# Question about Copper & Selenium



## Buck Naked Boers (Oct 15, 2012)

We have a doe that is due to kid in June (11ish). We gave her a bose shot in April and Copper in Feb. She is thinning in her hair and looks like she is getting spots that are loosing hair sort of badly.

Wondering.....I thought you were supposed to give copper once every 4 months? And Bose once a year! Why would she be thinning so badly now? She should have a great coat and all since we just gave her everything Feb & April.

Can you shed light on what I am doing wrong? She has a great balanced diet as well.

Suggestions??

Tami


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Tami, BoSe can be given more than once a year. Ours get it at least twice, sometimes 3 if needed.
Are they getting any loose minerals?


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## Buck Naked Boers (Oct 15, 2012)

Yes we put loose minerals in their food daily. It would be too soon to give her selenium/bose again though right? Since it was just last month. Also copper was given in Feb....so I am thinking that is too soon too. I don't know what is wrong....it is weird! Am hoping someone can direct me.

That is good to know you give bose twice a year. So every 6 mo?


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## Buck Naked Boers (Oct 15, 2012)

bump


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

Maybe offer the loose mineral free choice? She may not be getting enough at this point from the amount added to her feed


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

I had a doe who would "blow out" her coat after kidding....could be hormonal. I'd be sure she is getting enough zinc, loose minerals. I copper bolus 4 x a year and give the sel/e gel monthly.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Loose minerals do better free choice..she will eat what she needs. Have you thought about adding kelp?


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## Buck Naked Boers (Oct 15, 2012)

Yes she gets kelp daily as well as minerals in her feed. I just offered her minerals and she turned her nose up to them.
So I wonder if she isn't getting enough selenium...but I hesitate to give her anymore because she just had some in April! Ugh....what to do. lol.
She is getting probiotics as well.
We are limiting her time on the pasture....she is getting very little pasture just hay and organic grain and alfalfa pellets as well as some things like kale from the garden....she is a healthy doe...just her hair is suspicious to me...
It's not soft and loosing hair. So weird! Could be hormonal but she hasn't kidded yet.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

I agree, loose minerals are better consumed free choice. Many yrs ago I put it in their feed but found it would sink to the bottom.
Actually BoSe does not last in the system very long, I don't remember the time period.
Tim or Goathiker would know.


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## Buck Naked Boers (Oct 15, 2012)

Hopefully Tim or Jill will see my post and let us know. I don't want to give her more selenium/Bose if I shouldn't do that. But I think she may need more....

I put out minerals free choice today.....so will see if she eats some.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

patch coat and losing hair is most likely zinc deficiency. Can you put an analysis of your loose mineral. And yes, free choice is so much better. You can either force them to have to much or limit them to not enough by just adding to feed. Depending upon the deficiency of the animal will determine how much bo-se you can give. But if its been a couple of months, you can do it again. Where are you located and do you know your general selenium level in your area? OH and are you giving vit e with the bo-se?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

She's about 45 minutes NE of me Dave.

I just got my annual water report back with high sulpher this year. Sulpher can block Selenium.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

All great advice.

Are you sure she isn't just shedding winter coat?


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## Buck Naked Boers (Oct 15, 2012)

Dave: I am not sure about our selenium levels here....we are in Estacada Oregon. I've posted our mineral here before. Got good reviews from you. =) I also have some sweetlix minerals I put out free choice. The other mineral we put in her grain each day is the Nutribalancer Goat Mineral by Fertrell.

She also gets kelp.

I don't know what to do. I think she probably needs selenium but don't want to overdose her. She just got a shot of BOSE on 4/8! And Copper back in Feb...think around the 20th. So can't imagine she would need more? I can post a photo of her hair if that would help.


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## Buck Naked Boers (Oct 15, 2012)

She isn't just shedding her winter coat....this is more than that.


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## Buck Naked Boers (Oct 15, 2012)

I probably need to test my water. Not sure where to do that, asking Jill.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw000/faq/pdfs/fs_homewatertesting.pdf

http://water.epa.gov/scitech/drinkingwater/labcert/index.cfm

http://www.safewaterlabs.com/


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

http://tin.er.usgs.gov/geochem/doc/averages/se/usa.html


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

...


