Homeopathic Handbook for Dairy Farming (Revised 2nd Edition)

The use of Homeopathic remedies in the dairy industry has grown significantly over the past few years.  The knowledge and understanding in this field has also grown at the same rate with farmers reporting their experiences to Tineke. As a result of this, she has updated her ‘Homeopathic Handbook for Dairy Farming’.

The revised 2nd edition has many changes from the first reflecting this feedback.  The number of ailments covered has increased both in number and in the depth of information provided.  The material medica has been expanded to include more than 85 remedies. Of particular interest are the two new chapters. In chapter 10, a range of common situations such as transport, stress, colds and chills and digestive upsets are discussed along with their homeopathic solutions. A section on the administration of nosode remedies and the guidelines for use is very good. Chapter 11 is a therapeutic index which offers a quick reference to problems and corresponding remedies. The farming calendar has been updated and is very clear and easy to follow.

The book is presented in a spiral bound format with a laminated cover, a fine consideration given the practical use of this book.  However, better use of headings and subheadings would make the information easier to access. For such a book, this is a minor issue and I would not hesitate to recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in discovering and learning more about how homeopathy can be successfully and effectively applied to a dairy farm situation.  I'm going out to buy some cows!!

Book Review by Clive Dalton - Retired Senior Scientist

Due to popular demand, Teneke Verkade has produced a second revised edition of her book on homeopathics for dairy farming. It’s extremely well set out, and starts off with answers to all those questions doubters want to know. For example what is homeopathy, its principles and history, and why would you want to use homeopathy?

She stresses the importance of observation in diagnosis, selecting the right remedy and handling remedies (which is very important). Then the book covers the major concerns farmers have with things like calving, fertility, injuries, lameness, sin problems, mastitis, poisoning – and many more.

The chapter “Materia Medica” is fascinating as it lists all the remedies and what they can be used for. In the back of the book is a list of remedies and their abbreviations, contact for homeopathic information, a contact for organic dairy farming, a bibliography and a very good index.

The book if for dairy farmer but it would be an extremely interesting and useful book for those with other species of farm stock too.

The book of only 200 pages is an excellent handbook, and Teneke has made an excellent job of avoiding padding that we don’t need. It’s a book you can find answers clearly and quickly – because that’s what you want when your animals are in trouble.

Its spiral binding helps keep the page open at where you want and you don’t need a rock to keep it open down the paddock. Don’t judge its price by its bulk – judge it by the content. I reckon it’s good value for money as a handbook or for general education on animal health.

The Dutch word to "practical" should be Tineke Verkade's middle name as the Revised Second Edition of her Homeopathic Handbook for Dairy Farming comprises a brilliant blending of knowledge and "hands-on" experience.  Tineke was born in Holland and immigrated to NZ in 1977.  A registered General Nurse with qualifications in Nursing and Tutoring in Nursing, she worked as a senior staff nurse at the Waikato Hospital for 16 years.  During that time she gained her Diplomas in Naturopathy and Medical Herbalism and a Diploma in Classical Homeopathy.  She has also completed and Advanced Diploma in Homeopathy and is at present working towards a Science Degree [note from HFS - Tineke has now completed and obtained her Batchelor of Science Degree]  as well as running her private practice "Homeopathic Farm Support" which provides professional homeopathic support and assistance to farmers.

This second edition of her book is very user friendly.  The spiral binding and wipeable "muck resistant" pages are useful and bold green markers make each chapter easily located.  The table of contents sets out very clearly where to find what you are looking for.  This book is almost double the size of the previous one but continues in the style of easy, quick referencing of symptoms and complaints to remedies or treatments.  A new chapter dealing with Calf Rearing has been included and several new remedies and additional animal ailments such as pneumonia, ryegrass staggers, woody tongue, stress, calving, paralysis and others have also been added.  Chapter 11 which is also a new chapter, offers a quick reference guide for any common symptoms and problems arising along with the corresponding and mainly used remedies.

For the farmer who is thinking about animal sickness and health and is interested in using homeopathy as a tool, this book offers an expert introduction with chapters covering the history of homeopathy, caring for remedies, steps to successful prescribing and selecting the right remedy.  For farmers such as ourselves who are Organic/Biodynamic and have been using homeopathy for 20 years, the comprehensive list of animal ailments and Materia Medica is invaluable for treating those "hard to get to the bottom of" cases.  "What would Tineke use" we find ourselves thinking.

This book is full of information relevant to today's animal welfare challenges and should become an educational tool and reference guide to all those involved in the sustainable management of farming enterprise.  It's so good it could even be taken into the home and applied to family health (well parts of it anyway!).  Congratulations Tineke.

Book Review by Sussanna Shelton  BA, MDiv, RCHom

CEO & Principal, Bay of Plenty College of Homeopathy, Tauranga, New Zealand

It is hard to believe it has been nearly 5 years since the first edition of the Homeopathic Handbook for Dairy Farming was published!  It has become a valued and essential resource for farmers throughout New Zealand who are using Homeopathy to treat their Dairy herds.  Its distinctive cover and "muck-resistant" pages can be seen in cowsheds from Northland to the deep South.

Since the first edition, Tineke Verkade has continued to collect more information to share and has produced this extended and expanded second edition.  The new work builds on the solid foundation of the first edition and incorporates feedback from hundreds of clients and cases.  New information such as Chapter Ten on Calf Rearing has been included because farmers have asked for advice and given excellent feedback about their results with young stock when Homeopathy is used.  I am sure that the second edition is useful, practical and successful as its predecessor!  Happy prescribing!

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