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10/10/10, 08:58 AM
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II Corinthians 5:7
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Virginia
Posts: 8,102
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feeding copper boluses
Hello, I just discovered an easy way to feed my huge buck copper boluses that i thought some of you may appreciate hearing.
Since the only goat in my herd needing the extra copper, I make sure he alone gets it. Since he is my favorite, my herd buck and up in age, I keep a close eye on him. He is like all my goats in one respect, i.e. he refuses to eat what he is not accustomed to.
Thus, my strategy was to "slowly" introduce marshmellows to my herd. (It has been mentioned in here that marshmellows work well for giving goats copper boluses.) I tore them into tiny bites and mixed a small amount with their grain for a few days; then I brought Roman (my big bottle-fed baby herd buck who weighs 250+ lbs) into the milking area where I have a place to trim hooves. (I had pulled apart the amount of copper boluses I needed him to eat, placing the contents into a small bowl; then had pulled small bites out of "one" marshmellow and rolled it in the copper pieces. All of course stuck to the marshmellows. Then I placed all those copper-coated marshmellow pieces into Roman's feed pan .. with only a small portion of his grain in it and held it for him to eat as sometimes I do just to give him extra attention. He ate all around the marshmellow pieces, saving them for last; then he gobbled them all down. Yeah!! That is when I trimmed his hooves and then gave him the remaining portion of his daily allowance of grain.)
Easy! (except for the hoof trimming as his hooves are hard as rocks)
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10/10/10, 09:11 AM
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More dharma, less drama.
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas Coastal Bend/S. Missouri
Posts: 30,482
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For the people who want to flame, here's documentation:
http://www.goatspots.com/copper.html
__________________
Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus
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10/10/10, 09:29 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 24,108
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I didn't know the copper had anything to do with worms  I thought people were giving copper for overall health...not specifically for worms. Thanks for posting that link Alice. I'm always learning something new! 
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Teach only Love...for that is what You are 
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10/10/10, 11:01 AM
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Katie
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Twining, Mi.
Posts: 19,930
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My goats won't eat marshmellows, but they like peanut butter crackers. I wonder if it would work the same in peanut butter?
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10/10/10, 11:02 AM
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More dharma, less drama.
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas Coastal Bend/S. Missouri
Posts: 30,482
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Yes, it will.
__________________
Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus
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10/10/10, 11:10 AM
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Katie
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Twining, Mi.
Posts: 19,930
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Thanks Alice, I'm getting ready to give them there copper this month so I may try it.
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10/10/10, 11:43 AM
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She who waits....
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: East of Bryan, Texas
Posts: 6,796
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I might also add that the copper rods will stick to honey, spread on crackers or small bread pieces, peach or strawberry preserves, spread the same way, or just about anything else that is liquidy, sweet, and that your particular goats like.
For one of my goats, I split a persimmons fruit, sprinkle the copper inside it, and feed it to her. She isn't into marshmallows, peanut butter, honey, or jam, but she RELIGIOUSLY checks the orchard for fallen persimmons fruit.
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Peace,
Caliann
"First, Show me in the Bible where it says you can save someone's soul by annoying the hell out of them." -- Chuck
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10/11/10, 07:41 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,807
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My goats latest food mania is focused on Asian pears.
Nick gave a bite of one to Trub, and she went crazy for more! If I need to give something to them, I can slip it into a soft Asian pear.
Of course, I know that these are expensive at the store, but we are blessed with 9 of the trees. They're hardy. When everything else is struggling, those Asian pears just keep on keepin' on...
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Je ne suis pas Alice
http://homesteadingfamilies.proboards.com/
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10/12/10, 06:47 PM
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II Corinthians 5:7
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Virginia
Posts: 8,102
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Pony, I am struggling to keep our 2 asian pears alive. They are 2 yrs old. Can you give me some pointers? (We live in zone 7.)
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10/12/10, 07:47 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,807
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Quote:
Originally Posted by motdaugrnds
Pony, I am struggling to keep our 2 asian pears alive. They are 2 yrs old. Can you give me some pointers? (We live in zone 7.)
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Oh, how I wish I could! Ours are growing in spite of us, I'm sure.
Still (and this info is for those who want to grow Asian Pear Trees, aka "Caprine Crack Cocaine")....
We keep the area around the trunks free from debris that could house mice and such.
We fertilize with rabbit and goat manure at the drip line.
We follow a kinda-sorta regular spray schedule with dormant oil, neem oil, and Bordeaux mixture.
Then, we don't pick until after the weather takes a turn for the chilly. Asian Pears ripen on the tree, unlike conventional pears.
When we pick, we put aside the bruised and broken fruit to feed the goatie girls as a special treat.
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Je ne suis pas Alice
http://homesteadingfamilies.proboards.com/
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10/12/10, 08:08 PM
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le person
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 6,236
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Just keep in mind there is not information on how long the bolusing lasts with a method that allows the goat to chew. The rods are supposed to be within a certain size range and average to last the 4-6 months. If they are chewed, it is possible there will be a faster, shorter release. Maybe not, maybe so.
I am also hesitant about allowing my goats to chew the metal rods, it makes a terrible sound!
Last edited by southerngurl; 10/12/10 at 08:10 PM.
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10/12/10, 09:29 PM
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More dharma, less drama.
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas Coastal Bend/S. Missouri
Posts: 30,482
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The rods are a mixed size in the capsule, and I sincerely doubt that their teeth are going to have much effect.
Just my opinion. 
__________________
Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus
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10/12/10, 09:34 PM
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le person
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 6,236
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Exactly, they are a mixed size of a certain range and average, chewing is going to change that. How much I can't say. Just my opinion too! I don't care for bolusing either.
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10/13/10, 12:44 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,355
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My goats don't chew marshmallows, they inhale them. They make more noise chewing their mineral. Which, come to think of it...they DO chew their mineral and no one worries about it's absorption. 
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10/13/10, 12:56 PM
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le person
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 6,236
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If they don't chew the marshmallow, I expect it would work just fine. The reason the mineral doesn't matter is because it is not time release like a bolus. They are to eat it every day so it's already ground to a granule instead of rods.
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10/13/10, 05:58 PM
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II Corinthians 5:7
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Virginia
Posts: 8,102
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Well, Roman did not chew the marshmellows. He simply swallowed them. (I had cut them in tiny sizes about the size of my thumb nail.)
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