# BoSe dosage for goats



## ksalvagno

My girls are getting closer to their kidding times. I need to give them their CDT shots and BoSe shots. What is the dosage of BoSe for goats? I mean how many cc's per pounds (ie: 1cc per 100 lbs). Thanks.


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## Roll farms

1 cc per 40# is what I dose does....if kids have crooked legs, I give them 1/2 cc at birth.


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## helmstead

Roll farms said:
			
		

> 1 cc per 40# is what I dose does....if kids have crooked legs, I give them 1/2 cc at birth.


1/4 cc for Nigi kids


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## Roll farms

Yeah, I keep forgetting all the 'wee babies'....Mine average 8.5#.


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## miron28

what is cdt and bose shot for ? i have a doe that is about to give birth in about a month is this something i need to be giving mine?


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## lilhill

helmstead said:
			
		

> Roll farms said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1 cc per 40# is what I dose does....if kids have crooked legs, I give them 1/2 cc at birth.
> 
> 
> 
> 1/4 cc for Nigi kids
Click to expand...

That's what I do, also.

The BoSe is Selenium/Vit. E and you get it from your Vet.   CD/T is a vaccine for immunizing goats against tetanus & overeating disease caused by Cl. Perfringens & Types C & D Tetanus Toxoid.  The CD/T can be bought at Tractor Supply or your local Farmers Co-Op or feed store.


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## ()relics

all mine get 1/2 cc at 10 days when they get their initial cd/t injection...then the rest I dose at 2.5cc per 100#...I guess this is a Roll Farms echo...I try to inject all my gestating does 6 weeks before the first one kids...cd/t and BoSe...


> what is cdt and bose shot for ? i have a doe that is about to give birth in about a month is this something i need to be giving mine?


I think if you have never given anything before as far as injections;  I wouldn't start now on a late term gestating doe...I would start giving your new kids the cd/t, for sure.  Then later spring give your doe the cd/t...and booster.  I would read up and consult your vet about BoSe....Some of us swear by it..while others swear at it...Regardless your doe is too far along to start experimenting with her...JMO


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## ksalvagno

Thanks. I wanted to do it today and now I can get it done.


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## SDGsoap&dairy

My goat vet suggested having my pasture (which is, as of yet, non-existent - we live in the woods) tested before giving BoSe.  His thoughts were that even though we live in a deficient area that they should be getting enough selenium from the pelleted ration.  And, that the risk of over doing it outweighed the risk of deficiency.  I should add, he is a specialist and not a companion animal vet and came highly recommended.

I'm new to goats so I'm still learning about this stuff, but the BoSe injections seem like routine maintenance for most of the folks on this forum.  Anyone ever actually had an issue with overdose or deficiency?  I'd love to hear from those with experience.


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## helmstead

If course he said that...but no...there's not enough selenium available in the feed or minerals or hay.  You'll need to bolus, trust me.  GA is TERRIBLY deficient and recent drought made it worse.


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## SDGsoap&dairy

It's prescription only though right?  Should I just tell him to get over it and hook me up?


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## helmstead

You can try!  You see, both copper and selenium have narrow margins of safetly...if he were to hand you a bottle and advise you one way or the other...and you killed your goats somehow he'd be responsible as the prescribing vet.  No vet I've ever come across will recommend bolusing.


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## SDGsoap&dairy

Aaahhh- I see.  Anyone here ever killed a goat this way, perchance?


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## aggieterpkatie

We live in a selenium deficient area and I've never once treated any of my animals with BoSe and I've never had any problems.  None of the farms I've ever worked at have ever used it either.  

Not saying you should give it to them or you shouldn't, just saying perhaps your vet has a good reason for not giving it to people.  

I've seen so many people giving BoSe at the first sign of any tiny little issue, and I think that's probably why your vet is hesitant to give it out.


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## ksalvagno

If you aren't sure whether you want to give BoSe or not, why not talk to goat breeders in your area. Where I am, everyone gives BoSe shots. My vet even recommends it. It is up to you. I like to at least have it on hand in case you really do need it.


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## ()relics

aggieterpkatie said:
			
		

> I've seen so many people giving BoSe at the first sign of any tiny little issue, and I think that's probably why your vet is hesitant to give it out.


...BoSe isn't used to correct "some issue" like a magic bullet...It is a supplement to an animals daily diet, that provides Selenium, in particular,which, in most cases, is severly deficient in most goats diet, even taken into account free choice minerals and nutrient added feed rations.  Unless you live in an area that is not SE deficient.  That is a fact.  If your vet tells you differently, then He IMO, doesn't have the right information....Not to say you couldn't raise a goat without BoSe....just like you, yourself, can live a full life without a daily multi-vitamin...


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## ksalvagno

Ok, so do you give the pregnant doe her shots at 4 weeks or 6 weeks prior to delivery? I have seen 2 different opinions on this and now I'm trying to decide what I should be doing. My first doe got her shots at 6 weeks prior but then I read a post to do it 4 weeks prior and now my current doe got it at 4 weeks prior.


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## helmstead

Karen, the BoSe you want to do 30 days prior (or about that).  The CD&T  you need to give at least 3 weeks prior...so most do them both at once at the 30 day mark.

Aggie, your statement has already been addressed by Relics...but I've got to agree with Relics and push the point home that BoSe is used as a treatment and prevention by producers when in an area it's KNOWN to be needed.  Count your lucky stars that you haven't "had any problems" and end that sentence with a "yet".  Selenium is one of those little things that causes blase symptoms until you have super weak kids and fertility issues.  I would say, you're probably managing to keep the levels "just OK" somehow despite bioavailability.

