# Copper, how long does it take?



## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

I am sure this has been asked before but I couldn't find it.


I have 2 3year old does that are showing signs of copper deficiency(rough coat and fish tail, ugly feet) and will be giving each a bolus on Wednesday. How long before things start looking better. One of the does is my Nubian and she doesn't grow much of a winter coat so its not that. Fecals are good with only a couple eggs showing. Also should I withhold feed before doing the bolus so the rumen will be somewhat empty?


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## cdtrum (Aug 25, 2008)

I have a black pygmy that I bolused two months ago, he was showing signs of copper def.....I saw improvement within a couple of weeks and no, I did not withhold food.... I think it is only suggested to withhold food when worming. Now my other wether that I bolused at the same time (_which was not showing any severe copper def_) has not really shown any changes since bolusing....maybe softer coat. My black wether looks wonderful since bolusing......sooooo shiny black and soft, also no more elf hooves :greengrin: !


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

Thanks
The Nubian and the togg are the only ones showing deficiency. Rough, ugly, greasy looking coats. The Nubian is worse as her coat looks like she has really bad split ends. Hopefully the copper will take care of this. I have a cattle mineral with a high copper content but either its not working or shes not eating much of it. When I give them the bolus I will go back to the other mineral with the lower copper content so they don't get too much.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

dont reduce their copper intake after bulosing or you will be taking steps backwards -- you want to up their copper content and then keep it there.

When they are deficient in copper they have other issues and I have found they dont utilize the minerals properly.


Also where did you get your copper rods?


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

I did want to point out to those who are new, if you are not seeing all these signs together it does not always mean copper def. In other words, you can have a doe with a nice coat and so forth and she may just have BAD feet. I have a doe this way. Just an FYI for new folks.


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

StaceyRoop said:


> dont reduce their copper intake after bulosing or you will be taking steps backwards -- you want to up their copper content and then keep it there.
> 
> When they are deficient in copper they have other issues and I have found they dont utilize the minerals properly.
> 
> Also where did you get your copper rods?


Thanks Stacey. I ordered Copasure from Jeffers Livestock. I will leave their present mineral out there. i was going to pull it because I didn't want them to get too much copper.


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

jdgray716 said:


> I did want to point out to those who are new, if you are not seeing all these signs together it does not always mean copper def. In other words, you can have a doe with a nice coat and so forth and she may just have BAD feet. I have a doe this way. Just an FYI for new folks.


Thanks JD,

Out of the 4 goats I have left, 2 are showing signs of deficiency and 2 are not, of these 2 one does just have bad feet. I got her as a 4 month old and her former owner NEVER did anything to her. Her coat is just as soft and smooth as a bunny's. I have been working with her feet for a long time and they do look better, still not right but better.

I have also had a hard time battling worms in the 2 older goats showing deficiency signs. I have them under control the time being. Hopefully the copper will help me stay in control.
One of these goats also has a really hard time settling. I have seen her mate but in the year I have had her she has not carried much past 2 months. I am hoping this is also because of her copper issue.


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

Also, black goats or goats with a lot of black in them will have a reddish tent to them.


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## CrossCreekTX (Aug 10, 2009)

Some are going to have bad feet. Seems to be genetic. I have one doe out of 5 that has to be trimmed every other week and she hates it. The breeder said all that line were like that. She brought in a new buck and hasn't had any more with the problem.


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

Whew I am glad that's done!!!!! Got the does bolused, the wildest was the easiest too. The Togg doesn't like to be messed with at all and is almost impossible to catch much less hold. My son practically sat on her and held her horns while I put the bolus gun in her mouth. I used peanut butter to glue the pill in the gun and she just swallowed it down. The 2 smaller ones didn't want any part of that gun in their mouth but after a few tries they managed to swallow the pills. Only one, the Nubian, chewed the pill. None of them spit the pill out so at least that was good. 

On another good note, we got Pickles curly scurs cut off. They were about 5" long, flat and curly. Since the ends were laying flat against her head, right above her eyes, I thought it best to cut them off. My hands are not strong enough to do the job, but thankfully I have a son with strong hands and arms.


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## Mary j (Mar 25, 2018)

I use 1/2 of a 2gram copper pill and open it up into 20cc of canned pumpkin. Mix with 1 tsp molasses.
Mix well, put into a kids medicine syringe. Plop in the back of throat. Holding there head upwards. Followed by 1 cup warm molasses water. For my goats that can't wait 2 weeks to start working in pill form..


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## camooweal (Jun 27, 2015)

Writing from the 'other' or alternative side on how long copper takes, we make up a mix of dolomite, kelp, copper and sulphur which the goats get every day in their feed - a heaped teaspoonful each. One with a fish tail took almost a year to replace that tail with a 'proper' tail. We could have done her with boluses but prefer to do things as natural as possible - this way there was no fighting to get a bolus into her and I have to say that as we Two Legs get older, those Four Legs only get stronger and stronger so it's easier to let them dose themselves ~ and isn't it said that rat cunning can beat a high IQ!!!

camooweal


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## Mary j (Mar 25, 2018)

camooweal said:


> Writing from the 'other' or alternative side on how long copper takes, we make up a mix of dolomite, kelp, copper and sulphur which the goats get every day in their feed - a heaped teaspoonful each. One with a fish tail took almost a year to replace that tail with a 'proper' tail. We could have done her with boluses but prefer to do things as natural as possible - this way there was no fighting to get a bolus into her and I have to say that as we Two Legs get older, those Four Legs only get stronger and stronger so it's easier to let them dose themselves ~ and isn't it said that rat cunning can beat a high IQ!!!
> 
> camooweal


I'd love this recipe. Please send ingredients. I'm headed to feed store and vet supply now.


