even take hot showers so I decided to try this and it cured him :). No more sniffles, which were nasty because he’d sneeze right on your face sometimes..
Joy says
Sooooo — would this work for humans also?
Sandy says
Hey Joy, I was checking gnowfglins and saw your comment. Yes, it does work for humans too. You could easily do a search using the words Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) and remedies and find that a lot of people put a tablespoon of ACV in their water three times a day for allergies, losing weight, digestion, etc. Simply all sorts of ailments.
dasparky says
Finally made a batch this evening, and I’m looking forward to seeing the results with our geese, ducks and chickens. One of our geese tested low for phosphorous not too long ago, and especially since it’s coming up on their egg-laying season, wanna make sure “the ladies” are all healthy!
Marillyn says
Thanks for sharing this Wardee! I’ve been giving my goats raw garlic cloves with molasses daily, but like your ACV tincture idea. I think I’ll start doing that for all my animals too… think I can put it in my new horse’s water too? Why not?
Thanks again Wardee and Jami!
Bonnie says
I have four newborn baby goats need to worm mom’s done know what to use can anyone help me thank you
Sonya Hemmings says
Bonnie:
Did you see this post?: https://traditionalcookingschool.com/raising-food/how-i-use-herbs-to-maintain-a-healthy-goat-herd/
It includes information about using herbs to de-worm goats. I hope it’s helpful!
Sonya, TCS Customer Success Team
Paula says
This should not be used with cats, garlic is a food that should be avoided with them.
Deb says
Do you need to let the mixture sit for a period of time before using it?
Thanks,
Deb Casey
Pam Talbot via Facebook says
Both these given to animalshelpskeep fleas and flys away.
Bernard Gonzalez via Facebook says
Do not feed garlic to dogs
Mark Weber via Facebook says
takes away heartburn too
Sebastian Jake via Facebook says
To feed or not to feed?
That is the question.
Lisa Stewart via Facebook says
We give ACV to our ancient pups. It saved the life of our dog in renal failure when we switched them both to raw diet.
Angela Hay Bowers via Facebook says
Our dog loves veggies and hovers when we make salad. We are very conscious of the onions but he never seems interested in them. I guess he just knows instinctively not to eat them. I do order an herbal formula for when he gets a little hyper and I have received a sample of natural flea control chews containing garlic specifically for dogs. I have not given him any though. In processing the chews does it become safe for dogs?
Laura Cary Holte via Facebook says
Garlic can kill cats. It lowers their blood pressure too far. Please do not try to feed your cat any garlic.
Agnes Ferguson via Facebook says
Do Not feed RAW garlic to dogs it can make them very ill, . Ruminants its ok…Not to Cats…I am not sure it is very effective on horses, cattle, goats or sheep. Their bodies process things differently. Lavender oil behind the head on the hair on dogs works fine to keep fleas and ticks away but still always check ALL your animals often.
Judy Robbins Domec via Facebook says
Garlic is debatable whether it is good for dogs.
Desiree Picardi Pizani via Facebook says
hmmm, I´ve always been told that garlic is toxic for catas and dogs……
Charissa Pacheco via Facebook says
TOO MUCH garlic is toxic to cats and dogs but small amounts are actually beneficial.
Beth Schlabach Riehm via Facebook says
Sabrina Schlabach for your goats health 🙂
Sandi Hendrix Nelson via Facebook says
Amy Willis Christopher—
This stuff is good for goats! Gotta keep the little guys healthy! Lol
Kathleen Heinz via Facebook says
Garlic is a great source of sulfur. Wonderful for livestock health and deworming.
Richard Thornhill says
How much do you give a goat
Peggy says
Hi, Richard,
Add 1 tablespoon of the mixture to every gallon of their drinking water.
~Peggy, TCS Customer Success Team
Stefani Allen Wood via Facebook says
How much ACV do you add to dogs water?
Tonya Elton via Facebook says
Greg Johnson Melanie Robarge Johnson
Tracy Wiederaenders via Facebook says
I put it in our chickens’ water to fulfill their vitamin needs and our horse’s water to keep mosquitos away!
Rachel Momispatient via Facebook says
Cody Nicole Barrett
Ken Baker via Facebook says
Not all animals. Garlic is toxic to cats!
Ashley Noelle Scott via Facebook says
What about for sheep?
Ashley Noelle Scott via Facebook says
What about for sheep?
Shauna Segletes via Facebook says
Sherry Thompson would you like a “mother”?
Sandy Gibbons Gillespie via Facebook says
Any ideas for fleas for cats and dogs…..I know cats are very sensitive to a lot of things
Rey Callope Sabio via Facebook says
Coconut cider vinegar
Rey Callope Sabio via Facebook says
Coconut cider vinegar
Sherry Thompson via Facebook says
Shauna Segletes, Yes!!!! 🙂 🙂
Sherry Thompson via Facebook says
Shauna Segletes, Yes!!!! 🙂 🙂
Alysone King via Facebook says
Jill Grady Purcell
Isela says
Shauna Segletes: I would love a Mother (Kombucha or Jun). I would be happy to cover postage or send you some Water Kefir grains in return. 😉
Great idea on the ACV for livestock. 😉
Isela says
I would think Water Kefir or Kombucha would be good in Livestock water as well.
Heather Monk says
Will crushed garlic work?
Vicki Henry says
Hi Heather,
I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.
~ Vicki, TCS Customer Success Team
George kahumoku Jr says
Aloha from Maui 3-14-19
I’m [email protected]
On tour across the US & recently played music at the Egyptian Theatre in Boise ID. We have Goats, sheep, cattle, ducks , chickens,baby calf, 2 herding dogs & a cat on our farm along with over 300 varieties of fruits and veggies on our farm . We use the following to help worm our animals . Try
Diatomaceous earth, i hope I spelled it right sprinkled in small amounts along with neems cake about 1/4 tsp in your animals feed once a week. It will help to worm all animals
Check out my website kahumoku.com
And come visit our fatm or music
Thx
Laurie Rasmussen says
I have was wondering if this is safe and beneficial for chickens also? And would it harm the laying hens at all.
Sonya says
Hi, Laurie: Jami, the author of the post, does give the vinegar and garlic water to her ducks, so it should be beneficial for chickens, as well. 🙂 —Sonya, TCS Customer Success team
Emily says
How long should this sit for?
Danielle says
Hi, Emily.
Wardee said, “There’s no min or max. We made it, used it, and refilled it.”
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
Catherine says
I made this (garlic & ACV) up two days ago, and today, the garlic is all green, like it has gone moldy. Is this normal? I washed the garlic off and washed and sterilized my bottle before making.
Peggy says
Hi, Catherine,
There is a compound in garlic called allicin that when it comes in contact with an acid such as vinegar forms a greenish or slightly blue color. Older garlic tends to react this way or if your garlic was crushed. It is normal but if it is a dark green it could be offputting and I would throw it out. ~Peggy, TCS Customer Success Team