Goat with dry skin

[trestlecreek]

Black and red goats hair coloring allows for sunshine to "bleach" the hair, that is why you see the color problem IMO.
I have never given copper as a pill/powder/drench. I believe that if the feed I feed/mineral does not have what the goat needs, I need a different feed.
For dry skin, I look at parasites, fungus, environment or allergy issues.

 

[cmjust0]

I believe dark colored goats are more prone to copper deficiency, too, though I can't back that up....no research on it, and I'm not gonna take the risk and spend the money to liver biopsy anybody.. Based on what I've seen with my own animals, though, I believe it.

I actually have my own pet theory about black and red goats and copper..

Copper plays a role in hair pigmentation, which is why copper deficiencies are more easy to spot in dark-colored goats...they begin to fade out as copper levels decrease..

What that tells me is that copper is being used up in some way in the process of coloring the hair..

That said, it makes sense to me that a white goat would use less copper than a dark goat on a daily basis, because the white goat doesn't have to put so much copper into hair pigmentation.

Again...can't back it up...no evidence, no proof...but it makes perfect sense, IMO.

 

[helmstead]

Jenny - I happen to know from other breeders in the Indiana area that most of Indiana has excellent levels of both copper and selenium. One breeder I know moved from IN to the SE a little over a year ago - and ran into deficiency almost immediately (also saw cocci for the first time). I would say you're not seeing a need to bolus for this reason. Also, my own personal experience - we didn't have a copper issue until we began using locally grown hay instead of hauling our own hay from our property in Indiana. So, there ya go.

cmjust0 - I totally agree with you on the color link. The ONLY way I can tell my pale/white goats are deficient is hair quality (it starts to get rough, like a wirehaired dog's). Only my reds, blacks, and browns and golds really show the tell tale fading or reddening - and it's different for each color. As we all know, the blacks get a reddish tint. The gold color turns white. Red turns orange/yellow and brown turns white.

From my experience, sun fading or blowing coats usually entails the entire coat, where copper deficiency fading starts at the flank and progresses as it worsens.

 

[trestlecreek]

Hi Kate!
In IN, our selenium levels are pretty low. I do have to give Bo-Se every so often. I do not believe in the habitual use, but do give it to selected animals at times.
About 10 years ago, I talked with some professors over at Purdue about this to find out the truth of the matter. The charts produced at that time were not in sync with the area. I haven't looked a ta chart in years, so I'm not sure if that was updated by the USDA or not. As you go further south of my city, the levels may change a bit. There are sporadic areas that may have good amounts.
I have a few goats that have the red pigmentation at times. These goats often have the red in the late winter before spring. When they get their new coats, the red goes away. This red fading is at the flank...
I believe the copper program is working well for you, but here with my herd, it just isn't needed, it's a bleaching issue.

 

[kimmyh]

A little corn oil sprinkled on their food usually takes care of any flaky skin issues.

 

[Wild Wind Farm]

Thanks for all the help. I will let you know how it works out.

 

[Roll farms]

I spoke to an extension agent late last year about our apparently sudden copper issue and he told me that the drought here in N. Central IN last summer had a lot to do w/ low copper levels in the hay from this area. It didn't help that I was (at the time) feeding them a sheep / goat feed that had no copper....(I'd never had a problem before....)

I stopped supplementing them this spring after getting new hay, and all my blacks are staying black. We've had a lot more rain this year.
It makes sense to me that w/ changing weather conditions, the soil (and hay) levels of copper and selenium could change as well, in any region or state.

I see a difference in how my does stand and how the kids stand at birth, when I don't supplement w/ BoSe.

If I've learned nothing else, its that what worked last year may not this year and you have to be willing to adjust to the herd's needs.