# Copper Bolus(How to with pictures on page 2)



## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

I have read about it but how many of you do it? A friend of mine is insisting that I do this to my goats, but I don't really see a reason to. They have free choice minerals so I figure if they needed it they would get it in the minerals. As far as I can tell none of them seem copper deficient. Can anyone give me more info on this? I find it confusing. :?


----------



## enjoytheride (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

I did my first bolusing after dithering about it for a year. My vet sells a mineral mix for sheep and goats that does NOT have copper so I use that because it does make me nervous to add extra copper.
The lady who sold me Timber has bolused a couple of times and said it was dramatic in that she stopped having problems with hoof rot. I have problems with hoof rot and staph infections and decided that , despite what the vet said, to try bolusing- I was worried about Tim's drying up for this year- last year she got staph mastitis.
I read an article that says most of the copper rods are pooped out right away and drops in effectiveness within two months. In all that I have read about bolusing, no one has said they lost a goat to copper toxicity- many have said it helped. 
so I tried but it hasn't been long enough for me to tell yet.


----------



## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

*Re: Copper Bolus*



> If she were mine (yes, the bald tail is probably copper deficiency- teh western states and esp west coast states are very deficient), I would take one Copasure tablet, and make five OO sized capsules with it - we sell the capsules in bags on 100. Since I would give one of my full sized dairy goats one about every 10 weeks, I would give your doe one about every 26 to 30 weeks- ie twice a year if she is full grown.- other words, 1/3 the size of a standard goat so 1/3 the dosage. That's where I'd start. If that keeps her coat color and tail end healthy then you should be good at that schedule. You can overdose on copper, so don't give more than that at that rate for now, unless you were to notice her tail thinning again and coat color going before you hit the 26 to 30 week range for the next one.
> 
> We used to give our standard sized does one full big bolus every year, but I'd rather give them less more regular so they have some in their system all the time. makes more sense then leaving them depleted for 1/2 the year.
> 
> The easiest way I've found to give it to them, is to put a bit of grain in a feed dish, put the OO resized bolus on top, then drop some molasses on it- then sprinkle more grain on top hiding the bolus but not hiding all the molasses :O). They usually snarf it all up .


Here's some info my aunt sent me. It came from a woman who works w/ a lot of natural remedies, sells them too. Here's her website: http://firmeadowherbs.tripod.com/ - You can order the copper boluses from her, she sells them in smaller quantities.


----------



## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

I have a goat that has a copper deff. and I was wondering if there was any other way to get copper in her without the bolus?


----------



## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

Alyssa, here's an website that answers that question. http://www.u-sayranch.com/goats/coppersulfate.html I'm going to mix some up today, I think, or soon anyway. I'll let you know how things go. I have one black doe that has that copper looking black coat, and another that lost the hair from the tip of her tail. Wish me luck!


----------



## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

Good luck Di. My goat is black and tan and her black is wirey and curly on the end instead of slick. I have had free choice minerals out but I guess her kids took it all from her.


----------



## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

I just went and bought some Copper Sulfate from the local Co-op....I bought a 5lb tub for $20...should last a long time. I will let everyone know the result I get.


----------



## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Copper Bolus*



capriola-nd said:


> > Here's some info my aunt sent me. It came from a woman who works w/ a lot of natural remedies, sells them too. Here's her website: http://firmeadowherbs.tripod.com/ - You can order the copper boluses from her, she sells them in smaller quantities.


I bought a buck from from Kat as well as a bunch of herb mixes that helped get my favorite doe back into condition. She is a very helpful person 

We used to do the copper drenches that Di posted and I had great success with it using on my deficient goats to get them back on the road to being sufficient. What I like about the drenches is that it is hard to OD them with it, but it gives them just enough copper to get back to where they should be.


----------



## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

One thing we bought (another breeder suggested it for my aunt's goats) is for horses, HorseGuard. It looks like a pink pelleted grain. Sometimes my goats love it and then other times they just pick at it. I don't remember it being awfully expensive but I'm sure it costs more than a drench or the boluses.

Yes, Kat is very, very nice and very helpful too. She has some beautiful goats too! I just love all her herbal "concoctions". Her probiotic powder is the best we've used w/ our goats - and so much cheaper than the other brands!  Anyways, she's a very neat lady.


----------



## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

goathappy, how long did it take for your goat to get back to a sufficient stage? I am doing the treatment posted on the website doing it twice a day, just wondering if a second treatment was needed.


----------



## enjoytheride (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

What I've read is that the copper bolus (copper rods) need to be in a certain place in the rumen which means that the capsules need to not to be chewed. Then a small part of the rods lodge in the folds of the rumen- what doesn't stay in those folds is pooped out right away. Then the rods release a safe amount of copper (in a copper deficient goat) for about 3-4 months.
This location of copper does reduce stomach worms (including barber pole worms)- oral copper does not effect stomach worms although I didn't read whether it is absorbed for normal nutrition- I can't help but think it is otherwise people wouldn't have the good results with copper sulfate.


----------



## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

i have posted an update thread for my copper def. doe

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=4389


----------



## redneck_acres (Oct 18, 2007)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

We've had good luck with the copper boluses. I think my mom was able to get extra empty capsules at a local health food store for cheaper than ordering out of a goat magazine-plus she was able to get a higher quantity of capsules to. Although I think you have to order the copper itself through the magazine. The hair on her Saanens is looking much better since she began giving them copper. I've heard of it bringing rusted colored goats back to their original color pretty quickly.


----------



## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

it has brought mine back very quickly! Her rusty color is almost gone


----------



## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

Will this stuff work?

http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/pro ... f_id=16805

I am pretty sure my new doeling is copper deficient. Is that possible for a three month old? Her hair turns out and just doesn't look good like my other goats.