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## Jasmar (Mar 28, 2015)

Hm. We're in a sulpher well here. I didn't know it blocks selenium absorption. BNB, we aren't very far from you, so I'd be interested to hear what you decide to do with the selenium.


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

How do you know if your goats are copper or selenium deficient?


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## Buck Naked Boers (Oct 15, 2012)

They will get rough coats and loose hair....that is some symptoms. Anyone else have anything else to add?


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## Buck Naked Boers (Oct 15, 2012)

This is what I found on Clackamas County where I live:
What does this mean to you all when you read this Dave, Jill, others??

*Average concentrations of elements in Clackamas County, Oregon*

 *(Calculated from cells in the geochemical grid plotting in this area.)*  Element Symbol Mean Std. dev. Minimum Maximum AluminumAl (wt%)8.8980.7916.37110.644 ArsenicAs (ppm)3.8651.9590.93911.184 CalciumCa (wt%)2.0700.6420.6974.048 CopperCu (ppm)30.3687.84215.09153.481 IronFe (wt%)6.5031.6003.62610.922 MercuryHg (ppm)0.0710.0250.0150.158 MagnesiumMg (wt%)1.3770.4800.6183.047 ManganeseMn (ppm)1203.880234.671717.6821909.840 SodiumNa (wt%)1.4630.3640.6332.676 PhosphorusP (wt%)0.0850.0290.0140.254 LeadPb (ppm)12.2203.1127.06225.989 SeleniumSe (ppm)0.2730.1600.1000.896 TitaniumTi (wt%)0.8080.1660.5321.408 ZincZn (ppm)115.28016.80477.695170.457


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## Buck Naked Boers (Oct 15, 2012)

*Average concentrations of elements in Clackamas County, Oregon*

*(Calculated from cells in the geochemical grid plotting in this area.)* Element Symbol Mean Std. dev. Minimum Maximum AluminumAl (wt%)8.8980.7916.37110.644 ArsenicAs (ppm)3.8651.9590.93911.184 CalciumCa (wt%)2.0700.6420.6974.048 CopperCu (ppm)30.3687.84215.09153.481 IronFe (wt%)6.5031.6003.62610.922 MercuryHg (ppm)0.0710.0250.0150.158 MagnesiumMg (wt%)1.3770.4800.6183.047 ManganeseMn (ppm)1203.880234.671717.6821909.840 SodiumNa (wt%)1.4630.3640.6332.676 PhosphorusP (wt%)0.0850.0290.0140.254 LeadPb (ppm)12.2203.1127.06225.989 SeleniumSe (ppm)0.2730.1600.1000.896 TitaniumTi (wt%)0.8080.1660.5321.408 ZincZn (ppm)115.28016.80477.695170.457


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## Buck Naked Boers (Oct 15, 2012)

Ugh....ok well the chart isn't showing up right! Grrrr. Not sure how to fix it.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

(Calculated from cells in the geochemical grid plotting in this area.)
Element Symbol Mean Std. dev. Minimum Maximum
Aluminum Al (wt%)8.8980.7916.37110.644
Arsenic As (ppm)3.8651.9590.93911.184 
Calcium Ca (wt%)2.0700.6420.6974.048
Copper Cu (ppm)30.3687.84215.09153.481
Iron Fe (wt%)6.5031.6003.62610.922
Mercury Hg (ppm)0.0710.0250.0150.158
Magnesium Mg (wt%)1.3770.4800.6183.047
Manganese Mn (ppm)1203.880234.671717.6821909.840 
Sodium Na (wt%)1.4630.3640.6332.676
Phosphorus P (wt%)0.0850.0290.0140.25
Lead Pb (ppm)12.2203.1127.06225.989 
Selenium Se (ppm)0.2730.1600.1000.896 
Titanium Ti (wt%)0.8080.1660.5321.408
Zinc Zn (ppm)115.28016.80477.695170.457


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## Buck Naked Boers (Oct 15, 2012)

Wow how'd you do that? Thanks Jill!


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I played with a lot of them doing a thread with a bunch of wether owners a couple years ago. I'll look at as soon as I catch up on the goings on...


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## Buck Naked Boers (Oct 15, 2012)

Ok thanks!


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