# Apple Cider Vinegar aka ACV dose use



## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

Can I please get some information from individuals. I'm doing some research about the uses and TGS is always a really great and helpful place for information.

I would like to know:

Most importantly! ?


*Natural with the mother OR plain ACV in those gallon jugs like from Costco?

*Do you ever use it?
*What do you use it for?
*What brand(s) do you use?

For those that DO use it please also answer the following questions:

*When did you start? (ie was it for an illness?)
*Have you ever noticed a difference in brands?

Do you have any stories about the use of Apple Cider Vinegar in your herd an how it's helped you? Do you know of a neighbor that has used it and it's helped them?

I'm looking at more natural farming methods and ACV is used for a lot of stuff in animal husbandry. Mostly I'm trying to decide when/where/how I would like to use it. I want to do a "trial" in half of my herd and see if there is a difference in health, weight, coats, etc.

Right now I'm giving Braggs with the "mother" to a sheep thats been down, and she "appears" to be doing better. I drenched her with 20cc's ACV. So far she's up and eating, which she was not doing yesterday. I wondered if the apple cider vinegar got her rumen working better or if it's some other issue.

I've heard of goat/sheep owners putting it in the water on a regular basis. That would get expensive if you were using the organic stuff with the mother! lol 

I do occasionally put it in my rabbit water bottles and my parrot water. About... once a month or so for a week straight.

I put both ways to refer to ACV in the title as well as dose an use in hopes that it'll help down the road when people search for it. I know it's been discussed here before, but please bear with me in my research.

:fireworks::fireworks::fireworks::fireworks:
:type::type::type::type:


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## Chadwick (Jan 24, 2014)

With the mother for sure, i have heard 1cup per 20 gallons of water if using in their drinking water.


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## thegoatgirl (Nov 27, 2011)

Good thread 

**Natural with the mother OR plain ACV in those gallon jugs like from Costco?
* I have used both, and never really saw a difference
**Do you ever use it?*
Yes, I do 
**What do you use it for?*
I use it to (hopefully) get more does, and to help small does kid easily.
**What brand(s) do you use?*
I use my local cheep brand, and in the past a organic one.

*For those that DO use it please also answer the following questions:
*
**When did you start? (ie was it for an illness?)*
I started a few years after I first got goats, for the reasons I said above.
**Have you ever noticed a difference in brands?*
Nope! They've all been the same to me


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

With all your fruit, you could make your own fruit cider vinegar. I'm using homemade from an Amish woman. I like it better than store bought.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I mix some with the mother, into a jug of the store stuff.


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## Chadwick (Jan 24, 2014)

I get mine from an Amish friend who has a dry goods store also!


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

I make my own out of organic apples and other fruit. It takes 6 months to get a good, strong batch. Longer if you have time. When I'm out of home made, I use Braggs. I don't use any that is not organic. I just put a little bit in their water, maybe a TBS or two in a 2 gallon bucket. All mine have a mother in it.

It's hard to tell for sure how much it helps. I can say that my goats have never been sick or had worm issues, so whether it's the organic grain, hay, pasture, ACV, beet pulp, minerals, Molly's Herbs, etc., I don't know for sure. Probably all of it working together, I would guess. 

I started using it when I first got goats. I also use it for all our other animals, though I forget to put it in the chicken water quite often.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

I use Bragg's brand with the mother. I started using early last summer to control algae in the tanks, then I started noticing the girls were shedding out and slicking off faster. I also noticed I had to refill the one tank twice a day instead of only once a day. Oh, something else I noticed is that the flies weren't bothering the girls nearly as much. 

I add it a couple of times a week at the rate of 1 cup per 20 gallons of water. I can't help you with brand's because Bragg's is the only one I've used.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

What a lot of good responses! I had no idea you could make your own. Though I should have guessed.  I have a guava orchard so I would make guava cider vinegar! lol I wonder how that would be compared to ACV?

So it looks like mostly in the water is how you use it? Has anyone drenched it like during worming time or anything like that?


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I was told to add a cup of raw ACV with mother into regular ACV to get the mother in it..Not sure if it works yet..lol..I have a gallon brewing...
I use braggs when any one is anemic..I mic 50.50 with water and drench 30 cc daily to help them recover faster...its amazing how much better they do with it..Im beginning to add it free choice now...Im excited to see how it helps my girls..who have battled lice all winter.....


