Mineral Max Ultra Paste?

Steph in MT · #1 02/05/12, 07:02 PM

I'm the one that has the unexpected baby Boer goats... Got another question for you wonderfully helpful people!

Has anyone used Mineral Max Ultra Paste for their goaties? If so, what dosage do you reccomend? Big R had nothing "goat specific" so I picked this up to try to perk up Mama's milk production and give the babies a boost. This is my first experience with Boers but mama just doesn't have the big engorged udder I've seen with my Pygmies and the babies bounce from nip to nip, kinda like they're looking for the milk. They seem skinny to me, but again, my only experience is with fat little Pygmy babies. Maybe it's because they were born premature? They've been with mama since Weds. am and they're still alive so I guess they're getting something...

Thanks in advance~
Steph

CaliannG · #2 02/05/12, 07:20 PM

I haven't used Mineral Max, but I HAVE used other mineral replacement gels. They are pretty good for a small boost.

For a good boost of milk production, get a dairy feed the next time you go into town. Purina Dairy Parlor is one, if your town only has Purina products. My Co-op make a lactation pellet that is good for anything that milks.

Yes, they should be starting to put on weight. If you can get them to take a bottle, you can supplement them with store-bought whole milk. I am not sure about Boers, but it generally takes a bit in dairy goats for their milk production to pick up.

Backfourty,MI. · #3 02/05/12, 07:48 PM

Do not give the mineral paste to the babies. At their age they should only have momma or whole cows milk in their tummies.

Just had another thread on this a few days ago & Alice actually posted a link that explains better than I can but at their age they don't have a functioning rumen yet & can only digest milk.

Get your doe a dairy ration like CaliannG suggested & make sure she has plenty of alfafa & that should help(seems like you told us you feed alfafa hay to your goats?).

If your little babies are up & bouncing around they are getting milk from their momma. If not they would be down already. They only drink little bitsat a time & only for a minute or so, they do this off & on all day.
They should start looking like their filling out a little but they are only 2 days old so it may take them a little while longer & maybe like you said because their preemies.

Alice In TX/MO · #4 02/05/12, 08:00 PM

http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/4H/meat...atgoatfs14.htm

Sometimes it's hard to find the same link twice.

Backfourty,MI. · #5 02/05/12, 08:03 PM

Your the best Alice, that's the one I was thinking of.

Steph in MT · #6 02/05/12, 08:08 PM

Thank you both for the good advice. Hubby's heading to the "Big City" tomorrow so I'll have him pick up a dairy feed from TSC.
Babies are up, but not bouncing, which does concern me.
I won't give babies any of the Mineral Max but sounds like it's okay to give to mama? I seem to remember that goats should get "cattle-size" dosage of things due to the way their systems work. Is that correct?
Thanks!
Steph

Alice In TX/MO · #7 02/05/12, 08:24 PM

Looks like good stuff to me.

The website says not to over dose, so don't give it every day. I like that it has copper, selenium, and cobalt. Those things are special goat needs.

Steph in MT · #8 02/05/12, 08:36 PM

Thank you Alice~
What do you think about dosage? For cattle it says to use 5 cc for 100-200 lbs. How would I translate this into "goat:?

Thanks again~
Steph

CaliannG · #9 02/05/12, 08:49 PM

It means 5 cc per goat. I had assumed you meant to give it to Mama to up her milk production.

Alice In TX/MO · #10 02/05/12, 08:52 PM

What Caliann said.

Steph in MT · #11 02/05/12, 08:54 PM

Caliann, that is what I would like to use it for but it's not labeled for goat use, or give dosages for goats, only cattle and equines- it does say not to use on sheep but nothing about goats. Hence my confusion and questions! Hee hee!

Thanks and take care~
Steph

CaliannG · #12 02/05/12, 09:02 PM

No worries. I promise you that I did not, and do not, take offense to questions. ~grinz~ You actually have to *intentionally insult* me for me to take offense!

The reason it says not to use on sheep is because of the copper content. Sheep are different. They actually STORE copper in their bodies, while other domestic ruminants and grazers tend to eliminate a lot of their copper. Goats eliminate excess copper through their urine, much like we do with excess vitamin C.

This is why goats need *so much* copper.