Copper. If there is no other article I ever write about goats, I would wish you to read this one, even if it is a little long. Most people know copper for home plumbing, cookware, and pennies. For goats, it is also the single most important element in their nutrition. Everything for a goat hinges on it if you want your goat to perform as God intended. If nothing else, getting enough copper will greatly decrease the cost of the goat.
Copper deficiency is a thorn in the side of most goat owners. Chances are, your goat just will not get enough copper from its food, no matter how much concentrate feed you give. It's just not very bio-available in most places. However, for the goat metabolism and bodily processes, it needs huge amounts of copper to run as it should. Well, huge if you compare the goat to other livestock. The amount of copper goats need would kill a cow, horse, sheep, pig, or pretty much anybody else.
Note: do not feed GOAT feed to another animals. (There is a difference between goat feed and sheep/goat feed.) The amount of copper in goat feed will steadily kill any other animal.
Goats are not sheep. The sheep industry has been one of the worst offenders when it comes to information about goats, ironically. Yeah, they look similar, but how they function is completely different. Sadly though, goats are often lumped together with sheep by just about everyone in this country, even most veterinarians. This leads to the US goat population receiving utterly inadequate nutrition, with copper being at the forefront. Within the past few years this has improved somewhat, but it's still a big problem, particularly in the South where they have few goat dairies and it makes more of a difference.
Copper deficiency is a thorn in the side of most goat owners. Chances are, your goat just will not get enough copper from its food, no matter how much concentrate feed you give. It's just not very bio-available in most places. However, for the goat metabolism and bodily processes, it needs huge amounts of copper to run as it should. Well, huge if you compare the goat to other livestock. The amount of copper goats need would kill a cow, horse, sheep, pig, or pretty much anybody else.
Note: do not feed GOAT feed to another animals. (There is a difference between goat feed and sheep/goat feed.) The amount of copper in goat feed will steadily kill any other animal.
Goats are not sheep. The sheep industry has been one of the worst offenders when it comes to information about goats, ironically. Yeah, they look similar, but how they function is completely different. Sadly though, goats are often lumped together with sheep by just about everyone in this country, even most veterinarians. This leads to the US goat population receiving utterly inadequate nutrition, with copper being at the forefront. Within the past few years this has improved somewhat, but it's still a big problem, particularly in the South where they have few goat dairies and it makes more of a difference.
Copper plays an integral part with iron. Strangely, copper helps absorb iron, while the opposite is true the other way. Iron is a copper antagonist, meaning it hinders its absorption. This is why a proper diet is important. The soil and concentrate feed may have enough copper, but antagonists (lead, copper, sulfur, manganese, some sulfates) may keep it from being adequately absorbed. This includes well water high in some minerals. But see where I am going with this. Copper helps absorb iron. It is the mineral by which all other parts of a goat's metabolism basically hangs on. If you have enough copper, everything else will be in abundance with it. This is clearly seen by copper deficiency.
Deficiency leads to poor feed efficiency (cost per head), unthriftiness, growth retardation in kids, and poor worm resistance (which hurts everything, trust me.) It can also lead to fertility problems conceiving kids and abortions. They are perpetually anemic for some reason, have poor milk production, and most noticeably, loss of hair color. Copper is vital for a goat's hair color. Without it, they lose pigment. So deficient goats often grow much lighter with coarser hair. Eventually it might even start falling out.
For those of you in the goat market, copper is your friend. Your goats will grow better on less feed. Does will produce healthier (and sometimes more numerous) kids and better milk. They will not need to be wormed as much, or at all with proper management except in extreme situations. They have fewer chances of falling ill to a parasite or bacteria. Basically, the goat is better and more productive while also being cheaper and bringing you more money.
****Let me warn you now! DO NOT give copper supplements to pygmy goats! I don't know why, but pygmy goats are sensitive to copper. In that way, treat them like sheep. That will be the only time you hear me say that.****
Please keep in mind that supplements should be oral, not injected. Injectable supplements are potent and easily absorbed, but also easily lost through urine and feces. Sometimes 40% of an injected supplement is lost within 24 hours. However, oral supplements work another way. Basically, oral is for the healthy, injections are for the sick who need it then and now.
I would recommend not feeding goats molasses. It is high in sulfur. You can get unsulfured molasses, but what you would gain from it doesn't really make it worthwhile from a supplement standpoint.
Now that I have explained how important copper is and how it works, how should copper be given? The two most widely known ways are free-choice mineral and copper boluses, though copper oxide in the water is an option as well.
For those of you in the goat market, copper is your friend. Your goats will grow better on less feed. Does will produce healthier (and sometimes more numerous) kids and better milk. They will not need to be wormed as much, or at all with proper management except in extreme situations. They have fewer chances of falling ill to a parasite or bacteria. Basically, the goat is better and more productive while also being cheaper and bringing you more money.