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## Mary j (Mar 25, 2018)

Mary j said:


> I'd love this recipe. Please send ingredients. I'm headed to feed store and vet supply now.


Oh, can I open the copper pill and use this as my source for the copper in the recipe? 
My nubians will not take bolus. Last week I almost lost her after attempting to give her one. It stressed her out so much, fever 108.9 for 3 days. No food intake, I had to drench electrolytes with a toddler syringe every 3 hours. She's almost 100%, but her tail is bald, head and tail are still mid way, not erect like should be. Were on well water, smells like eggs. Have a filter for animals and we just bleached water.. they are all drinking water in abundance last 2 days since then.


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## Mary j (Mar 25, 2018)

Mary j said:


> I'd love this recipe. Please send ingredients. I'm headed to feed store and vet supply now.


We have alot if sulfur and iron in our well water.


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## BoerSaanenmother12 (May 21, 2014)

Where do you get the copper boluse stuff is it online or some place.


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## Mary j (Mar 25, 2018)

BoerSaanenmother12 said:


> Where do you get the copper boluse stuff is it online or some place.


Local feed store. Comes in 2 and 4 gram capsules. 2 is for kids over 25 lbs and 4 grams is for 50-300lbs adult Goats.
Its not easy to bolus goats.. I don't use the bolus gun. Puts to much stress on my domesticated divas. Bananas and fig newtons. Each doe/buck is different here. Do your research before you try anything on this site. And when your done, do more. Don't trust me or what some claim. Get documented facts from certified specialist. Be very thorough in your research. These goats trust us to give them the best care possible..
There Our babies,


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## camooweal (Jun 27, 2015)

<<< "I'd love this recipe. Please send ingredients. I'm headed to feed store and vet supply now.>>>

OK, here it is, Mary j ~

A woman named Pat Coleby developed this mix and we've been using it for some years now:

Dolomite 55.11 lbs (25 kgs)
Kelp (powdered) 8.81 lbs (4 kgs)
Copper 8.81 lbs (4 kgs)
Sulphur 8.81 lbs (4 kgs)

The amounts are so precise as they've been converted from metric measurements (which I thoroughly loathe!). Dolomite is the antidote to copper poisoning.

camooweal


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## BoerSaanenmother12 (May 21, 2014)

Mary j said:


> Local feed store. Comes in 2 and 4 gram capsules. 2 is for kids over 25 lbs and 4 grams is for 50-300lbs adult Goats.
> Its not easy to bolus goats.. I don't use the bolus gun. Puts to much stress on my domesticated divas. Bananas and fig newtons. Each doe/buck is different here. Do your research before you try anything on this site. And when your done, do more. Don't trust me or what some claim. Get documented facts from certified specialist. Be very thorough in your research. These goats trust us to give them the best care possible..
> There Our babies,


Yeah i would never use the bolous gun. Thr only capsules i can get are for cows unless i haven't checked. Yeah my 3 does are over 50lbs they are 100 to 110 for my queen. They will eat anything. Maybe i can go to the feed store i don't really like and get all the things i need for them. My goats will eat just about anything so.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

BoerSaanenmother12 said:


> Where do you get the copper boluse stuff is it online or some place.


I order it from Jeffers. My local farm supply stores don't carry it.


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## Brande Ehrman (Mar 27, 2019)

Mary j said:


> Oh, can I open the copper pill and use this as my source for the copper in the recipe?
> My nubians will not take bolus. Last week I almost lost her after attempting to give her one. It stressed her out so much, fever 108.9 for 3 days. No food intake, I had to drench electrolytes with a toddler syringe every 3 hours. She's almost 100%, but her tail is bald, head and tail are still mid way, not erect like should be. Were on well water, smells like eggs. Have a filter for animals and we just bleached water.. they are all drinking water in abundance last 2 days since then.


I have the same issue with my two spoiled but adored Nigerians...I take chunks of banana and empty the contents of the capsule (bolus) into it and then smoosh the scooped out banana back on top of it to "seal" it in. My goats gobble it up and never suspect their doing something I actually want them to do for once!


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## TexasGoatMan (Jul 4, 2015)

The 4 gram copper bolus is good up to 80 lbs. OVER 80 lbs give 2 bolus of 4 gram. You will see a huge difference in a short time. Our does are 135-170 lbs. and we noticed a change in hair color and coat in 2 weeks after giving two 4 gram bolus. We were giving one 4 gram copper bolus twice a year. After talking with a very knowledgeable friend who has lots of goats, I was informed that I was not giving enough copper. From now on we will give two 4gram bolus instead of one, twice yearly. For what it's worth.


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## TexasGoatMan (Jul 4, 2015)

After talking with with a very knowledgeable goat friend who has lots of top quality goats, I was informed that I was only giving half of the necessary copper by giving only 1 4gram bolus for animals over 80 lbs. twice yearly. So we now give two 4 gram bolus twice yearly and can see the improvements in just a couple of weeks. For what it is worth.


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## TexasGoatMan (Jul 4, 2015)

Refer to the above post.


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