5 Benefits of cow dung you might not have known

by Bongiwe Mati

The thought of seeing or smelling cow dung may be disgusting to many, but this intestinal waste has many benefits it carries.

Cow dung is the result of the undigested residue of plant matter which is then passed through the animal’s gut.

For hundreds of years, cow dung has been used in the rural parts of many villages as a floor and wall paint. When dry, the cow dung cake can be used to make a fire.

The National Library of Medicine states, “In rural areas of India, a dried cow dung cake is used as a source of energy for cooking food, decreasing the dependency on other sources of energy and is entirely environment-friendly, and ensures air purification by killing the microbes in the surrounding air.”

Here’s five other benefits of cow dung you might not have known.

    1. It makes a good natural disinfectant – Cow dung’s antibacterial properties are said to make a good natural disinfectant. This is done by coating the floor with fresh soft cow dung. This is a practice followed in many parts of the world including India and many parts of Africa, shares Lybrate a mobile healthcare technology company.
    2.  Serves as an insect repellent – Burning dried cow dung is not only good to make fire, but also said to be a good repellent for both mosquitos and insects, adds the above-mentioned hub.
    3.  Has mood-enhancing properties – It may be hard to believe but Lybrate adds that cow dung contains a bacteria named, “Mycobacterium vaccae which is responsible for activating neurons that produce serotonin. Seratonin is a neurotransmitter that contributes to making a person feel happy.”
    4. Dried cow dung is also used to make disinfectant soaps. Some native Indian traditional medicine practitioners (Ayurvedic) are said to use dried cow dung cow dung to treat skin ailments. Cow dung is however not advised on raw or cut skin as it does contain bacteria and might make your cut worse, adds the above hub.
    5. Cow Dung for health issues – Cow dung is said to be a good treatment when exposed to electric shock and for pain and swelling in the heel of the foot. When in contact with electric shock, business and employment-focused hub LinkedIn advises to applying cow dung to the affected area as it may provide significant relief without harming your skin. The hub adds, “For itching issues, applying cow dung paste to the body and bathing after ten minutes can effectively alleviate the problem. Similarly, if you experience swelling or pain in the heel of your foot, applying cow dung can offer beneficial results.”

Also see: Here’s why raw milk is not safe to drink