****Let me warn you now! DO NOT give copper supplements to pygmy goats! I don't know why, but pygmy goats are sensitive to copper. In that way, treat them like sheep. That will be the only time you hear me say that.****
Please keep in mind that supplements should be oral, not injected. Injectable supplements are potent and easily absorbed, but also easily lost through urine and feces. Sometimes 40% of an injected supplement is lost within 24 hours. However, oral supplements work another way. Basically, oral is for the healthy, injections are for the sick who need it then and now.
I would recommend not feeding goats molasses. It is high in sulfur. You can get unsulfured molasses, but what you would gain from it doesn't really make it worthwhile from a supplement standpoint.
Now that I have explained how important copper is and how it works, how should copper be given? The two most widely known ways are free-choice mineral and copper boluses, though copper oxide in the water is an option as well.
I think for the cost and ease, boluses are better, though for the full package, loose mineral is better if you can find one. More on that. Getting the cow boluses (Brand name Copasure) are probably cheaper than the sheep/goat ones (sheep/goat copper boluses doesn't even make sense but anyway) and easier since chances are you would need to break up the goat ones anyway to get the dosage right. You break them up into a dosage of 1 g of copper rods per 22 lb. Many people fill empty gel capsules they bought with the copper. Others mix it in with cornmeal and don't have a problem. It really just depends on the goat and how you want to work it. One of my does was a pro at spitting out pills while eating the molasses/cornmeal mixture I hid it in. Do what you think necessary.
The great thing with the boluses is that they are basically little tiny copper rods. They work by lodging into the side of the goat's digestive tract and slowly dissolving over a period of months. You won't have to give copper more than two or three times a year at proper dosage. You can give them while doing other things like nail trimming and routine health checkups. They also inhibit worms from attaching to the digestive walls by making a prickly barrier.
There is definitely a place for loose mineral and if you can find a good one your herd will consume, I would recommend going with that because you get more than just the copper. However, my herd didn't like Sweetlix, which is practically the best one there is. Research the different ones and if you can, get trial-size packages so you can see if your herd will even eat it. If they will, go for it. There are great loose-minerals for goats out there and offering them free choice will be one of the best investments you can make as a goat owner towards their long term health and production. But if you can't, the boluses are great too. Some people might even suggest doing both, with the boluses at lower dosage levels to prevent toxicity.
Goats can get copper toxicity? Yes, they can. It's more common in kids fed with calf milk replacer. One sign is red or brown colored urine. Copper is no joke. With boluses and supplements, it can be overdosed just like selenium. However, goats still need it. Exercise proper management. Weigh your goats and your options.
Another less likely known option for copper is basically like an electrolyte you put in their water. This won't work if you run your goats with other animals, but if they are alone, this is an option. Just be sure to use copper oxide, not copper sulfate. The copper sulfate will deter parasites, but won't work as a supplement due to the sulfate acting as an antagonist. Copper oxide is a good facilitator and is much more effective, though copper amino acid complex is the best. I'm not sure where you would get amino acid complex for goats, I've only seen it for people, but if you can, I would like to know! I have heard people have get results with the copper oxide in their drinking water.
This is basically all I can tell you about copper and goats in one article. There are a couple other things, but the most vital information is here. I hope it is useful for you and helps you better understand the goat as a separate creature.
The great thing with the boluses is that they are basically little tiny copper rods. They work by lodging into the side of the goat's digestive tract and slowly dissolving over a period of months. You won't have to give copper more than two or three times a year at proper dosage. You can give them while doing other things like nail trimming and routine health checkups. They also inhibit worms from attaching to the digestive walls by making a prickly barrier.
There is definitely a place for loose mineral and if you can find a good one your herd will consume, I would recommend going with that because you get more than just the copper. However, my herd didn't like Sweetlix, which is practically the best one there is. Research the different ones and if you can, get trial-size packages so you can see if your herd will even eat it. If they will, go for it. There are great loose-minerals for goats out there and offering them free choice will be one of the best investments you can make as a goat owner towards their long term health and production. But if you can't, the boluses are great too. Some people might even suggest doing both, with the boluses at lower dosage levels to prevent toxicity.
Goats can get copper toxicity? Yes, they can. It's more common in kids fed with calf milk replacer. One sign is red or brown colored urine. Copper is no joke. With boluses and supplements, it can be overdosed just like selenium. However, goats still need it. Exercise proper management. Weigh your goats and your options.
Another less likely known option for copper is basically like an electrolyte you put in their water. This won't work if you run your goats with other animals, but if they are alone, this is an option. Just be sure to use copper oxide, not copper sulfate. The copper sulfate will deter parasites, but won't work as a supplement due to the sulfate acting as an antagonist. Copper oxide is a good facilitator and is much more effective, though copper amino acid complex is the best. I'm not sure where you would get amino acid complex for goats, I've only seen it for people, but if you can, I would like to know! I have heard people have get results with the copper oxide in their drinking water.
This is basically all I can tell you about copper and goats in one article. There are a couple other things, but the most vital information is here. I hope it is useful for you and helps you better understand the goat as a separate creature.