Lets talk about goats!

[bloonskiller911]

This is a longer thing. she was bred in August and is showing these signs now. I think that she is just very affectionate with this buck. where as she only tolerated that last buck except when in full blown heat.

 

[bloonskiller911]

Here's another question. I run my sheep and goats together. Sheep aren't supposed to have copper, but goats are. How am I to get them the copper supplement they need but not let the sheep have it? I have a mineral block that is for sheep and goats, it contains no copper.

 

[cassie]

While goats may require slightly more copper than sheep, it is not by much. Copper toxicity is irreversible.

 

[Reurra]

Copper? I never heard of this. The feed store here does not offer goat supplements, they only offered a standard horse block. I wanted to get something with selenium in it too.

 

[bloonskiller911]

I get my sheep and goat block at our local rural king, or tractor supply. it contains no copper, that's is why i got it so the sheep would be safe. they also carry a goat block but it is a sweet block and i will not buy it because they eat it like candy. it does have copper in it.

 

[Stacykins]

While goats may require slightly more copper than sheep, it is not by much. Copper toxicity is irreversible.

They require quite a bit more copper than a sheep. Which is why goats can become dangerously copper deficient if fed sheep feed and minerals. Old data has levels that are closer to sheep. More recent research has corrected those numbers.

Sheep need 7-11 ppm copper in their diet. Goats need 15-25 ppm copper in their diet. That is quite a large difference.

Article Sheep, Goats, and Copper. Look at the sources for the article for more detailed information on the topic.

Sadly, I tried hunting down actual research articles to share, almost all the ones with the information on goat copper requirements don't have full text versions available for free.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

You can get copper "boluses" if you don't mind cramming pills down their throats

A side benefit is it kills worms too:
http://blog.valleyvet.com/blog/2011/09/using-the-copasure-bolus-for-goats.html

Quote:

 

[hunt]

my goat does not hold his tail up all of the way and sometimes not up at all is that normal

 

[bloonskiller911]

Quote:
The only goat that holds his tail up at my house is the buck, and it is always up. my wether carries his tail like a nanny. how old is your goat and is it a billy or wether. also what kind do you have?

 

[hunt]

i have two whethers that are about 4 and a half months old i was wondering if it was because it is getting colder