“Shots, Germs, and Terrain:” Unpopular Opinions and Controversial Topics.

Out here at CT Ranch, we keep things pretty simple. When it comes to our animals, the only shot we give our calves is for brucellosis — and that’s just once, when they’re little. Why? Because in our experience, brucellosis is a very real risk, and the vaccine does a good job of minimizing it. We haven’t yet found a better way to handle that particular threat, so we use it. Beyond that, we put our trust in strong terrain, good forage, clean water, and plenty of sunshine. That got me thinking about the bigger picture: vaccines, germs, and the theories we’ve all been taught to accept as gospel.

Most of us have been taught germ theory, the idea from Louis Pasteur that tiny invaders — bacteria and viruses — are always out to get us. But back in the same era as Pasteur, other thinkers (like Antoine Béchamp) argued something different: that it’s the terrain — the health of the body itself — that matters most. A weak, imbalanced system invites sickness. A strong one fends it off. Funny thing is, Pasteur himself supposedly admitted on his deathbed, “the microbe is nothing, the terrain is everything.” Yet history rolled on with germ theory in the driver’s seat, and here we are.

Want to learn more about the history or pasteurization? Check out our previous blog post: “The Fast and Dirty History of Raw Milk.”

Now let’s take a look at milk for example. We’ve been told pasteurization is the only way to keep folks safe. But here’s something most people don’t realize: the FDA actually allows up to 20,000 bacteria per milliliter in milk before it’s pasteurized. Why so high? Because the assumption is, it will all be killed by the process of pasteurization anyway.

Raw milk, on the other hand, is often painted as dangerous. Yet to be legally sold in many states, raw milk has to meet a much stricter standard — no more than 10,000 bacteria per milliliter — and in practice, small dairies often test far lower when they’re careful with cleanliness. That means raw milk is usually held to a tighter standard from the get-go.

And a good raw dairy farm will always disclose their milk test results. You can see ours here: https://ctranch.com/raw-milk-safety

So which sounds safer? A glass of raw milk that started clean and alive, full of beneficial bacteria and enzymes — or a jug of pasteurized milk that was allowed to start dirtier, then blasted with heat so now you’ve got thousands dead bacteria floating in there? Folks don’t think about it that way because the “safety stamp” is already on the carton. But numbers don’t lie.

Fear’s a powerful tool. Right now, headlines are buzzing about a measles outbreak in Texas. The solution offered? Vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate. But do we ever stop and ask: what exactly is a virus? How many folks in history really died from chickenpox, measles, or mumps — compared to how many just got through it and gained lifelong immunity? And here’s another wrinkle: when we vaccinated against chickenpox, shingles rates shot up later in life. Could it be that tampering with one end of the cycle created a new problem down the road?

I’m not here to tell you what to believe. Just like with farming, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. But I do think it’s worth asking: are we spreading knowledge… or just fear? Are we looking at facts… or just following theory dressed up as law?

Want to learn more on the topic of terrain theory, viruses, and vaccines? Check out Dr. Tom Cowan, he calls it turning the gears in your head, seeing things from a fresh angle. That’s what terrain theory invites us to do — step back, tend the soil, strengthen the host, and maybe quit pointing the finger at every passing germ.

Out here, we’ll keep raising animals the way our grandparents did: strong terrain, little interference, and plenty of common sense. Might be worth considering the same for ourselves.

Until next time,

Nicole
& The CT Ranch Family

P.S. Whether it’s calves, kids, or communities, resilience comes from the ground up. Build good terrain, and the rest has a way of taking care of itself.