Loose Minerals - sever lack of options!

[woodsie]

So today I went to the feed store looking for loose minerals for my goats - no luck All they have are the cattle blocks that have the higher copper levels or loose, and salt-free sheep loose minerals. sigh....So I have both but not really happy with either.

Here's my thinking...tell me if I am way out to lunch. I have three goats sharing my sheep pen at the moment (can't have me little goats bred to the big buck so they are in with the sheep right now). Obviously I can't put the goat/cattle blocks in with the sheep because of the copper levels so I was going to mix the loose minerals with 10% cobalt salt and just try to copper bolus the goats if they need it (those goats seems super healthy right now anyhow). I think we are okay for copper in our area because it doesn't seem to be a concern to anyone around here and the feed stores don't even sell the loose copper but I think i can get my hands on it if I need to. Will the sheep minerals be okay for the goats though? is there anything that I need to watch besides the copper? So confusing and my local feed stores are not being very helpful.

Oh, I let the goats out for a scratch and a romp and then feed them their dairy tex grain (about a cup each / day) separate from the sheep...so they are getting some extra copper in that feed anyhow.

The other two small Nubian does are in a seperate pen with the cattle block (the soft kind with molasses) and I just got the does and the one is definitely copper deficient....they also get a cup of dairy tex/day. Is she going to recover her copper levels with this?

Please advise! Thanks!!!

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

You can do that. Actually people that keep goats and sheep together will keep the goats on sheep feed and mineral and copper bolus the goats. People do do it and it seems to work for them however, it is not the best way. It's not at all natural to how they would normally do things but if that's what you have to do that's what you have to do.

btw I think you know this already but cattle and goat feed/mineral is very close in most cases so loose cattle mineral may be good if they are not with the sheep.

 

[alsea1]

I didn't know you could give the goats cattle loose minerals. Is it any cheaper?

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

You can feed them cattle feed to. Actually goat and cattle have nearly the same feed and mineral requirements. You do have to be careful and get the right stuff though. Some cattle feed is way to low in certain things and some mineral is 1:1 which in MOST cases is not good for goats. But if you see some cattle feed and it's cheaper, post the info here and we'll see if it's good for goats. Only reason I don't feed cattle feed is because I really like my goat feed and it's the same or cheaper than most cattle feed around here.

 

[verkagj]

Wow. Thanks Straw. I'm going to check into that here. I saw loose minerals posted on the price list as well as cattle feed at the Feed store. The guy already thinks I'm nuts trying to find goat food.

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

haha Your pig feed isn't too bad esp with all the other good stuff you give them to balance their diet but I think that cattle feed may be better. In most cases it's very close to goat feed.

If you see some post it here, PM me, or post a new thread and we'll take a look at it.

 

[woodsie]

So I searched around town looking for copper to bolus the copper deficient Nubian I just added with no luck... Apparently my only option is to take her to the vet and have an assessment done....boooo....that will cost me more than I bought the goat for!

Has anyone given a human copper supplement to a goat? How many IUs do I give a deficient goat? I'm going to the local healthfood store and see if they carry a copper supplement I can give her.

I was going to breed her but I guess we will wait till fall...I want to make sure we will have a healthy baby and mom.

 

[ksalvagno]

Why not order some copasure from Santa Cruz or Jeffers?

 

[woodsie]

the trouble is I am in Canada.....Santa Cruz doesn't appear to ship Copasure to canada and Jeffers may but seems to be sketchy on how much it will cost...get hit with duty, brokerage fees, tax, shipping surcharges. adn on and on....so frustrating! I guess if it comes down to it but I guess it will be North of $100 to get it here and you don't know until it gets here. Maybe I'll call tomorrow and see what the actual cost will be....also going to check out the health food store to see what they have.

 

[kstaven]

What part of canada are you in? We have a good stock of copasure here.