Having been a vet tech for years and apprenticing under a large animal vet... I KNOW why they oft don't recommend bolusing (among the many hundreds of owner-administered treatments for all classes of animals)...and its more of a butt coverage than a "I know for sure you don't need it".  I know the vet the OP uses, and LOVE him dearly (hated moving away from him!) but still I know better than to hang off his every word...

Off the soapbox!


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## Roll farms

I give 1 BoSe shot 5 weeks pre-kidding (same time I give CDT) and then another 2 weeks pre-kidding.

For 3 years I gave it to our bucks, pre-breeding season.  We always had lots of trips and some quads.  This year I didn't 'bother'....time got away from me.  Mostly twins and singles this year.....Partly because we bred them early, but I do also believe the BoSe helps buck fertility.

I didn't use BoSe at all the first 2 yrs we kidded here, and had lots of boer kids born who were knuckled under and weak.

Since we started using BoSe 6 yrs ago (I researched it a long time before I decided to do it), I might get 2-3 kids a year (usually a trip or quad) who 'needs' a BoSe shot...the rest come out on strong legs.

IMHO, that shows me more than what a non-goat-breeding vet 'thinks'.


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## aggieterpkatie

()relics said:
			
		

> aggieterpkatie said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've seen so many people giving BoSe at the first sign of any tiny little issue, and I think that's probably why your vet is hesitant to give it out.
> 
> 
> 
> ...BoSe isn't used to correct "some issue" like a magic bullet...It is a supplement to an animals daily diet, that provides Selenium, in particular,which, in most cases, is severly deficient in most goats diet, even taken into account free choice minerals and nutrient added feed rations.  Unless you live in an area that is not SE deficient.  That is a fact.  If your vet tells you differently, then He IMO, doesn't have the right information....Not to say you couldn't raise a goat without BoSe....just like you, yourself, can live a full life without a daily multi-vitamin...
Click to expand...

I understand why it is used, and I also think many people abuse it. I'm not saying anyone on here is, I just have noticed that on some other forums I visit, it's the first thing people say to give when anyone has any little issue with an animal.   I've not noticed that on this forum, but if so many people on the other forum are giving it at any sign of sickness, that tells me that many people probably over use it.  I don't blame vets for being a little hesitant to hand it out.  I was just expressing my opinion that in our area, we have animals thriving without receiving it.  Perhaps our area isn't quite as deficient in other areas.  

Different strokes for different folks.


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## savingdogs

n.smithurmond said:
			
		

> My goat vet suggested having my pasture (which is, as of yet, non-existent - we live in the woods) tested before giving BoSe.  His thoughts were that even though we live in a deficient area that they should be getting enough selenium from the pelleted ration.  And, that the risk of over doing it outweighed the risk of deficiency.  I should add, he is a specialist and not a companion animal vet and came highly recommended.
> 
> I'm new to goats so I'm still learning about this stuff, but the BoSe injections seem like routine maintenance for most of the folks on this forum.  Anyone ever actually had an issue with overdose or deficiency?  I'd love to hear from those with experience.


I work in a mixed veterinary clinic (I'm on the dog and cat side) but asked my boss the large animal vet about Bose for my new baby dairy goats. He says we don't need it here but "Goat people think they do." I do know another area vet prescribes it for their clients so if I really want it, I would have to go to them. Since I have faith that I work for an excellent veterinarian, I'm going to see what happens going without it. I'll keep you all posted! 
I am giving mineral supplements and feeding good food. I hope I'm making the right choice.


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## helmstead

savingdogs said:
			
		

> Since I have faith that I work for an excellent veterinarian, I'm going to see what happens going without it. I'll keep you all posted!
> I am giving mineral supplements and feeding good food. I hope I'm making the right choice.


The wait and see approach is fine - we did this, too, until finally the results of not bolusing hit us in the face (I was scared to death of injecting selenium and putting copper rods down their throats!).  The results after we began...just 30 days later and then breedings down the road, proved the need to our herd.

Hey!  Since you work for a vet...ask if they'll send off serum for you to TEST your goat's circulating levels!  Unlike copper, which requires a liver biopsy, selenium is one you can actually check on easily to see if you need it.


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## ()relics

....to me a "mixed animal vet" doesn't know either....I have a horse vet...a goat vet....and a dog vet...Each has there own specialty....a ruminate is a far cry from a Tabby...my goat vet has a full blood boer herd.  His kids show to the state and county level.  He is a large animal vet....I tried the "other" vets and found that if they were honest with me that they really only knew what they read about goats....No On The Ground Experience...If your vet won't give you the medication/vacine/supplement that you request...GET A NEW VET...I tried to order BoSe from my dog vet...she said she couldn't do that because I wasn't trained in its use...Got a new vet for the dogs...I asked my horse vet to order it  She said how much do you want?  Do you want me to mail it or drop it by?....my goat vet stocks it on his shelves...you simply pick it up and pay the lady.....Most people here speak from experience...On The Ground Experience....most vets speak from their books if they aren't sure....Enough Said


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## cmjust0

Our vets had Bo-Se on hand, and sold me a bottle without so much as a question.  Every vet's different, though.  

My advice to anyone with goats is that if your vet's a 'fraidy cat when it comes to using things off-label or "trying" something every now and then...find a different vet.  I say that because, eventually, you and your vet are just gonna have to _try some stuff_ to keep a goat alive.

For instance...my vet gave me phenobenzamine for our UC buck.  They use it in cats to relax the weewee muscle.  Had anyone ever tried in on a goat before?  Well, if they had, I sure couldn't find a reference to it...  Could it have killed him dead as soon as it hit his system?  Sure.  Did it work?  I dunno, really..  

He's alive.  I know that.  Otherwise.... 

But now we know that phenobenzamine won't kill a goat immediately.


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