Goat-Info.com
Disclaimer : I am not a vet. Although I may suggest medications, dosages,
and treatments for animals, you should always have a vet, use a vet, and
consult a vet.
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You go to your local feed store looking for minerals and what do you find?
Often you find mineral blocks and you think that'll work. Not so
much. Imagine having dentures, taking out your top teeth and trying to
eat a apple! Just can't eat the apple? Try licking it maybe that will
work. That is the best description I can give for a goat trying to get
the minerals it needs from a mineral block. Loose minerals are best for
goats, if you can't get loose minerals for some reason, use a hammer and
make some! Minerals are such a important part of a goats diet. Without
minerals there are a host of issues that can arise, from unhealthy goats
to kids with an assortment of issues. In the following paragraphs I will
talk about what I consider to be the most important extras that need to be
administered along with a good loose mineral.
Now let us talk about the idea of a "deficient area". I hear
people all the time asking if they live in a copper deficient area, a
selenium deficient area, or stating that they do live in a deficient area
and that due to that they are bolusing because of it. Or they don't live
in a deficient area and don't need to bolus, or my vet said I don't need
to do that blah, blah, blah... I understand that if you are in an area
that is not deficient and you are buying local hay, that your goats maybe
getting more than those living in a deficient area. However, goats
require an amazing amount of copper and selenium in particular. The
amount that they need far exceeds the amount they can get through a loose
mineral, feed, or hay grown in an area with sufficient amounts of copper
and selenium. By the way, I have never had to replace topsoil in my pens
because my goats have eaten loads of dirt trying to get the minerals they
need. I would estimate that 80% of the goats that I see, at shows which
include goats from all over the US, are deficient in copper and/or
selenium to the eye. They need extra amounts of copper and selenium.
Copper
What do copper deficient goats look like? What are the signs?
Well there are several and I will name a few.
- rough coat
- fish tail
- off color hair
- hoof issues
- kidding issues
- lack of libido
- fertility issues
- In older goats - pathetic looking, hard to put weight on, or a general
hard keeper
These are just a few of the signs/symptoms of a copper deficient
goat.
Here is a before and after example of copper deficiency. (It takes time.)
Before
1 yr after
Selenium
What do selenium deficient goats look like? What are the signs?
- weak kids
- white muscle disease
- slow kids (taking more than 10-15 mins to start nursing after
birth), (our are @ less than 10)
- lack of multiples (this is usually a sign of tailless sperm in
Bucks)
- pneumonia or frequent colds
These are just a few of the signs/symptoms. When dosing selenium
you have to be very careful. the margin between a proper dose and a
overdose are very slim.
The following are our
practices.
Loose minerals are
free choice and kept in front of the goats. In a typical week 7-9 adults
will go through a pound of loose minerals every week. (we use ADM Goat
Power Mineral)
Copper -
(Copasure cattle bolus) 1 gram of rods/22lbs or 1cc/60lbs given orally
2x/yr
Selenium -
(BoSe) .25cc/ miniature newborn, .5cc/ standard newborn, or 1cc/40lbs @
2months or older (SQ) |
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