Bo/Se shots - Do you give them and when?

[Milk n' Honey]

I have a bottle of Bo/Se b/c we are selenium deficient here. I had planned on giving it just to be sure. However, I don't know when to give it. I know a lot of people give it to the pregnant does and then some give it to the babies. I have 3 kids that are about 6 wks old and I don't know when to give it and how many times...all that. So, if you use is, what is your schedule for it? Thanks.

[Jillis]

I use the gel. I put it on a piece of bread, roll it up, and they scarf it down. I give it to pg does a within a few weeks of the due dates.

[ozark_jewels]

I just gave it to all my goats last week(pre-breeding) and will be giving it again three weeks before they kid.

[malickfarms]

our babies get it about once every other month. here in michigan (thumb) we have severly selenium deficient soil.

[moonspinner]

Even though my area is supposedly not deficient, I don't think soil content is stagnant from year to year and I would logically assume selenium levels would always be shifting. I've had a few kids here and there, especially the ones born earlier and multiples that have shown some temporary weak legs. So now I give BoSe to does before kidding. I know keepers who also give kids a shot who don't seem to be growing as well as expected. Haven't tried the gel. But if you're in a deficient area I'd opt for the prescription. Just don't overdo it, as it can be toxic.

[Idahoe]

Woohoo! I actually found a map of selenium deficient areas for us total newbies. Looks like I'll be ordering some of this Bose stuff asap!

Selenium deficient areas US and Canada

[Jillis]

moonspinner, you can get both the gel and the shots w/o a prescription. It is the same dosage, just easier and less traumatic to administer. I got mine from Fiasco Farms website. HTH!

[crowinghen]

Just to be on the safe side, my vet recommends that Bo-se be given pre-breeding and the kids be given a shot at birth. He said it's rare, but can cause abortions in some animals, so why risk it.


Susie

[TexCountryWoman]

Originally Posted by Idahoe

Woohoo! I actually found a map of selenium deficient areas for us total newbies. Looks like I'll be ordering some of this Bose stuff asap!

Selenium deficient areas US and Canada

Thanks for the link. However, that would only apply to animals who derived most of there nutrition from grazing or browsing. Since most dairy goats are pen raised, the selenium deficit would be a result of the feed they consumed rather than what was or was not in the soil, IMO.

[Carrie C]

In my area, the hay, alfalfa, as well as my own farmyard is selenium deficient. Most hay and alfalfa doesn't come from states away, so it is pretty safe to assume that feed (minus grain) is selenium deficient, and all the grains I have seen don't have selenium. That's my reasoning, anyway. Mine get free-choice minerals (selenium and copper included).
~Carrie C.

[Jcran]

I have been talking to two breeders in Calif and Washington and they give FAR MORE than I ever did. They said they have stronger, healthier animals as a result...I am still researching but may increase what I've been doing in the past. They give: 1/4 to 1/2 cc to newborn kids, then dose according to weight at 3 months, 10 months (just prior to breeding), then 4-6 weeks prior to kidding, two days post partum, then again just before putting in with buck. When goats are grown, that averages 3 times per year. I was giving the does prenatal only and then to newborns. Of course we are in deficient areas and our hay comes from deficient areas. My buck gets total nutrition pellets with selenium added and everybody gets freechoice loose minerals. These breeders always have BIG strong animals.

[Freeholder]

I used to give BoSe shots, but haven't for the last three years, and have had almost no problems (and the one kid that did seem a little wobbly cleared up almost instantly when given a vitamin E capsule twice a day for a couple of days). What I've been doing instead is giving them sunflower seeds (high in vitamin E) along with a good goat mineral, which has selenium in it. My kids are growing just fine, are big and healthy. And so are the does.

Kathleen

[moonspinner]

I just got on the Fiasco site and BoSe injectable is referred to by prescription only. Also, the selenium map is like 40 years old, so don't depend on it for accuracy today.