----------



## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

yes that will work. I found my copper sulfate at our local farmers co-op. but that will work. not sure on the dosage but i think i have some info on that product...let me find it and i will post it


----------



## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

i found the link...it is from hoeggers
http://hoeggergoatsupply.com/xcart/product.php?productid=4122&cat=0&page=1

it tells the dosage in the description.


----------



## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

Thanks, do you think I would give less since she is so small? Or is it one dose fits all kinda thing?


----------



## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

im not sure but i would give her less.


----------



## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

I recommend giving nigerians half doses, so she would get 10ccs twice a day instead of 20. How old is she and what color?


----------



## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

So, if I used the 1% solution and added it to the water, would it hurt other animals that use the same water? Will it hurt my mini horses? And I've seen chickens drinking out of the water buckets (even though they have their own water). Should I wait on the pregnant does or can I just give it to everyone? :scratch:


----------



## susanne (Nov 13, 2007)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

delete


----------



## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

Susanne, when we first started raising goats we had a goat get copper toxicity, but that was because we were incorrectly supplementing them by just feeding them strait copper(we made a lot of mistakes in the beginning) Anyhow, through nursing and homeopathy, we were able to bring her around in 2 weeks and now 2 years later is the best doe in the herd.

We have been drenching goats that need it for a couple years now and I've never had such good results. THe idea with the 1% solution is that it is very hard to OD them with it but they get just enough copper that they aren't getting from their minerals to help get them back to where they should be.

Di, my brother used to just put a glug or two in the water 2x a day, rest a week, do it again for another week and then stop and he had good results with that. Horses require more copper than goats but I'm not sure if a mini horse will be ok with it, you would have to talk to an experienced breeder to find that out. As far as the chickens, i've seen copper supplements advertised for chickens but I am not sure if the water would be ok for them.


----------



## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

Sarah, Thank you for all the information you give us! Susanne thank you too for the website link. Very interesting! Love this topic.


----------



## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

*Re: Copper Bolus*

Ok so I asked Maxinne's former owner about the copper at the show on Saturday and she said she would bring the stuff on Sunday. (It was a two day show with three shows!)

Anyways the copper is the stuff that is labeled for Cattle. Called Copasure. You can get it at Jeffers: http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/pro ... f_id=16535

She told me the dosage was 1cc per 50lbs. She takes the capsules apart and measures the copper into a syringe to figure out the correct dose. One capsule will copper bolus several goats. Here are some pictures since I am better at showing how to do things then explaining it. lol

Here is the capsule of Copasure. I have it next to a 3cc syringe to show the size. 









Here is the capsule taken apart so you can see what is inside it:









I then measured out how much copper I needed into the syringe and then emptied that into a smaller capsule I had. I onlyed needed .25cc so it was a small pill lol. The small pill was actually a slippery elm pill I just emptied out the slippery elm. You can buy empty pills I am not sure where. I would think a health food store or online.









Then since I didn't have a balling gun. So I made one with the syringe. I just cut off the end! I didn't feel like just shoving it down her throat with my finger since I just got bit good yesturday. lol.


----------



## trob1 (Oct 5, 2007)

Very neat instructions. Thanks


----------



## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

*Re: Copper Bolus*



RunAround said:


> Ok so I asked Maxinne's former owner about the copper at the show on Saturday and she said she would bring the stuff on Sunday. (It was a two day show with three shows!)
> 
> Anyways the copper is the stuff that is labeled for Cattle. Called Copasure. You can get it at Jeffers: http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/pro ... f_id=16535
> 
> ...


you are genius!! haha i just finished gettting all my boluses made and i couldn't figure out how to make a balling gun. now i do huzzah!


----------



## susanne (Nov 13, 2007)

delete


----------



## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

i was told by a mentor that you buy the 00 size gel capsules and fill them and that will treat anywhere from 40 to 80 lbs of goat.


----------



## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

susanne said:


> very need instruction
> i'm wondering how accurate your measuring is? every material has his own gravity and copper is heavy. ( for ten pound feathers you need a big bag, but ten pound iron you can take in your hand  ) i think a little scale would be better to get the right amount.


I am sure that weighing it would be more accurate, but I don't have a scale, so it isn't going to happen lol. 
Two very big breeders in my area have been copper bolusing like this for years so I'm not worried about it. :wink:


----------



## BeckyD (Jan 10, 2011)

This was a great post for me as a newbie to read regarding copper. I've noticed that my pregnant NG doe (due any minute!) is getting slightly red-tinged, brushy fur tips and wondered if it wasn't copper deficiency. Her previous owner bolused her in Sept last year and told me she'll need another as soon as she kids so I'm trying to figure out the best way to dose her. I went to Fir Meadow as recommended on this discussion and found a product called Kopa-Sel, a combo of copper and selenium. It says that this is a new product as of 2010 so I don't know if it's the right product... I also can't find any info on it regarding dosage, etc. Here's the link:

http://store.firmeadowllc.com/product_i ... cts_id=180

Are there any other options besides Copasure from Jeffers? I only have two NGs and am having a hard time spending the $40 on that much product.... Any suggestions?

Love this site,
Becky


----------



## Letty (May 16, 2013)

Tried that website http://firmeadowherbs.tripod.com/ and its down right now, has any one else tried it? would love to get some copper for my goats.


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

This is a very old thread and the website has changed. I would just do a search on Fir Meadow. Also, I would just get Copasure and use on the goats.


----------



## goatmama36 (Apr 17, 2013)

I just bought UltraCruz Goat Cooper Bolus for adults and for kids. It's made by Santa Cruz Animal Health. Just for goats. You can just google them


----------

