Ok. So my doe is definitely fading a bit. She is normally a rich light-red color but she's getting to be more blonde lately. I need to get her some copper but I'm not sure exactly how to go about it. I can get copper boluses through Jeffers Livestock but I'm concerned about the dosage as these are labeled for cattle. What do you use for copper supplements for your NDGs?
Also, I was wondering- my other doe is mostly cream-colored with some chocolate areas...how can I tell if she is copper deficient?
Thanks for your input!
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Normally if you get a lot of rain that's bad for your goats getting worms, but if they are not eating off the ground, then they'll be fine. It's when they are eating short grass down to the dirt that they pick up larvae from the worm eggs that they pooped out last week.
There is a discussion board under each video in the courses, so feel free to ask your questions there.
I always say that everyone's farm is different, but you are taking it to a whole new level! :) This is going to be really interesting! I also say to listen to your goats, and they'll let you know what they need.
Lisa Nilsen said:
I do have the opposite circumstances, we have a whole island to browse, or harvest browse for them, but we don't have pasture at all. It's muskeg/bog/forest/beach. Their are some unique challenges to keeping livestock in a temperate rain forest, but maybe there are some actual benefits too!
The loose mineral I had was definitely a Sweetlix bag, a loose mineral; the person who sent it to me described it as a "kelp loose mineral". I didn't keep the bag when I put it into a plastic bin, or take a photo of it. The funny thing was they didn't touch it when I put it out for them, maybe the browse where I am does have what they need, since they all are doing well? Either way I will be sure to have the Sweetlix Meat Maker available for them now--if they don't need it I trust they won't eat it.
I have learned to keep labels now, and to ask for the actual nutritional information vs. just the ingredients. I called the feed store to check on the nutritional information for the three products I use and she hoped to have it emailed to me later today.
I do have a few more questions about parasites, but need to finish that module yet and then find a discussion here, which could already have the answers.
Normally if you get a lot of rain that's bad for your goats getting worms, but if they are not eating off the ground, then they'll be fine. It's when they are eating short grass down to the dirt that they pick up larvae from the worm eggs that they pooped out last week.
There is a discussion board under each video in the courses, so feel free to ask your questions there.
I always say that everyone's farm is different, but you are taking it to a whole new level! :) This is going to be really interesting! I also say to listen to your goats, and they'll let you know what they need.
Lisa Nilsen said:
I do have the opposite circumstances, we have a whole island to browse, or harvest browse for them, but we don't have pasture at all. It's muskeg/bog/forest/beach. Their are some unique challenges to keeping livestock in a temperate rain forest, but maybe there are some actual benefits too!
The loose mineral I had was definitely a Sweetlix bag, a loose mineral; the person who sent it to me described it as a "kelp loose mineral". I didn't keep the bag when I put it into a plastic bin, or take a photo of it. The funny thing was they didn't touch it when I put it out for them, maybe the browse where I am does have what they need, since they all are doing well? Either way I will be sure to have the Sweetlix Meat Maker available for them now--if they don't need it I trust they won't eat it.
I have learned to keep labels now, and to ask for the actual nutritional information vs. just the ingredients. I called the feed store to check on the nutritional information for the three products I use and she hoped to have it emailed to me later today.
I do have a few more questions about parasites, but need to finish that module yet and then find a discussion here, which could already have the answers.
I do have the opposite circumstances, we have a whole island to browse, or harvest browse for them, but we don't have pasture at all. It's muskeg/bog/forest/beach. Their are some unique challenges to keeping livestock in a temperate rain forest, but maybe there are some actual benefits too!
The loose mineral I had was definitely a Sweetlix bag, a loose mineral; the person who sent it to me described it as a "kelp loose mineral". I didn't keep the bag when I put it into a plastic bin, or take a photo of it. The funny thing was they didn't touch it when I put it out for them, maybe the browse where I am does have what they need, since they all are doing well? Either way I will be sure to have the Sweetlix Meat Maker available for them now--if they don't need it I trust they won't eat it.
I have learned to keep labels now, and to ask for the actual nutritional information vs. just the ingredients. I called the feed store to check on the nutritional information for the three products I use and she hoped to have it emailed to me later today.
