another copper question

mpete · #1 05/21/10, 12:57 PM

I may have missed this before, but I will ask:

Can you grind up copper pipe/wire and give it to your goats?

suzyhomemaker09 · #2 05/21/10, 01:50 PM

I wouldn't..buying boluses from an animal supply place isn't that pricey...quite a few folks on the boards will be happy to sell you a couple if you might need.

Laverne · #3 05/21/10, 02:10 PM

What's nice about Copasure is that it is time release because of it's form which is iron oxide. It also doesn't acidify the rumen like copper sulfate powder. I imagine grinding up copper metal to a powder form, the consistency of corn starch, would work if nothing else was available.

LomahAcres · #4 05/21/10, 04:19 PM

That's an interesting thought. I wouldn't, though. There can be other metals in copper pipping besides copper depending on the mill. And what kind of copper is it? When you bolus, you give copper oxide. It's too much of a guess for me, maybe if you had it analyzed to see what's in it?

RiverPines · #5 05/21/10, 04:36 PM

You also would have no idea how much copper your goats are getting.
To little is bad and so is to much.

Providing it buy buying some kind of supplement at least gives you the knowing of how much the animals are getting.

And as mentioned, you dont know if its pure copper. I knows piping and such is not rated safe for actual consumption by animals or people. Running water through it is one thing actually eating it is another.

How would you even grind it into a digestible form?

mpete · #6 05/21/10, 11:51 PM

Very good points....
I just hate buying anything on the internet and nobody around here has any. I guess I can go to town and get one of those prepaid cards because I don't give out my card # to anyone... :/
I have been giving them a childrens chewable vitamin which seems to improve their coat and their tail tips, but upon further investigation, those same pills also have the same minerals in them that inhibit copper absorption....

Alice In TX/MO · #7 05/22/10, 06:31 AM

If you can find a feed store that stocks things for cattle people, they might have the Copasure boluses.

thaiblue12 · #8 05/22/10, 01:52 PM

Are you wanting to bolus or make sure they are getting their minerals? If it is just minerals you can buy cow or horse minerals as long as they have copper in them. I buy cattle mineral at my feed store since it is less costly than horse and has more copper.

I spoke at a goat seminar a while back and the extentsion lady said you can put a copper pipe in their water to give to meet their copper needs, really?? My goats would protest that being in their water. They do not like to drink it on windy days if a tuny bit of dust gets in there.
When it was my turn to speak I mentioned the importance of having a complete mineral for pregnant moms and the kids need it as well.

dragonchick · #9 05/22/10, 02:08 PM

I have copasure if you need some. Just need the number of goats and the weights. 1 bolus is $1.50 no matter how many repacked boluses I get out of it.