[Garnet-the-goat]

Hello, I have had goats for a year and have always gave them minerals but never copper is that okay do they need it? I read someone said she shoves copper down the goats throat but that seems unkind and I don't really want to do that.
If it helps I give them them these minerals:
Goat Mineral | Manna Pro

Thank you for any help!
Anna.

 

[SalteyLove]

For most goats in the U.S., loose minerals won't provide quite enough copper, selenium, and zinc. So yes, using copper boluses is typically a very good idea. You can even hide it in food if you don't like pilling your animals.

But before you decide, if you'd like to post a bunch of photos of all your goats, we can identify any signs of deficiency.

 

[MellonFriend]

^What she said!^

My goats need copper every three months we are so deficient here, but it might not be so bad where you are. I like to open up the pill and mix the contents into some applesauce. The goats just think they're getting an awesome treat.

 

[NigerianDwarfOwner707]

Goats need copper, and most need A LOT!

Why don't you post some full body shots of your goats. Some need more copper than loose minerals provide, others get what they need from loose minerals. Copper does not get shoved down their throats, you can open it up into a treat, applesauce, anything.

 

[Garnet-the-goat]

For most goats in the U.S., loose minerals won't provide quite enough copper, selenium, and zinc. So yes, using copper boluses is typically a very good idea. You can even hide it in food if you don't like pilling your animals.

But before you decide, if you'd like to post a bunch of photos of all your goats, we can identify any signs of deficiency.

^What she said!^

My goats need copper every three months we are so deficient here, but it might not be so bad where you are. I like to open up the pill and mix the contents into some applesauce. The goats just think they're getting an awesome treat.

Goats need copper, and most need A LOT!

Why don't you post some full body shots of your goats. Some need more copper than loose minerals provide, others get what they need from loose minerals. Copper does not get shoved down their throats, you can open it up into a treat, applesauce, anything.

Okay thank you so much!
What are the signs of not enough copper?
My goats are loosing hair around their eyes and on their nose and when I looked it up it said they need copper. that is why I asked.

 

[Garnet-the-goat]

What do you need to see in the pictures? Where they are loosing hair or just their body?

 

[MellonFriend]

Full body shots would be good, the places of hair loss, and their tails from the side. Tails say a lot about copper, also coat condition/color.

 

[Garnet-the-goat]

Full body shots would be good, the places of hair loss, and their tails from the side. Tails say a lot about copper, also coat condition/color.

So I need to get full body, hair loss places, and tail pictures right.?

 

[MellonFriend]

Yep. (thumbup)

 

[Garnet-the-goat]

Yep. (thumbup)

Okay thank you! :hug:
Thank you all :bighug:

 

[Garnet-the-goat]

Okay, this thread might become picture heavy in a minute (rofl)

 

[Garnet-the-goat]

Okay here they are, if I need to get better pictures please tell me!

 

[Garnet-the-goat]

How do I give them copper?

 

[mariella]

They don't look like they need copper but it wouldn't hurt too much to give them a bolus, The missing hair around the eyes could be Zinc deficiency or Mites?

 

[Garnet-the-goat]

How do I give them copper or zinc?
They had mites once in the spring and we got rid of them.

 

[MellonFriend]

Well I don't think they look bad at all! I'm actually wondering if zinc is your problem more than copper. If it was copper I think your black goats would be looking more reddish. Do the tips of their tail hair look split at the end when you look at them from the side? I can't really tell from those pictures. Fish tail is what it's called. It's when they loose the hair on the tip of their tails and it makes them look, well, like a fish tail. It's one of the easiest signs to notice for copper deficiency.

I had does loosing the hair on their noses do to zinc deficiency last year. That's really what it looks like to my eye. If you did want to give them zinc you have a few options, but what I did was buy human zinc supplement, crushed up a pill and gave them each one in applesauce.

 

[MellonFriend]

I should mention that it is possible to over dose both zinc and copper so you'll want to be somewhat careful.

If I were you I would do one human pill of zinc for the goats that are having hair loss and then reevaluate in in a few weeks to see if they were improving or not.

 

[MellonFriend]

The tablets I have are 50mg. I should have mentioned that too. (doh)

 

[Garnet-the-goat]

Well I don't think they look bad at all! I'm actually wondering if zinc is your problem more than copper. If it was copper I think your black goats would be looking more reddish. Do the tips of their tail hair look split at the end when you look at them from the side? I can't really tell from those pictures. Fish tail is what it's called. It's when they loose the hair on the tip of their tails and it makes them look, well, like a fish tail. It's one of the easiest signs to notice for copper deficiency.

I had does loosing the hair on their noses do to zinc deficiency last year. That's really what it looks like to my eye. If you did want to give them zinc you have a few options, but what I did was buy human zinc supplement, crushed up a pill and gave them each one in applesauce.

I should mention that it is possible to over dose both zinc and copper so you'll want to be somewhat careful.

If I were you I would do one human pill of zinc for the goats that are having hair loss and then reevaluate in in a few weeks to see if they were improving or not.

The tablets I have are 50mg. I should have mentioned that too. (doh)

Thank you!
So it might be zinc and not copper!
So to give them zinc I get human zinc pills and crush them, then put them in applesauce or something like that?
Their tails don't look fish like. Do they need copper too? if so how do I give them that?

 

[Garnet-the-goat]

They don't look like they need copper but it wouldn't hurt too much to give them a bolus, The missing hair around the eyes could be Zinc deficiency or Mites?

Thank you! how do you give your goats zinc?