# Copper Bolus Thread



## jimandpj (Mar 11, 2008)

I spent the last hour researching copper bolusing on DGI. What I discovered is that there is a lot of confusion about it out there and because things vary from farm to farm, there are no general recommendation other than the recommended 1 gram per 22 pounds copasure. I was hoping we could start a thread where we consolidate what everyone is doing with their copper programs. So if you could answer the following questions, that would be great!

What state do you live in?
When did you begin copper bolusing?
What age do you copper bolus kids?
How often do you copper bolus adults?
Do you do anything else to add copper? (loose mineral, etc.)
How do you administer the copper bolus? (as a bolus? rods mixed in something?)
What dosage do you use?
Have you seen a difference since your started bolusing?

If there are any other questions I forgot to ask, please add them. Thanks, everyone!
PJ


----------



## stoneyheightsfarm (Jan 19, 2008)

1. Tennessee

2. When a local breeder showed me that the missing patches of hair around the hips were not from goats mounting one another in secret, but a manifestation of copper deficiency seen in our area.

3. Last year, I did kids at one month (only 1g) and then another 1g again at 2 months because they looked like they needed it. Shortly after that, one of the kids died. The state lab told me that I over dosed them on copper, even though the liver levels were nowhere near toxic (and this kid has reddening and frazzled hair and looked to have needed it more than any of them.) The lab said that there was bleeding in the kidneys and that was from copper toxicity. I spoke with Kaye about it, and she said they said copper when I told them I bolused because that was the easy answer for them with so few people bolusing, but she was certain based on my liver levels that the cause was trauma/bashing by a herdmate and in no way could have been the copper and that bleeding in the spleen first and kidneys second were typical signs of trauma. Based on herd dynamics at the time, bashing seems reasonable to me. This kid looked just like her brother, hung at his side all the time, and he was constantly mounting the grown does and getting in trouble for it. I suspect he mounted a doe, she turned to bash, and his sister got caught in the crossfire and didn't see what was coming.  From now on, I will bottle feed and separate bucklings out far sooner. Every other kid I bolused like that was just fine (her two littermate siblings and another buck born about the same time that I brought in). I waited 6 months after that before administering another bolus. This year, I haven't bolused kids because so far they don't look like they need it. 

4. About every 5 or 6 months. Some goats look like they need it more frequently than others so I'm not sticking to a rigid herdwide schedule, but making note on my calendar when I last bolused and how much for each doe and keeping an eye on it that way to insure I don't over do it, but don't let it go too long, either. 

5. No

6. I divide the calf boluses into approximately 2 grams and put into smaller capsules from the health food store. I use a dog pill gun and dip that in peanut butter so the small capsules will stick in the gun. When the doe is on the milkstand, I stand on it stradling them and pull their head up with the left hand, shove the dog pill gun in with the right hand, then use the left hand to pop the end of the gun.

7. Since I don't get exactly 2g in my capsules, usually a little less, I give about a capsule per 40 pounds of adult goat. 

8. Yes. When I had Nubians, I didn't see the difference because I sold them about a week after bolusing. On my Alpines, particularly Showy and Handel who are chamoisee/chamoise, their hair will turn whiter when they are low on copper. Missing hair patches about the hips and thighs also show up in my herd and because I've never read about that but have seen it in other local herds, I have to wonder about something environmental and local that causes it that copper helps. Areas that are supposed to be black will fade to red when low on copper and turn black again about a month after bolusing. Hooves will also get softer when low on copper and improve after bolusing.


----------



## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

What state do you live in? Texas
When did you begin copper bolusing? 1996 or so, all incoming stock and bucks twice a year.
What age do you copper bolus kids? When they are over 44 pounds, my smallest bolus I make.
How often do you copper bolus adults? Before breeding and after kidding.
Do you do anything else to add copper? (loose mineral, etc.) Copper oxide, chealted copper in an amino acid pack and copper sulfate in the minerals.
How do you administer the copper bolus? (as a bolus? rods mixed in something?) Dog pill gun, peanut butter to stick the bolus to the pill gun since I do it with one hand.
What dosage do you use? I use Joyce's information on saanendoah.com real liver biopsy tests ran on real dairy goats, why reinvent the wheel.

Have you seen a difference since your started bolusing? Absolutely, especially with my herds immunity to worms, the non issue of retained placentas and thick amniotic sacks, such better hoof quality even living in the wettest part of our woods pen, overall herd health never seen in my herd even with very similar management minus copper.

