# Copper (Copasure) Bolus for goats



## TGreenhut (Sep 21, 2012)

Who gives their goats Copasure Bolus? We have never given this, but a local breeder suggested that we give each adult goat one 12.5 gm copasure bolus, twice a year. Would you recommend this since we live in a copper deficient area? We give our goats free choice minerals but the breeder says that it still doesn't have enough copper.


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## ragdollcatlady (Sep 22, 2012)

I did for the first time this year. 

I found my goats had a near immediate improvement in their coat condition and one girls color came in drastically darker in just a few days. 

I only have nigerians so I split the capsule down quite a bit...can't remember off the top of my head, but a whole one seems like a lot??? How big are your goats? I think I read on here about someone with boers giving a whole capsule.....

I use sweetlix magnum milk for my goats and they still need copper and BoSe. The vet originally wouldn't give me the BoSe because when she was out to our house, She said they all looked healthy and fine. When my mama delivered and the babies legs were weak I rushed them in to the vet, and the selenium fixed them up right away. I realize you are pretty far away, but I would ask the vets around you if goats in your area seem to be needing the selenium as well as the copper. (Maybe the breeder could tell you if you need the selenium too???)

Somewhere on here (BYH) is the dose for the copper.

I am in central California BTW.


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## AdoptAPitBull (Sep 22, 2012)

I only give it as needed. I, too, saw almost immediate improvement in the coat color, sheen, and feel. But don't give it unless they really need it. Copper toxicity is no joke.


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## lilhill (Sep 22, 2012)

I copper bolus every year and have some goats that need it twice a year.  Since I have Nigerians, they get 4g each.


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## 20kidsonhill (Sep 22, 2012)

We copper bolus twice a year, we only give the adults half the copper rods in the capsul.  It isn't eay to get the bolus down them, maybe you could have the local breeder give you a demonstration of what they are doing. We got tired of chocking the goats and know we take a 6 cc syringe, cut the end off of it, pour in a little mollasses, pourin half the copper oxide rods from one bolus, top it off with more molasses and stick in the backof the mouth as far as we can get it. Seemed towork pretty well with very lilttle chewing. Know one could ask, "Are the copper rods getting into the correct stomach and working properly by removing them fromthe bolus?" I don't know the answer to that.


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## Marianne (Sep 22, 2012)

I got some new Nubians this year with sparse coats, just no shine.  Really got to see what a difference that copper bolus made ... sheen appeared and coloration changed to a darker shade within about a week.   Took a month or so for their coats to grow in thicker and beautiful.   All of the goats around here will continue 2X/year.  Jeffers has small gelatin capsules to fill that slip right down.  If you don't like splitting the dosage in those huge caps, check the internet.  I think someone is providing capsules in goat-size, but didn't write down the source because I have a boat load of the big ones.


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## DonnaBelle (Sep 22, 2012)

Since I have full size goats, Nubians, I gave each one of mine a full 12,.5 g. capsule of copasure.

This was a month ago, and I can see a marked difference in their appearance.  

I used a capsule bolusing tube, stuck it in the back of their tongue and down it went. Easy peasy.

DonnaBelle

Mine are now so shiny you can see your face in their coats!!


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## TGreenhut (Sep 22, 2012)

ragdollcatlady said:
			
		

> I did for the first time this year.
> 
> I found my goats had a near immediate improvement in their coat condition and one girls color came in drastically darker in just a few days.
> 
> ...


I give the same loose minerals. I also supplement with Selenium/Vitamin E gel once a month because we have yet to find a vet who will give us BoSe.


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## TGreenhut (Sep 22, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the replies. I definitely am going to look into giving my goats copper bolus.


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## Renegade (Sep 22, 2012)

We give a whole bolus twice a year. Have been for many years. We use a calf balling gun and it's been very easy.
It's very hard to overdose a goat with Copasure. The copper in it breaks down so slowly. Earlier this year we accidently dosed a 100# doe twice within a one month period with a whole bolus each time and she never missed a beat. I just laugh when people insist you will overdose a goat if you give more then 1gr/22#. 
Now if you overdose copper sulfate you will kill a goat.

