I have been reading some old discussions about does/size/weight etc. And it is beginning to scare me. We had our does delivered Feb. 29th. They were 6-11 months at that time. We were shocked when we saw them, because they were so tiny. We knew they were suppose to be real little and we had no experience with this breed, so we figured everything was o.k. even though we had gotten a buck delivered 2 weeks earlier that although small seemed huge compared to the girls. I weighed everyone on regular bathroom scales by holding them and subtracting my weight. Well, at 13 months he was 48lbs. and the 9 girls ranged from about 15-28. My second buck I picked up at the farm at 5months of age and he was a very heavy 36lbs. (He was thick and fat and felt like he weighed a ton) We kept hearing the girls needed to be 40lbs. to breed and we didn't see them ever getting that big at least not for years at this rate. They seem to be growing steady. They have always seemed fat and healthy. They do not seem as if they have ever been anything but healthy but they are very tiny built. They are not short like pygmy goats. (I know by now someone is thinking that) They are from great lines. But from what I have been reading on here they seem very small for their ages. I keep thinking maybe something was wrong with the scale I was using and maybe they where not as little as I thought. I can't think of anything to do at this point other than try to get a good weight on them and see how that turns out.
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Jeffers is out of the calf ones. Even the calf ones are way more than I need, not to mention the cow size. If I can't find another place soon I guess I will have to spend 70 bucks (LOL) on the cow boluses. That stinks but it is nothing compared to having something happen to even one of them. Not that I would give it to them of course. But I bet that if a goat lived where someone worked with c. wire regularly cutting it etc. They would probably get dust from that stuff all over and ingest it, and never have this problem. HA! and we have to pay a fortune for that residue. I am trying to juggle my brain about the basics I should get together for kidding. I haven't done this in so long. And I have one (NOT a ND) that could go in about two weeks now. I am ordering some stuff and I just know I will forget something. I hate that. All I have had to worry about this past month was "KITTENING". Wouldn't you know I have 3 Female cats and all 3 got pregnant. They haven't been fixed yet because I want some more so now I have 3 new litters. I am so happy. We should have plenty of barn kitties now.
Yes, Copasure. It's literally wire particles. (hence the Copper Oxide Wire Particles name) If you look at the pictures in the article I linked you to, there are some good photos of what the particles look like. I personally have measured it out, and then the following time, I just eyeballed it. I think your idea of dividing and dividing would work. I haven't weighed my goats recently, but they are small enough, I just man handle them and step on the scale with one in my arms. Then I just subtract my weight to get a decent idea of what they weigh.
I assume we are talking about "copasure" 12.5 mg. for calves from Jeffers. Please tell me it's a powder not liquid. Do all of you actually weigh it on scales? I have a real level eye. Can't I dump the contents and divide it in half and then keep splitting it from there? Eyeball it into piles? Oh Lord, I feel like a drug dealer. I hope this stuff ain't white. I'd hate for the wrong person to see me doing this. No telling what they would think. LOL! Anyway obviously it doesn't matter how I get it in them, capsules, marshmallows, in oatmeal and molasses, or sprinkled on food, whatever as long as they get it in them. It says for cows it last 8 months and that once a year should be good. Does that sound right? I am anxious to get it here, now that I feel they need it and since I think I can do this easy enough.
No Rx needed!! Deb just sprinkles her doses over her goat's food, and they eat it. I tried it, and it worked just great!! I've dosed a pregnant doe with no problems. Here's an article that explains how the copper oxide wire particles (COWP) work. http://www.goatspots.com/copper.html You can purchase COWP in boluses for calves, and that's less expensive up front than for adult cows. Per dose it's not expensive at all. I have been thinking about buying a large container and selling them in smaller amounts for small goat herders.
Margaret,
Here are a couple other discussions about copper:
http://nigeriandwarfgoats.ning.com/forum/topics/copper-1
http://nigeriandwarfgoats.ning.com/forum/topics/using-cowp-as-a-dew...
Not that there would be anything wrong with going over it again:-) And some answers for your questions:
No, it's not expensive per dose, although if you go with the copper oxide wire particulate (COWP) you'll probably have enough to last you a long, long time. And yup, you might as well do everyone. Yes, you can use the COWP while they're pregnant, and nope you don't need a prescription for it.
Thanks, Rachel. Nope, never done it, don't know what to get, where to get it or what to do with it after I do. If you can give me the details I will check it out though. Is it expensive? Should I just do everyone? And can you do them if they are pregnant? Please tell me I don't need Rx.
Are you bolusing? That is such an easy way to get more copper into them. Plus it's the kind of copper that will slow release, so the danger of an over dose is pretty low.
Sorry about that I am being bothered by someone and my screen was bouncing around. That looks awful.
Yea, my
Yea, I am sure it has an affect and our Popcorn is a quad. Our little Gennie and our smaller, younger buck Oak are singles. Everyone else is out of twins. I guess I'll find out sooner or later if they are going to be normal size or tiny. I can only hope for the best.
Yea, I agree. We have 1 quad, 1 single and 7 twins among these does. I think they may need some copper. Guess I need to hunt more info on how to tell and figure out how to get them some in them.
My middle doe is much smaller than the rest of my does. Always has been. I need to weigh her, but I'm fairly certain she's passed the 50lb mark at this point... she's a year old now, though. I have a younger doe that's nearly the same size as her, and my bucks which are only nearly 4 months old now are catching up. My smaller buck is a quad, and my younger, larger buck is a single, so I know that size can be affected by baby numbers!! lol
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