I have two Dorper lambs that I'm going to be raising in a pen separate from the rest of the flock, and I'd like to also get a couple of NDDG for milking. Goats need copper and it will build to toxic levels in sheep, so they can share the same minerals for sheep, but I would have to supplement copper to the goats.
If any of you are raising sheep and your goats together, I'd really appreciate it if you would tell me what has worked for you and your flock.
Thanks!
Deb
Replies
I raised goats and sheep together for a while. The sheep LOVED the goat minerals and the goats LOVED the sheep minerals. I believe it contributed (but didn't cause) their copper deficiency. They liked those minerals the sheep got and thus never touched their own - where there was copper.
So what I did was create an evening area for the goats to be in at night that was enclosed and they had their minerals all safe and also prevented them from getting the sheep minerals.
BTW - many sheep people believe it is a myth that copper will kill sheep - they feel it is the amount in forced fed minerals - not free feed - so one person I know puts out goat minerals for her sheep and they do better than everyone elses' sheep in the area! Not suggesting you do this but you can do more research on it.
Bottom line - if you copper bolus - you might be able to get away with sheep minerals fine and keep the dorpers and Nigerians all together.
Why dorpers? And why separate them from rest of flock? We are raising dorper crosses for a fellow farmer in town - they are piglike and almost comatose in behavior. But they will make great furniture for the goats to jump on!!!
What are your other sheep?
After quarantine - we just put the dorper x lambs in with our other sheep and they are great together!
Sheep are now at a different farm from my goats - makes my herding partners happier as they found the goats hard to herd with their BCs.