Free choice copper for goats? Is it ok?

[cassie]

I personally down feed any grain, or COB, or anything like that, and my goats seem fine. They get a nibble of spilled, or stolen horse supplement every now and then, but that is it. I wouldn't worry about copper until, they needed it, and had a deficiency. Otherwise, it sounds like touch and go, to me.

I fed my goats grain only because I had a dairy. If they were dry and just loafing I wouldn't have fed them grain. I wouldn't have fed extra copper either unless I had reason to believe they needed it. I did have a friend who lived in the foothills some miles away from me and she regularly gave her goats copper boluses. Because of soil conditions in her locality her pastured goats and cattle were copper deficient.

 

[Weeg]

I fed my goats grain only because I had a dairy. If they were dry and just loafing I wouldn't have fed them grain. I wouldn't have fed extra copper either unless I had reason to believe they needed it. I did have a friend who lived in the foothills some miles away from me and she regularly gave her goats copper boluses. Because of soil conditions in her locality her pastured goats and cattle were copper deficient.

Agreed, I am probably less of an expert then you too, but I only have boy goats, so no milk. I guess that is a bit different then, grain wise. Kinda like only feed our horses grain in the winter, when we ride a lot, because they down need it in the summer. I assume its the same for lady goats, making milk.

 

[azure_]

I fed my goats grain only because I had a dairy. If they were dry and just loafing I wouldn't have fed them grain. I wouldn't have fed extra copper either unless I had reason to believe they needed it. I did have a friend who lived in the foothills some miles away from me and she regularly gave her goats copper boluses. Because of soil conditions in her locality her pastured goats and cattle were copper deficient.

Yeah

 

[alwaystj9]

I have a white salt block, a mineral block, a selenium block, Purina wind & Rain loose minerals (all free choice) and copper bolus most of them 2x year. I also use replamin paste/gel during late pregnancy & lactation. The main things I have to supplement are copper and selenium.