# copper bolus and the marshmellow trick



## shdybrady (Aug 26, 2011)

I read on line to take the copper rods and put them in a marshmellow. The marshmellow did not hold up and fell apart. Also the amount of marshmellow to cover the copper rods feels like its too big or the baby goats to swallow.We got all but one goat bolused today. We will be ordering the small capsules and doing it that way. 

Also it seems like my goats were chewing on it and I feel that some might now of made it to the rumen. When is the safest time you can redose them? 3 months?


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## Oat Bucket Farm (Jul 28, 2006)

What age of baby goats are you giving them too?


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## shdybrady (Aug 26, 2011)

I am giving them to all my goats. The youngest is 12 weeks now


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## Jyllie63 (Dec 30, 2004)

I didn't have good luck with the marshmallows either. Now peanut butter sandwiches...yes...they loved them and it was so easy!


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Mine are used to peanut butter crackers as well. Got them all dosed this morning.


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## Jyllie63 (Dec 30, 2004)

:hijacked: I'm not trying to hijack this thread but I do have a copper question...didn't see any sense in starting another thread. I bolused all of my goats about 6 weeks ago. 2 of them look great...big improvement. The others not so much. My saanens still look wirey and thin haired. Either they were VERY deficient or copper wasn't there problem?


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## CarolT (Mar 12, 2009)

Thin hair, I'd try zinc next. Sometimes there's more than one thing they need...


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

My Saanen cross girl needs extra zinc or she gets itchy skin.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Do you just buy the Zinc pills at the grocery store? I think tha's what Minelson did for her wether & she put in in a treat ball she makes up for him.

I have a buck that even after the copper boluses he still has some thin spots too & was thinking I'd try the Zinc.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

Could be zinc. Could also be because it's shedding season. Goats do look scruffy for a while while they shed out old dead hair.


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## Jyllie63 (Dec 30, 2004)

mygoat said:


> Could be zinc. Could also be because it's shedding season. Goats do look scruffy for a while while they shed out old dead hair.


definitely not from shedding


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Mine is definately not from shedding either. He has a bald spot. No flaky or crusty skin there either. Just nice smooth skin.


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## eclipchic (Oct 24, 2010)

Kissee (no longer with us) used to do marshmallow boluses like a champ...but I'd divide the dose among as many as 10 mini marshmallows and prime her with a couple so she's nearly inhale them.
York I use bread balls with the bolus in the middle. He won't eat marshmallows. 
Sonny (the new guy) wouldn't take the bread bolus so I'm going to try the marshmallow with him tonight


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

Also, for those bolusing for the first time, don't rule out using a bolus gun and just bolusing straight down the goats throat, without trying it. Especially if someone near you can show you how once. Some people don't try it at all, assuming that feeding the copper in something is easier. Personally I find the easiest way to administer copasure is by the straightforward method of bolus gun. The goats know its going to avail them nothing to struggle so usually its very simple. I use the small livestock bolus gun for the adults and the smaller squareish one for kids. I think its for dogs and cats. Now, I don't bolus my kids till they are about six months.


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## prairiedog (Jan 18, 2007)

I think the bolus gun is easier myself. We also do not bolus the babies as they do not have a well developed rumen yet.


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## Donna1982 (Jun 14, 2011)

I've tried feeding it in something and found out the gun is easier in the long run. We have a doe here that has flaky skin wonder if her issue is zinc. How easy is it to over dose them?


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## shdybrady (Aug 26, 2011)

Hey I could never find an answer to my question about when is too soon to copper bolus again. I dont want to give them too much of course. But with the marshmellow trick I am unsure how much some of them ingested. Should I wait until the next 3-4 month mark?


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## CaliannG (Apr 29, 2005)

You can't overdose them on the copper oxide rods. You could bolus again tomorrow if you wanted to. Scientists have found no known toxicity level for the copper oxide rods in goats, and they have *tried*. (Copper sulfate is a different story. Do NOT overdose your goats on copper sulfate!)


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## Copperhead (Sep 12, 2011)

ozark_jewels said:


> Also, for those bolusing for the first time, don't rule out using a bolus gun and just bolusing straight down the goats throat, without trying it. Especially if someone near you can show you how once. Some people don't try it at all, assuming that feeding the copper in something is easier. Personally I find the easiest way to administer copasure is by the straightforward method of bolus gun. The goats know its going to avail them nothing to struggle so usually its very simple. I use the small livestock bolus gun for the adults and the smaller squareish one for kids. I think its for dogs and cats. Now, I don't bolus my kids till they are about six months.


I used the same balling gun I use on my cows, but I covered the Copasure bolus and the business end of the gun in smooth peanut butter. All my goats have horns, so I grabbed Elvis' horns in my right hand (Edit: Elvis is a new BoerXPygmy buck that weighs 90 lbs and has the flaky skin patches), straddled him like I do my bottle calves, and placed my left under his jaw. I pulled up and back to securely pin his horns against my thighs. Once secured, I massaged his bars (the space between his front and back teeth) until he opened his mouth a little which allowed me to insert the balling gun. After a little squirming to get the gun in deep enough and a sharp rap to send the bolus, the deed was done. 

Elvis really liked the peanut butter, so did the three other nannies that were bolused next. They all came right back as soon as they were released to lick the balling gun and my hand to get all the peanut butter. After each one, I watched them carefully to see if they might regurgitate the bolus, but no one spit it or even chewed it. Score!


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## LFRJ (Dec 1, 2006)

ozark_jewels said:


> Also, for those bolusing for the first time, don't rule out using a bolus gun and just bolusing straight down the goats throat, without trying it.


Yeah, well we tried it once. I about lost the tip of my finger. Second goat, I took it across the chin and bit my tongue but good. :grump: So unfortunately the bolus gun went the way of the axe over chicken necks. Too dangerous.

It's interesting though how the different breeds respond. I was scared to death of our Kikos with horns, yet I can work with them so easily, - even hoof trimming, all we need do is hold by the collar and provide a bucket. No milk stand head brace needed. Bolusing also went much easier with them.

OUr Kinders on the other hand balked and struggled and kicked and bit. Bunch a drama queens! We ended up seeking out other methods - the PB sandwich working about the best. 

For some reason, EVERYTHING is easier with our Kikos. Too bad I can't milk em!


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## Ford Zoo (Jan 27, 2012)

Someone had posted somewhere about using bananas. I have a new goat that will not get close enough to take a treat, so we made a banana/copper mash and fed it to her with an irrigation syringe. I've never used the balling gun and am worried about getting the bolus in the airway. How do you know you are in the right spot?


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## NataliaTwoDoes (Mar 24, 2011)

I bolused yesterday without a gun and Im pretty sure I almost lost my finger. My Patty chewed two deep holes in my middle finger since thats what I used to get the bolus in her mouth and it took a while to stop the bleeding. Pretty sure Ill never be trying that again...LOL.. to think all I need to do was give her a handful of corn/boss with the bolus on top. Note to self: Try the simple methods first, if that doesnt work then move on to the more complicated.


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## shdybrady (Aug 26, 2011)

When my little doeling was sick and really lethargic I went to one of my does and stole some of her cud to give to the baby. Obviously she wasnt done because she wanted to trade her cud for my finger. Not a fair trade


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