• Nigerian Dwarf Senior Does
  • Nigerian Dwarf Does
  • Nigerian Dwarf Bucks
  • Nigerian Dwarf Kids By Year
    • 2019 Goat Kids
    • 2018 Goat Kids
    • 2017 Goat Kids
    • 2016 Goat Kids

Better Hens & Gardens

of Bramblestone Farm

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
    • Publication Credits
  • Contact
  • Shop
    • My Account
    • Cart

Skills for Self-Reliance, Real Foods & Sustainable Living

  • Chickens
    • Basic Care
    • Breeds
    • All About Eggs
    • Feeding
    • Health Issues
    • Housing
  • Farm
    • Farm news
    • Help
    • Structures
    • Wild Things
  • Garden
    • Ornamentals
    • Seeds & Saving Them
    • How To Grow “X”
    • Starting Plants
    • Preparation & Tools
    • Pest Control
    • Varieties To Try
  • Goats
    • Basic Care
    • Conformation
    • Doe & Kidding Care
    • Feeding
    • Herd Basics & Behavior
    • Milk & Milking
    • Supplies & Equipment
  • Honey Bees
    • Feeding
    • Getting Started
    • Hive Management
    • Honey & Wax
  • Homemade
    • Beauty Products
    • Cleaning Supplies
    • Decorations
    • Miscellaneous
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Bread
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Main Dish
    • Salads
    • Soups
    • Vegetables
  • Pantry
    • Quality Choices
    • Canning
    • Condiments & Flavorings
    • Dairy
    • Drying
    • Freezing
    • Root Cellaring

Better Hens and Gardens may earn a commission for purchases made after clicking on links on this page. Learn More

2 Comments

Copper Bolusing Goats to Prevent Copper Deficiencies

What Causes Copper Deficiencies?

Copper deficiency in ruminants has been a documented problem in many regions (North America, Australia, Europe, etc.) How to use copper bolusing to prevent copper deficiencies in goats and is generally caused when livestock graze on pastures or are fed diets deficient in copper. In the United States, copper deficiency has been documented as a problem in Nigerian Dwarf, Boer, and Pygmy goats grazing on pasture in the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and many New England states.

In addition to copper deficiencies in the diet, copper deficiency can be brought on by copper inhibitors in the diet such as iron, sulfur, molybdenum, and zinc that reduce copper availability.  Also, alfalfa is a crop often fed to goats that is well known for its susceptibility to copper deficiency; and wheat, barley, and oats can also be deficient. Whatever the source, a copper deficiency can cause serious problems.

Problems Caused & Signs of Copper Deficiency

Problems associated with copper deficiencies in goats include severe anemia, stillborn kids, mastitis, osteoporosis, and many other ailments. Copper is essential for proper development of the central nervous system, correct bone growth, and hair pigmentation. Physical signs that a goat is deficient include thin-stiff coats, sparse tails, pale colored rings around eyes, reduced hair on the spine, oddly bent legs, or most commonly – loss of hair color.

Preventing Copper Deficiencies 

In 1994, copper bolusing was introduced to the US from New Zealand, and today is a very popular method of preventing copper deficiencies. Copper boluses are gelatin capsules containing thousands of tiny copper oxide needles. Copper oxide needles are fine copper wire, and are non-toxic when given orally. The capsules dissolve in the goat’s rumen and the needles lodge in the abomasum where they slowly dissolve and provide copper. Copper bolusing is generally done at 4 to 6 month intervals to provide continuous protection against copper deficiency. Studies have shown that copper levels start decreasing rapidly after about 4 months.

The dose for copper bolusing is 1 gram of copper oxide in the bolus form per 22 lbs. of goat weight. Today, copper bolus capsules can be found in 2, 4, and 12.5 gram sizes and can be administered using a simple bolusing tool. The idea is to get the goats to swallow the capsule, rather than chew it, since the oxide needles are supposed to lodge in their stomach and dissolve slowly.

Related posts:

Goats - How Much Cold Can They Take?
Body Condition Scoring for Goats
Goat Wethers & Urinary Calculi
84 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

Filed Under: Basic Care

About Lesa

Lesa Wilke is a homesteader and freelance writer who loves to inspire others on their journey to more sustainable lifestyles. She accomplishes this by sharing the skills she’s learned (plus support, advice & tips) while farming goats, chickens, honeybees, and produce.

« Annual CDT Vaccination for Goats
Those Baby Carrots Might NOT Be Good For You »

Comments

  1. Darin Wall says

    December 19, 2020 at 2:35 pm

    What do you think about goat feed. Good or Bad for goats. I have a goat as a pet and she eats very little vitamins I give her. She is about 10 months old . Do I need to worry about copper deficiency with her since she is a pet. I was told that she is a Nubian goat .

    Thank you

    Reply
  2. liz says

    January 2, 2019 at 6:31 pm

    Great information, goats are on my someday list and I love to be prepared! Thanks for sharing on Homestead Blog Hop 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Oh, hi there! I’m Lesa,

and this blog is all about learning new skills around chickens, goats, gardens, honey bees, and DIY. Read more…

Read My Dairy Goat Books

  • Nigerian Dwarf Goats 201 - Getting Started Nigerian Dwarf Goats 201: Getting Started
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $6.99
  • Nigerian Dwarf Goats 101 Nigerian Dwarf Goats 101: Background & Basics
    Rated 4.95 out of 5
    $4.99

Visit Our Social Sites

Website Categories

The contents of this site are the property of Better Hens and Gardens. All content contained herein is copyrighted. We love it when you share, but if you do, please link back to the original post. Material included here is not intended to be, nor does it constitute, the giving of medical advice. This blogs content is for informational purposes only and Better Hens and Gardens or others associated with this site shall not be held liable for any damages incurred through the use of information provided in this blog. Better Hens and Gardens accepts products for review and other forms of paid advertising; however, although compensation received may influence the content or topics covered in this blog, it will never influence our opinion of any product. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are purely those of Better Hens and Gardens. Any product claim or other representation about a product or service should be verified by the manufacturer. Better Hens and Gardens is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright © 2023 · Design by Erica Mueller Designs

Copyright © 2023 · Divine Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Pinterest
84 shares