Donna


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## ragdollcatlady (Sep 22, 2012)

I also have the selenium gel....but it wasn't enough. I had a hunch that I really needed the selenium injection. When my babies were born deficient I was devastated. 

The way I did it was to rush the babies in to the vet...they are in Fresno, an hour away. I let them know that I was bringing in mom and babies. I paid for exams on all of them (mom was $35, and babies were like $14) so they would document that the twins were in excellent shape except for the selenium deficiency and mom was fine. They were very confused that I was willing to pay for a healthy animal to be inspected but I did it to build the relationship, and so they would know that my animals are well cared for and that I know what I am doing. Then I talked with them about the care and health of my animals and pointed out that, when the doc had come out to my place 6 months before, she gave everyone a clean bill of health...no issues. But the whole herd is clearly selenium deficient as evident by the babies in front of us. So could I please get some BoSe for everyone and I promise to bring in anyone that is ill or not well in any other way. I came home with a whole bottle of BoSe and the instructions to give it 2x a year as needed.

Vets in California aren't supposed to give prescriptions for animals they haven't personally inspected. It makes sense. If they don't see the animal and just take my word for it, I could tell them the wrong thing and they might prescribe what I ask, then I could sue for negligence/malpractice Maybe if they looked at my animal they would have known it was something else and on and on and on....... So since they saw Reese and the babies, the scrip was for them and we are all good. Also having inspected my whole herd 6 months before, they had actually seen the other animals in question even if they didn't have personal files on each of them. Besides you don't usually see much in Selenium deficiency.


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## TGreenhut (Sep 22, 2012)

Renegade said:
			
		

> We give a whole bolus twice a year. Have been for many years. We use a calf balling gun and it's been very easy.
> It's very hard to overdose a goat with Copasure. The copper in it breaks down so slowly. Earlier this year we accidently dosed a 100# doe twice within a one month period with a whole bolus each time and she never missed a beat. I just laugh when people insist you will overdose a goat if you give more then 1gr/22#.
> Now if you overdose copper sulfate you will kill a goat.
> 
> Donna


Wow. Thanks so much letting me know this. I was definitely nervous about overdosing but now I feel a lot better. Do you give one bolus to younger goats or do you break it up?


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## TGreenhut (Sep 22, 2012)

ragdollcatlady said:
			
		

> I also have the selenium gel....but it wasn't enough. I had a hunch that I really needed the selenium injection. When my babies were born deficient I was devastated.
> 
> The way I did it was to rush the babies in to the vet...they are in Fresno, an hour away. I let them know that I was bringing in mom and babies. I paid for exams on all of them (mom was $35, and babies were like $14) so they would document that the twins were in excellent shape except for the selenium deficiency and mom was fine. They were very confused that I was willing to pay for a healthy animal to be inspected but I did it to build the relationship, and so they would know that my animals are well cared for and that I know what I am doing. Then I talked with them about the care and health of my animals and pointed out that, when the doc had come out to my place 6 months before, she gave everyone a clean bill of health...no issues. But the whole herd is clearly selenium deficient as evident by the babies in front of us. So could I please get some BoSe for everyone and I promise to bring in anyone that is ill or not well in any other way. I came home with a whole bottle of BoSe and the instructions to give it 2x a year as needed.
> 
> Vets in California aren't supposed to give prescriptions for animals they haven't personally inspected. It makes sense. If they don't see the animal and just take my word for it, I could tell them the wrong thing and they might prescribe what I ask, then I could sue for negligence/malpractice Maybe if they looked at my animal they would have known it was something else and on and on and on....... So since they saw Reese and the babies, the scrip was for them and we are all good. Also having inspected my whole herd 6 months before, they had actually seen the other animals in question even if they didn't have personal files on each of them. Besides you don't usually see much in Selenium deficiency.


Good to know. I called my 4H leader and she gave me the phone number of a vet that gives her BoSe. So I'm going to call them up to see if I can arrange anything.


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## Renegade (Sep 22, 2012)

TGreenhut said:
			
		

> Renegade said:
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We give one 12.5gr bolus to everything 50# and over. Around here they usually get that big by the time they reach 3 months old.

Donna


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## TGreenhut (Sep 22, 2012)

Renegade said:
			
		

> TGreenhut said:
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Thanks


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