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## lovinglife (Jun 6, 2013)

Get some frozen apple juice, mix it up add some Braggs and wait, it is much cheaper than Braggs but it does take time and space. I just buy mine from Azure, raw ACV for like 5 bucks a gallon. When used for milking does, it reduces the somatic cell count, reducing chances of mastitis, wonderful stuff. I have a CAE doe that had some hardness in her udder last year, this year no hardness at all, thanks to ACV.


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## foxhollow (May 5, 2013)

This is a great thread! Thank you all for the information. I consume Braggs every other day in the drink form as mentioned on the bottle. 
I have put in in my goat's water (2 tablespoons per 2 gallons of water). In the heat of the summer it prevents algae and anything nasty from growning in the buckets even though we change out water every feeding. 

I will be breeding this fall for the first time and I will start to be more diligent about my doe's regime of ACV intake to hopefully secure a little doeling. I will also be keeping up with it when milking her based on the information about it helping mastitis and milk.

I am interested in any homemade cider recipies anyone might have. I know it takes time and space but with the amount that I use for myself and my herd growing as it has I would like to try it. We have an orchard and one tree that is very old and mostly ornamental that produces these hard, bitter, green apples that I believe would be perfect. I have used them to make pectin with much success.


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## still (Mar 16, 2013)

This is gonna sound like a dumb question but what is "mother"? I'm really confused about this!:crazy:


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

It is a web like structure that occurs naturally in raw apple cider vinegar. The web is made up of protein enzymes and contains a lot of beneficial things such as vitamins, minerals, etc.

ETA: It's not a dumb question, either.


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## still (Mar 16, 2013)

MsScamp said:


> It is a web like structure that occurs naturally in raw apple cider vinegar. The web is made up of protein enzymes and contains a lot of beneficial things such as vitamins, minerals, etc.


Oh ok.......interesting! Thanks McScamp!


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

No problem!


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

foxhollow said:


> I am interested in any homemade cider recipies anyone might have. I know it takes time and space but with the amount that I use for myself and my herd growing as it has I would like to try it. We have an orchard and one tree that is very old and mostly ornamental that produces these hard, bitter, green apples that I believe would be perfect. I have used them to make pectin with much success.


We make apple cider vinegar in 1/2 gallon jars. We fill it 3/4 full of cut up apples, (organic), and then add 1 cup of Braggs ACV, or a cup from a previous batch we made. Be sure to get some of the "Mother" in it. It's the swirly, mushroomish type stuff that usually floats around or is on the bottom of the jar. Then add water up to the rounded shoulder of the jar. We put a small sterilized glass down inside it to hold the apples under the liquid. Doing so helps prevent molds from forming on the apples that would otherwise stick out. Put a coffee filter over the top held in place with a rubber band and place in a warm area, but out of direct sunlight. We keep ours on the countertop next to the oven. It sits for 6 months like this. Be sure to label it so you don't lose track of when you started it. It doesn't make a whole lot, but if you have several jars going, it adds up to a decent amount and saves a lot of money. Oh, after the six months, (or more), strain out the ACV and get rid of the apples. We feed them to the goats, rabbits and chickens and they love them! Let me know if you have any questions.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Im going to have to try that Goatgrannie!! I also want to start feeding mine tipicos (also known as water kiefer)..Im hoping it helps like the ACV..I make a lot for the family so a few more jars wont hurt lol..


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

happybleats said:


> Im going to have to try that Goatgrannie!! I also want to start feeding mine tipicos (also known as water kiefer)..Im hoping it helps like the ACV..I make a lot for the family so a few more jars wont hurt lol..


Oh, I haven't made water kefir since last year.... I love it! I never thought of giving it to the goats, what a great idea!!


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## lilaalil (Sep 5, 2014)

I don't have goats yet (just lurking/planning), but as a nursing mom (kinda the same thing, right?) I've treated my own mastitis by drinking acv mixed with water throughout the day. I also use it to fight of colds, and heal mildly infected cuts (on humans as well). It's truly amazing stuff. 

Dayna, are you the dayna with the "guava acres" blog? I came across that while researching raising goats in Hawaii. If so, I'd love to pick your brain; I think you must live fairly close to me.


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## dreamacresfarm2 (May 10, 2014)

AVC is also useful in preventing stones in male goats -


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

I am! feel free to shoot me a pm or an email.


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