I do have a few more questions about parasites, but need to finish that module yet and then find a discussion here, which could already have the answers.
Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
I'm confused about what mineral they are getting now. I'm not familiar with any kelp sold by Sweetlix. Kelp is great for iodine, but not much else. Although it has a lot of different minerals, they are at level so low that they wouldn't really do much good. If they are browsing a lot, that can definitely help. The reason goats need minerals is because they are browsers, and browse has a lot more minerals than grass. Since most of us are trying to turn them into grazers, the mineral we feed is super important to make up the difference.
Lisa Nilsen said:
We have rain water only, we rarely have to supplement with city water. We've been on rainwater since the goats arrived.
I had a loose kelp mineral (SweetLix) I've not replaced it yet; the SweetLix MeatMaker 16:8, recommended in your minerals video, looks like the one to have on hand. I will share the nutrition label for the textured goat ration as soon as it's emailed.
They browse a ton on seaweed, grasses, evergreen tree bark and needles, berry bushes and tall grasses, which doesn't replace free choice minerals, but I hoped would tide them over till more arrives on the island.
That's helpful to know coats can naturally change colors too.
I'm confused about what mineral they are getting now. I'm not familiar with any kelp sold by Sweetlix. Kelp is great for iodine, but not much else. Although it has a lot of different minerals, they are at level so low that they wouldn't really do much good. If they are browsing a lot, that can definitely help. The reason goats need minerals is because they are browsers, and browse has a lot more minerals than grass. Since most of us are trying to turn them into grazers, the mineral we feed is super important to make up the difference.
Lisa Nilsen said:
We have rain water only, we rarely have to supplement with city water. We've been on rainwater since the goats arrived.
I had a loose kelp mineral (SweetLix) I've not replaced it yet; the SweetLix MeatMaker 16:8, recommended in your minerals video, looks like the one to have on hand. I will share the nutrition label for the textured goat ration as soon as it's emailed.
They browse a ton on seaweed, grasses, evergreen tree bark and needles, berry bushes and tall grasses, which doesn't replace free choice minerals, but I hoped would tide them over till more arrives on the island.
That's helpful to know coats can naturally change colors too.
We have rain water only, we rarely have to supplement with city water. We've been on rainwater since the goats arrived.
I had a loose kelp mineral (SweetLix) I've not replaced it yet; the SweetLix MeatMaker 16:8, recommended in your minerals video, looks like the one to have on hand. I will share the nutrition label for the textured goat ration as soon as it's emailed.
They browse a ton on seaweed, grasses, evergreen tree bark and needles, berry bushes and tall grasses, which doesn't replace free choice minerals, but I hoped would tide them over till more arrives on the island.
That's helpful to know coats can naturally change colors too.
Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
Kids can change color quite a bit in the first year. Many that are chocolate as adults were actually born black. Chocolate is very different than the rusty, copper-deficient color. Some that are born as buckskins can wind up getting darker as they get older.
Would love to see the label on the goat pellets. What mineral are you giving them? If you have no sulfur or iron in your well water, and you are giving them an excellent mineral, that could help with their copper status a lot.
Kids can change color quite a bit in the first year. Many that are chocolate as adults were actually born black. Chocolate is very different than the rusty, copper-deficient color. Some that are born as buckskins can wind up getting darker as they get older.
Would love to see the label on the goat pellets. What mineral are you giving them? If you have no sulfur or iron in your well water, and you are giving them an excellent mineral, that could help with their copper status a lot.
Today I noticed the hides on our 8 month old does are going from brown TO black.
We got them as rescues when they were four months old, they were brown/white/black.
In their 6 week old photos they were brown/white/black.
Today I noticed where their hair was brown it's turning black! Are there other reasons than a reversing copper deficiency?
I have not given them bolus or supplement gel. They browse an amazing range from beach to berry bushes to forest and their diet is alfalfa hay, alfalfa pellets and a textured goat ration (I have asked for the actual nutrition label instead of just the ingredients so I can work out if it contains copper, but I don't have that information yet).
Just for interest, here's a photo of a goat who has her post-copper treatment coat coming in. The dark hair (other than her underside) is what she should be, and the wiry, coppery coloured hair over most of her back is the copper-deficient stuff.
