# Copper bolus.



## Hobbyfarmer (Sep 7, 2011)

I've found plenty of information on copper bolus dosage. What I can't seem to find is how often to give this? Also is it safe for a pregnant doe? At what age do you start giving it?

Thank in advance.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I only recently started doing the bolusing...mine got their first in April and again in October and 3 of my does were newly bred at the time.

Not sure how young you can start dosing.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I do mine every 6 months The way my schedualing works out they get them about a month before they're due. There's nothing in them that's going to harm a pregnancy though. It's just a mineral supplement.
We are very deficient here and I start bolusing at 3 months of age.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

I have only done 1 round but plan to do it every 6 months. 
The frequency and amount to some extent depends on your areas deficiency. 
The youngest I have done is 6 months old but that is just how it worked out. I see no reason to do it younger if your area is really low. 
As long as the goat needs it it is safe in pregnancy. 
Excess levels can be toxic to any goat pregnant or not.


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## crgoats (Nov 8, 2011)

I am a total newby and am wondering how you know if your goats need this? I free feed them loose minerals.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Christine I'm getting ready to bolus this month and a couple of my goats are showing the symptoms of needing it. I'll take a couple pictures while it's daylight tomorrow and post them here for you.


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## crgoats (Nov 8, 2011)

Thanks so much. I am actually thinking mine may need it because a couple of them have some rusty looking spots on their fur, and I thought that was a sign. I had a mineral block, and they ate it like crazy, to the point of it being gone in less then a month, with 5 goats. I noticed that they were slightly rusty looking, so I bought a loose mineral with a much higher amount of copper in it. They will barely touch it, though and liked the block much better.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

CR the loose minerals are better since the goats can more easily consume it. Is it unsoiled and dry? What brand is it? I noticed mine liked some brands more than others. I also found that if you add a little kelp to it they more readily consume it.


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## Hobbyfarmer (Sep 7, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'll start them on a bi annual schedule. I thought I was told every 6 months previously. But I couldn't find my notes to double check.

@CR: I was advised to copper bolus by an experienced goat man in my area. He said our soils are highly deficient. While copper can be toxic if overused I'm operating under the assumption that a little can only help. Here is the best article I've found on the subject: http://www.dairygoatjournal.com/issues/ ... ealth.html

The supplements I'm giving are a Purina goat block (not recommended by most but my goats seem to dig it), Sweetlix loose minerals, kelp (added to minerals), baking soda, and black seed sunflower seeds added to a sweet grain for goats. Everything but the grain and BOSS is free choice.


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## crgoats (Nov 8, 2011)

Today, I noticed that they have now been eating the minerals. There were some obvious mouth marks in them. I also saw one of my females eating them. I cleaned the barn today, so I was out there for a long time. I also give the baking soda, sweet grain, and hay. Since the grass is pretty much dormant, I have been throwing sliced carrots, apples or bananas around the pasture before I let them out of the barn for them to find. They love them, and I feel like it gives them some mental stimulation in the blah days of winter.


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

How can you find which areas are copper deficient? I tried googling it, but didn't come up with anything about which parts of the US are deficient. I am in NE OK and our soil is mostly a clay type soil. Most of my goats are pretty shiny, but a few look a little rough. I am going to have a fecal done to rule out parasites first. They have a free choice mineral that has 1330 ppm copper in it, most of them will take one lick and walk away... Can you copper bolus even if you don't know they need it as a just in case, or will this cause them to have too much copper?

I was also curious about Bo-Se, can you give them this even if you don't know they need it? I know selenium overdose can be deadly. On the maps I have seen of selenium deficient areas, NE Oklahoma is not deficient. The mineral they are getting has 23.5 ppm of selenium.

I am thinking about switching them to a cattle mineral (that they like way better as I did a taste test with them the other day), this mineral has 1700 ppm of copper and 35.5 ppm of selenium. It also is very high in Zinc which is one of the antagonists for copper, so I am thinking they may not get the copper from the mineral because of the antagonists in it... If it is safe to copper bolus even if you don't know they need it I will probably just do that to make sure they are getting their copper.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Here is a link to the best map I found so far. It is in my first post of the thread. http://thegoatspot.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=23869&p=283622&hilit=map#p283622


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