# copper



## Marigold (Nov 18, 2013)

Because my feed store only supplies sheep and goat feed in pellets i was thinking that I need to give my goats an extra copper supplement after learning how important it is. But they aren't showing signs of copper deficiency that I can see (they are white so it's kinda hard lol) I was wondering if it will hurt my goats to copper bolus them if they aren't deficient. Thanks! And I'm thinking for my next bag of feed I'll buy the nutrena sweet feed that's made only for goats


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

What kind of mineral do you have out? There really isn't much in a feed anyway. Many people do copper bolus twice a year. Some more, some less. You will have to figure out what is good for your goats.


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## Marigold (Nov 18, 2013)

i have manna pro goat mineral out but they dont seem to be interested in it. if i do copper bolus will it hurt them if they arent deficient? my larger doe has a really shiny coat while the other one looks a little duller and her coat just isnt as nice as her sisters. and the smaller one may have a fish tail but im really not sure.


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## Marigold (Nov 18, 2013)

these are a few pictures of my girls. The all white one was really little when i got her and she was i guess the "runt" but she has grown a lot since i have had her. She was sold as only a pet because the breeder thought she may never be big enough to breed and i feel she is the one that has a little bit of a shaggier coat and she also doesnt have as good of a confirmation as her half sister


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

While it is possible to OD with copper, it is less likely to happen with the bolus because they very slowly absorb the copper from the rods. It really shouldn't hurt to bolus them but it is ultimately up to you to decide what is best.


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## Marigold (Nov 18, 2013)

Is this a good idea? 
To take a 4g copper bolus and split it in half and put it into a syringe with some pro bios and Apple sauce, then drench each goat with half the bolus so they each get 2g per 26 lbs? 
When i was doing research some sites said to give probiotics and vitamins with the copper


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

What is that half the dose??? If your concerned then give it a try...like karen said its not overly easy to od them. I don't think its a 'you need to' give the vit. I don't give anything other then the copper when its time. I think what your reading is when you have your hands on them give them everything your wanting to give so you don't have to keep catching them and stressing them. I k ow some vit. You can od them on.


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## Marigold (Nov 18, 2013)

I think the dosage is 2g for 22lbs? So half of the 4g bolus for a goat that is 26lbs should be good. And I do want to give my girls some pro bios so I guess if I combine it then they only have to get drenched once


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

You really are supposed to give the copper boluses whole. Reason being is that the gel cap that they are in sticks to their system and releases as they need it. I gave all my goats 4gs and I have smaller ones. I just put probiotic paste on a cattle pill popper thing and put the bolus in there, then get it to the back of their throat and pull the trigger...


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

The probios is fine to give its not really a vit. And is good for keeping the gut healthy so that's fine on your plan


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## Marigold (Nov 18, 2013)

The 4g boluses would be okay for my 26 lb goats? They are little guys.
And thanks  what vitamins can they od on? Just so I know for future reference. Because I wanted to put vitamins in their water


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Marigold said:


> The 4g boluses would be okay for my 26 lb goats? They are little guys. And thanks  what vitamins can they od on? Just so I know for future reference. Because I wanted to put vitamins in their water


My little guy Beebop is 4 months now, and I gave him 4gs, he's about 30 lbs. He's a kinder. The thing is though it must go down whole and not chewed. The probiotic paste is used so it sticks to the boluser and it has a more pleasant taste then plain old plastic, LOL. The best way to give them pretty much all they need is through free choice loose minerals. I use manna pro and sweetlix. What vitamins are you wanting them to have? I also give mine kelp meal free choice.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Oops, forgot your vitamin od question. I know selenium they can od from, but I'm not sure about the others.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

I buy the 12.5g and the 25g jars and break them down to individual doses, mix with yogurt, draw up in a 60cc syringe (only mix about 10-15cc yogurt with the loose copper) open their mouth and put the syringe as far back as you can, and drench it.
They don't need to be in the gel capsules, it still works without.


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## FarmerInaDress (Mar 15, 2013)

It's up to you, but I personally wouldn't bolus them if you don't think they are deficient. What area are you in? Do you know if where you live/where your hay comes from is copper deficient?


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

The dosage is 1 gram per 22 lbs, so if your goats weigh 26 lbs, then they only need just over 1 gram. In winter it can be harder to tell if they are deficient or not because their coats can be pretty long. Also, the one with the duller coat, are you sure she is not wormy?


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## sassykat6181 (Nov 28, 2012)

You really need to consider the copper availability in your area. When they start to show symptoms, they need the copper badly. We have a well here, and I need to copper bolus my herd every 3 months.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I think just about any vit. They can of on. I know for sure the a and d because I started to give that before kidding and read they can so I'm a total chicken and only give a half cc but its good to give the doe to pass onto the kids to fight scours. And yes the selenium...... that's all I give so that's all I know of.


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## Marigold (Nov 18, 2013)

Okay thank you everyone! I give manna pro minerals and kelp meal free choice. I'm in northern nj and I really don't know if we are copper deficient :/ maybe someone from the sussex county nj area/orange county ny knows? 
I just had a fecal done last week and they are worm free  so I know that's not a problem. About 2 weeks ago I added boss to their morning grain also. I feed a sheep and goat feed so I was a little concerned they wouldn't get enough copper but they eat their minerals every day


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

I too have sheep, and that is why I copper bolus every 3 months, as sheep are not supposed to have high amounts of copper. So for the goats and sheep that run together (I have separate pens in the barn) I give the sweetlix and the kelp meal. The others (just goats) manna pro and kelp.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

The only researched dose is 1gram per 22# so I would not think your goats would need more then 2 grams each as they look like ND's or pygmys. I am in NJ as well and most of my goats need bolusing in addition to the feed and good minerals that have copper. Some of mine need more then others and a big part mine need it is my well is high in Iron which binds the copper not allowing full absorbtion. The photos of your girls they do not look deficient. What mineral do you have out and how long have you had them?


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## Marigold (Nov 18, 2013)

My well is probably high in iron also. We have very "hard" water. Is there a water test i can do? Maybe I should just ask my dad, he is a plumber. I give my girls manna pro as well as kelp and have had them 3 months


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## Marigold (Nov 18, 2013)

I just gave my goats copper and they chewed some of it :/ is that bad for them? I realized what I did wrong and it will be better next time but I just hope i didnt hurt them!


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

No, you didn't hurt them. It just works a lot better when they don't chew it, but no worries. I had a few who chewed it the first time around.


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## Marigold (Nov 18, 2013)

okay good  next time im going to get a bigger syringe and put it further down their throats. (maybe ill invest in a drenching syringe) The problem was it mostly got in their mouth and then they chewed it. At least on the bright side they were extremely cooperative and didnt mind me shoving things in their mouth so hopefully they will continue to cooperate next time!


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