Have you liver biopsied to know if your dosages and what you are doing is working? Yes, several times including this year. My copper was in the high range exactly where a dairy goat should be, you know the levels where your vets faint and your does look excellent  Course she also had just been bolused since she (2 year old 1st freshener) I would prefer she had been at least a 2nd freshener but it was worth the looksee on a young doe, had just kidded and was butchered.


----------



## emeraldcowgirl (May 19, 2011)

I looked at saanendoah.com for sizes but was still confused. For my goat (she's a nigerian dwarf) what size/dosage amount should I use? Would I purchase Copasure from Jeffers?


----------



## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Christian we have gals on the forum...look in 4 sale, who will sell you the bolus exactly the size that you need...there isn't any sense in purchasing the whole bottle of copasure from jeffers, it will last you the rest of your life  V


----------



## emeraldcowgirl (May 19, 2011)

Thank you, Vicki!


----------



## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

What state do you live in? Washington

When did you begin copper bolusing? 3 years ago

What age do you copper bolus kids? 3 months

How often do you copper bolus adults? 4 x a year at regular dose. Without a regular dose every three months I begin to see a drop in overall growth and a drop in absorption of food when food has increased in consumption and fecals show nothing, coat turns fast here...ghosting within 2 1/2 months and loss of hair, hoof walls weaken. Also had brown sugar/molasses looking placental fluids with kidding problems. 

Do you do anything else to add copper? (loose mineral, etc.) looses minerals, fresh veges, feed and hay/alfalfa.

How do you administer the copper bolus? (as a bolus? rods mixed in something?) As a bolus

What dosage do you use? 1 gram per 22lbs

Have you seen a difference since your started bolusing? Yes, within three weeks of administration I could tell a difference in health over all. Food sticking to the ribs, coat improvement, hoof wall strengthening, and overall body growth. No more brown sugar/molasses looking placental fluids and stronger kids with easier deliveries.
Tam


----------



## Holly Govero (Mar 26, 2009)

What state do you live in? Missouri

When did you begin copper bolusing? will be 2 years ago.

What age do you copper bolus kids? 3 months old

How often do you copper bolus adults? 2 x a year at regular dose. BUT I notice that they need more than 2 X a year but I havent decided yet.

Do you do anything else to add copper? (loose mineral, etc.) loose minerals, alfalfa hay

How do you administer the copper bolus? (as a bolus? rods mixed in something?) as a bolus

What dosage do you use? 1 grams per 20 lbs

Have you seen a difference since your started bolusing? Yes I noticed the changes in 2 to 3 weeks. They become so much better and shiney and hoof and less problems with kiddings and less parasites for us.


----------



## cstafford (May 30, 2010)

What state do you live in? OK
When did you begin copper bolusing? FAll 2010

What age do you copper bolus kids? 6mo
How often do you copper bolus adults?4-6mo
Do you do anything else to add copper? (loose mineral, etc.)Loose Mineral
How do you administer the copper bolus? (as a bolus? rods mixed in something?) Bolus
What dosage do you use? 12.5mg for animal 100 lbs. or more.
Have you seen a difference since your started bolusing? Have done it from the beginning.


----------



## jejarvis (Nov 11, 2009)

What state do you live in?  Northwest Washington
When did you begin copper bolusing? 2007

What age do you copper bolus kids? I given Multimin to very young kids; first copper bolus at about 10-12 weeks; thinking about giving more small doses of Multimin as they are growing because we have such a bad copper problem here.
How often do you copper bolus adults?4 months or so
Do you do anything else to add copper? (loose mineral, etc.) Payback Loose Minerals; Multimin injectable sometimes; Sho-Glo horse minerals to some individuals.
How do you administer the copper bolus? (as a bolus? rods mixed in something?) Loose rods mixed with damp grain so the rods will stick. I read a study where they compared boluses to rods given in marshmellows and took x rays and there was no difference in how many rods lodged in the rumen.
What dosage do you use? about 12.5 gms per 150 lbs.


----------



## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

What state do you live in? Virginia

When did you begin copper bolusing? Approx. 3 years ago

What age do you copper bolus kids? so far we've not bolused kids but bolused goats prior to the breeding season.

How often do you copper bolus adults? two times per year

Do you do anything else to add copper? (loose mineral, etc.) Loose mineral, but sometimes the mineral I get do not have much copper.

How do you administer the copper bolus? (as a bolus? rods mixed in something?) bolus

What dosage do you use? 1 gram per 22 pounds, approx. I am not totally meticulous about this.

Have you seen a difference since your started bolusing? Yes, better weights, more milk, and better hair coats.


----------

