Research
Honey for Animal Health

1. Wounds:

In the same way that UMF® rated Manuka Honey can assist the healing of wounds, rashes, boils on humans, the same is true for animal wounds.

For example we have heard of a large wound on a horse being successfully and quickly treated by applying to the wound SummerGlow UMF® 16 Manuka Honey. Conventional treatment was not proving to be effective and the wound was like “hamburger steak” before commencement of honey treatment.

2. Mastitis in dairy cows

Veterinary trials are planned for investigating the possibility of treating mastitis in dairy cows with honey, especially UMF® rated Manuka Honey.

Laboratory Studies:

Laboratory studies have shown that, in vitro, seven mastitis-causing bacteria species were inhibited by honey, with UMF® rated Manuka Honey being the most effective.

These results are recorded in Table 1. Note the Manuka Honey is that which has the UMF® antibacterial property. The manuka honey has had catalase added to remove the hydrogen peroxide, so that only the phytochemical UMF® antibacterial property was being tested.
MIC values would be approximately halved if the catalase was not added and the hydrogen peroxide was also involved in the antibacterial activity.

These results are in vitro, in the laboratory. If the honey was used in vivo, in the body, then the body fluids and serum would greatly reduce the hydrogen peroxide and effectiveness of other honeys.

Table 1. The minimum inhibitory concentration of honey (% v/v in nutrient agar) for cultures of various mastitis-causing bacteria streaked on agar plates.
(Source: Honey as an Antimicrobial Agent by PC Molan Honey Research Unit Website)

Mastitis in dairy cows and goats can be an expensive and difficult condition to treat. The standard treatment is the introduction of antibiotics into the teat canal of the infected udder, but milk has to be withheld from use until clear of antibiotic residues.

Honey could possibly be suitable for the treatment of mastitis if inserted into the infected udder via the teat canal as it is harmless to tissues and would leave no undesirable residues in milk. As a first step in evaluating this possibility, the seven species of bacteria that most commonly cause mastitis in dairy cattle were tested for their sensitivity to the antibacterial activity of honey (Results tabled above).

Veterinary Trials are being planned.

Anecdotal testimonies:

A number of people have used SummerGlow UMF®16 Manuka Honey for helping treat mastitis by injecting about 20mls of honey into the teat canal daily for about five days. They have found the honey treatment very successful.

The cows were much quieter when they injected the honey compared with when they injected penicillin, this was especially so with the heifers. The cows were milked twice a day to strip them out, but they found they could leave the cow with the herd – this was especially helpful when there was only one cow with mastitis. The results could be seen in a few days.

Sometimes there was an increase in the somatic cell count in the milk as an immediate response to the honey. Then the cow came right. They found that generally the cow remains in much better health.

Scours/Gastroenteritis in Calves, Pigs, Chickens

Studies are investigating the possible effectiveness of honey, especially UMF® rated manuka honey for gastroenteritis in calves, pigs, chickens.

Veterinary trials are planned.

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