Valley Vet - goat size copper boluses

[Alice In TX/MO]

It's about time!!

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.h...b-aeb38b98e6d3

[Minelson]

Thanks Alice. I am actually thinking of going off the Replamin and back to bolusing copper. Just seems easier to me to do something a couple times a year instead of once a week.

[Squeaky McMurdo]

Can I bolus pregnant does and how young should I start bolusing my youngsters?

[mygoat]

I usually bolus my goats pre-breeding and a month pre-kidding. I start the young kids the first time the rest of the goats get theirs. (I try not to do anything 'special' for anybody as much as possible).

I don't use these goat sizes though - they're not good for most sizes. I repackage full size copasure boluses. The dose for rods is 1g per 22bs... so the 4 g 'adult' goat size is for less than 100lbs. I have goats around 150-160lbs, some bigger than 200lbs. Easier for me just to get a cheap jewelry scale from ebay, size 00 capsules, and dose each goat more according to weight. I only do it 2x per year, after all.

[Alice In TX/MO]

If you use the "goat size", you could bolus every three months.

[mygoat]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

If you use the "goat size", you could bolus every three months.

Yeah, because 2x per year isn't fun enough... And I don't already spend too much money on it (these are less cost efficient...)

[Alice In TX/MO]

I find that twice a year doesn't prevent fish tails by the end of the six months.

[mygoat]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

I find that twice a year doesn't prevent fish tails by the end of the six months.

I don't care about fish tails or slight color bleaching - I care about performance. I'm not convinced fish tails has everything to do with copper - I used to give it every 3 months and absolutely nothing changed with tails or color compared to 2x per year. 2x per year does just fine, here. I don't even give it to the pet stuff - if they can't maintain on the minerals, well, it's not like they've gotta lactate or produce viable offspring. Some, no matter how much copper you give them, grow the longer shaggier hair that turns dull and orange/red if it's supposed to be black... but that same animal when shaved has hair at the root that is shiny and glossy deep black.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Interesting.