DQ Farm (est. 1991)

Thursay, December 7, 2006, the farm manager at the goat farm in Serting asked permission to sembelih a female goat that have not been eating for 4 days.  Based on their experience, the goat is going to die in a day or two.  They suspect brucelliosis. I asked them to give me one clear example of what the disease will do to a goat; they mentioned that a pregnant goat will abort. Based on the homeopathy principle of 'Similia Similibus Curantur',  I try to recall any herb or plant which can cause pregnancies to be aborted and remembered bakawali.  In large dosages it has been reported to cause abortions, but in small dosages it boosts the immune system and clears the body of toxins and parasites.  This is a shot of the plant:

I asked the workers to go to the neighbouring villages to hunt for the plant.  They came back with some excellent examples and I quickly worked out the dosage - 5gms per day.  Thursday evening I asked for the progress; they replied no change.  Still not eating and very weak.  It looks like a goner.  I told them to change the dosage to 10gms and twice a day.  Friday evening I asked for progress.  They say, there is some improvement - the goat is starting to eat some.  Saturday 9th, I asked for progress again.  They said, the goat is OK, eating, normal.  I told them to continue the treatment for at least 10 days as the herb do not kill the pathogens but instead works by boosting the body's own ability to fight off the pathogen.  If we stop prematurely, the pathogens will make a come back.

On December 22, 2006, we are receiving our Organic Status ("Sijil Organik Malaysia") certificate from the Minister of Agriculture himself.  If I were allowed to give a small speech ( which won't happen, but one can daydream), I will tell this story about the goat and add:

Stop the cutting down of forests.  We can never know what treasures we will lose.  The royalties and taxes the Government receives from the logs cannot possibly pay for the higher water bills consumers have to pay, the costs of improving drinking water infrastructure, the changes in micro-weather; flash floods, lightning damage, etc. and the loss of numerous medicinal plants yet to be discovered.

That female goat that was saved by the bakawali was a valuable breeder goat.  When breeders are down with infectious diseases, we permit antibiotics to save them.  She had been given two courses and clearly the bacteria causing the infection had become resistant since she made no progress.  And yet the bakawali got her up on her feet and feeding within two days! 

Stop the cutting down of forests!  Nobody gains, not the 'rakyat', not the Government!