I give my goats selenium and vitamin B1 every month. My issue is the price of the B1 for my herd. A tube with 6 doses is 16 dollars and I have 8 goats to dose. If I only give it once a month that is at least 96 doses per year at $2.6 per dose so that is 250 dollars per year just to give them B1.
I'm trying to cut costs a little and was wondering if human "super vitamin b-complex" would work for them? 250 tablets was like $10.00-15.00 dollars I think. There's 100 mg of thiamine per pill.
I've never heard of of giving vitamin B regularly. I could be wrong, but I would think you could cut it out entirely. I would keep injectable vitamin b complex on hand, but only use it in the case of a health issue.
Welcome to the forum by the way. We love having you.:wave:
This!!! The only time I have heard, and have personally done, or giving b regularly to healthy animals is like show wethers, especially during the summer, when one is trying to pretty much encourage a animal to eat more and gain more weight/ condition. Other then that the only time I ever give it is when a animal is sick or totally off feed. So this is one expense I say go ahead and cut out
Why did you start giving them B1 monthly? Were they sick?
But to answer your question, I would think that giving the human pills would work just as well as the oral gel. But from what I have read/experienced the injectable works better than the oral.
Giving selenium daily is concerning. Don’t over dose it.
Overdosing and deficiency looks the same.
Fortified vit b complex is good for goats, must be injected.
Usually used when goats are sick or not feeling well.
It doesn’t have to be used daily for the purpose of just because.
I think she said monthly ...... but I would be very careful giving selenium monthly as well, unless you don't inject Bo-Se and opt for replamin. A good loose mineral should be provided, but I don't use B unless I have a sick animal, or another issue.
Selenium paste is designed to gice once a month. So if that is what's used its fine.
B1 is thiamine and used when rumen is sluggish and if polio or listeriosis is a concern. Oral will do next to nothing as much is lost. So I would think stopping its use won't cause any harm. As mentioned grab some injectable B complex for days your goats need the support.
Vitamin B is a a water soluble vitamin, quickly metabolized, so overdosing or stopping it suddenly is not really an issue...but if not needed certainly is a waste of money and effort. For emergency the injectable is always preferred. There are a couple of oral vitamin B gel products available if you really feel the need to give B on a regular basis, that you can give once a month or so. I know in the winter my gang seems to benefit from it along with a dose of Replamin monthly to supplement their free choice minerals.
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