I have yet to try to oatmeal for goats. ^^ I have read in Cheryl Smith's book, Goat Health Care, after birthing oatmeal is offered. ^^ I might try that when my next one kids next month. :)
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Looking forward to learning more!
Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
Normally if you get a lot of rain that's bad for your goats getting worms, but if they are not eating off the ground, then they'll be fine. It's when they are eating short grass down to the dirt that they pick up larvae from the worm eggs that they pooped out last week.
There is a discussion board under each video in the courses, so feel free to ask your questions there.
I always say that everyone's farm is different, but you are taking it to a whole new level! :) This is going to be really interesting! I also say to listen to your goats, and they'll let you know what they need.
Lisa Nilsen said:
I do have the opposite circumstances, we have a whole island to browse, or harvest browse for them, but we don't have pasture at all. It's muskeg/bog/forest/beach. Their are some unique challenges to keeping livestock in a temperate rain forest, but maybe there are some actual benefits too!
The loose mineral I had was definitely a Sweetlix bag, a loose mineral; the person who sent it to me described it as a "kelp loose mineral". I didn't keep the bag when I put it into a plastic bin, or take a photo of it. The funny thing was they didn't touch it when I put it out for them, maybe the browse where I am does have what they need, since they all are doing well? Either way I will be sure to have the Sweetlix Meat Maker available for them now--if they don't need it I trust they won't eat it.
I have learned to keep labels now, and to ask for the actual nutritional information vs. just the ingredients. I called the feed store to check on the nutritional information for the three products I use and she hoped to have it emailed to me later today.
I do have a few more questions about parasites, but need to finish that module yet and then find a discussion here, which could already have the answers.
Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
I'm confused about what mineral they are getting now. I'm not familiar with any kelp sold by Sweetlix. Kelp is great for iodine, but not much else. Although it has a lot of different minerals, they are at level so low that they wouldn't really do much good. If they are browsing a lot, that can definitely help. The reason goats need minerals is because they are browsers, and browse has a lot more minerals than grass. Since most of us are trying to turn them into grazers, the mineral we feed is super important to make up the difference.
Lisa Nilsen said:
We have rain water only, we rarely have to supplement with city water. We've been on rainwater since the goats arrived.
I had a loose kelp mineral (SweetLix) I've not replaced it yet; the SweetLix MeatMaker 16:8, recommended in your minerals video, looks like the one to have on hand. I will share the nutrition label for the textured goat ration as soon as it's emailed.
They browse a ton on seaweed, grasses, evergreen tree bark and needles, berry bushes and tall grasses, which doesn't replace free choice minerals, but I hoped would tide them over till more arrives on the island.
That's helpful to know coats can naturally change colors too.
Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
Kids can change color quite a bit in the first year. Many that are chocolate as adults were actually born black. Chocolate is very different than the rusty, copper-deficient color. Some that are born as buckskins can wind up getting darker as they get older.
Would love to see the label on the goat pellets. What mineral are you giving them? If you have no sulfur or iron in your well water, and you are giving them an excellent mineral, that could help with their copper status a lot.
Today I noticed the hides on our 8 month old does are going from brown TO black.
We got them as rescues when they were four months old, they were brown/white/black.
In their 6 week old photos they were brown/white/black.
Today I noticed where their hair was brown it's turning black! Are there other reasons than a reversing copper deficiency?
I have not given them bolus or supplement gel. They browse an amazing range from beach to berry bushes to forest and their diet is alfalfa hay, alfalfa pellets and a textured goat ration (I have asked for the actual nutrition label instead of just the ingredients so I can work out if it contains copper, but I don't have that information yet).
Screen Shot 2020-11-01 at 6.21.37 PM.png
Screen Shot 2020-11-01 at 6.21.51 PM.png
Screen Shot 2020-11-01 at 6.22.02 PM.png
Great pic! Thanks for sharing!
Just for interest, here's a photo of a goat who has her post-copper treatment coat coming in. The dark hair (other than her underside) is what she should be, and the wiry, coppery coloured hair over most of her back is the copper-deficient stuff.
I have yet to try to oatmeal for goats. ^^ I have read in Cheryl Smith's book, Goat Health Care, after birthing oatmeal is offered. ^^ I might try that when my next one kids next month. :)
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