Whole Goat Care

By John Maas, DVM, MS
Diplomate, ACVN & ACVIM
Extension Veterinarian
School of Veterinary Medicine
University of California-Davis

Description and Cause
Copper deficiency in beef cattle has been recognized more commonly in California. Copper deficiency causes significant economic losses where it occurs. Copper deficiency in cattle is complicated because it can be the result of:
very low copper in the diet-a primary copper deficiency, or
interference with copper absorption in the animal due to molybdenum and/or sulfates in the food or water-a secondary copper deficiency.
Regardless of the reason for the copper deficiency, the problems exhibited by the animals are the same. Some of the common symptoms seen in cattle with copper deficiency include:
diarrhea,
unthrifty appearance,
poor weight gains,
light hair coats (angus are grey, Herefords are yellow),
swollen, painful joints,
broken bones,
rear leg weakness of paralysis in calves,
infertility,
anemia,
and decreased resistance to disease.
The problems seen will vary from herd to herd and are not easily predictable. However, when copper deficiency does occur, it invariably causes losses in production, health, and profits.

The fact that copper deficiency lowers the immune response and can make the cattle more suspectable to disease and less responsive to vaccines is of particular importance to the health of the herd

What diseases are associated with Copper?
A short course designed by Murdoch University and The University of Sydney.
Sponsored by Grant 1034/25 from the Committee for the Advancement of University Teaching
(CAUT)1995.
WHAT DISEASE STATES OCCUR WITH DEFICIENCY?
OF COPPER?




Copper deficiency during pregnancy can result in the birth of offspring with congenital disease of the nervous system. This situation is most common in lambs. In addition neonatal lambs, apparently normal at birth, often express neurologic disease at any time between 1 week and several months of age.
1) There are a number of severe effects on nerve cells and myelin, in which destructive changes range from degeneration of neurons and axons within intact supporting tissues, to wholesale loss of all nervous tissue components, with resulting cavitation (in lambs) of some areas of cerebral white matter. Neural degeneration may extend widely throughout the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves.
2) In the delayed disease there are no macroscopically visible changes, but the microscope reveals swollen and dying nerve cells in many parts of the brain and spinal cord (JKP Fig. 3.16), together with disintegrating myelinated axons in parts of the brain and cord (JKP Fig. 3.22A) and in spinal motor nerves (JKP Fig. 3.21). The changes in goat kids and piglets are essentially similar, but with some differences which need not concern us here.
In the bones, there is production of thin trabeculae, with abnormally fragile and thin metaphyseal and diaphyseal bone. This state is called osteoporosis and can result in bowing of long bones, metaphyseal enlargement, and spontaneous fractures
In the bone marrow there is ineffective production and output of red blood cells in spite of an increased number (hyperplasia) of precursor cells. Consequentially there will be reduced numbers of circulating erythrocytes, and a reduced concentration of haemoglobin in the blood, producing a state of anaemia


Problems Which Can Frequently Be Related to Nutrition

Originally published in Agribusiness Dairyman
Reprinted in REDGA Goat Notes & United Caprine News ('96)
Paralytic Problems:
Problems: Possible nutritional answers:
Milk FeverCa/Phos. Ratio; Vit. D; inorganic sulfate
Downer milk fever The above + magnesium
Grass tetany Magnesium
Knuckling fetlocks, weak hindlegs Vitamin E, Selenium, Copper
Nerve loss Copper
Ataxia Copper, copper-molybdenum

Breeding Problems:
Problems: Possible nutritional answers:
Retained placentas, metritis Copper, zinc, selenium, vitamin E
Lack of estrus Copper, zinc, selenium, vitamin E
Tailess sperm in semen Selenium
Lack of libido Copper-molybdenum

Hoof Problems:
Problems: Possible nutritional answers:
Hoof Rot Copper, iodine
Abnormal hoof growth Copper
Soft hoof growth Copper
Swollen fetlocks Copper
Laminitis High rumen acid upsets copper absorption
Hairy wart resistance Copper (nutrition), formaldehyde (foot bath)

Intestinal Problems:
Problems: Possible nutritional answers:
Acidosis (pH balance)Sodium bicarbonate
Low butterfat test Sodium bicarbonate
Undigested feed in manure Copper, cobalt
Scouring Copper, molybdenum
Worm resistance Copper, molybdenum
Low production Copper, zinc, manganeses, inorganic sulfate
Abnormal appetite Copper, cobalt

Metabolic Problems:
Problems: Possible nutritional answers:
High somatic cell count Copper, zinc, selenium, Vitamin E
Ketosis Copper, inorganic sulfate
White muscle disease Selenium
Pneumonia Copper, zinc, selenium, Vitamin E
Heart abnormalities Copper, selenium, magnesium
Anemia Iron, copper, cobalt
Tongue lolling Copper
Retarded growth Copper, molybdenum
Sudden death Copper, selenium, grease & nitrate
Off-flavor milk High iron (feed or water; Vitamin E
High culling rate Poor mineral nutrition program
Fat cow syndrome Copper, inorganic sulfate
Hair off color, no bloom Copper, selenium

Subject: Fw: Copper deficiency: Various treatments, Dosing approximations, Molycu dosages: (kids + adults)




----- Original Message -----
From: Sue Reith
Sent: Saturday, May 17, 2003 3:58 PM
Subject: Copper deficiency: Various treatments, Dosing approximations, Molycu dosages: (kids + adults)


These are various methods of dosing copper used by different people. Down a way in the post Joyce Lazzaro spells out the exact dose of the copper boluses she uses on her goats.

(Joyce's Copper Deficiency article is at: http://www.saanendoah.com/copper1.html)

----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, September 30, 1999 2:00 PM
Subject: Copper deficiency: Various treatments, Dosing approximations, Molycu dosages: (kids + adults)


From Dana Sheppard <tallchick>

>>Will a general mineral supplement be enough to counteract Copper Deficiency?<<

From: Irene Ramsay

Not in my experience. Not, at least, until the Copper level has been restored to normal. Then it would be fine for maintenance in most cases. To correct deficiency I make up a 1% solution of copper sulphate, and each adult animal gets 20 mls twice daily for a MAXIMUM of seven days. You may need to repeat this in a month's time, and again a month later. Thereafter
the copper in your multimineral mix should be enough, although you may have to give a booster treatment during a prolonged drought or after a long wet period which has lowered the feed value of the pasture. Used as directed, this method will not give the goats copper poisoning. - Irene.

------

From Rosemarie Szostak <oakhill>
Date: Sunday, August 29, 1999 12:24 PM
Subject: Re: Copper sulphate

I make up a 1% copper sulphate solution [1 tablespoonful to 3 litres water]. From here you have 2 choices. If the goats are severely deficient, dose each adult with 20 mls daily for a week (less for younger animals). You can repeat this for one week a month for 3 months and
by that time what ever mineral mix you are using should have got them on top of the problem. Alternatively, consult your vet about copper needles. (Slow release bullets). Reasonable suggested treatment if a chronic problem exists.

Sue Reith asks:

>>I have a bottle of Molycu but have always been afraid to use it, since so many people OD'd their kids on it in Santa Ynez CA, killing them, way back in the early '80's when we first began to realize that there was a copper deficiency in some areas.<<

Joyce Lazzaro <Witchway> responds:

We usually dose at 1/10 to 2/10 cc for newborns and 1/4 to 1/2 cc for adults. We only use for emergencies these days, as Molycu is extremely hard to find.

-----Original Message-----
From: Joyce <witchway>
To: Dana Sheppard <tallchick>
Date: Tuesday, August 03, 1999 8:15 AM
Subject: Re: suggestions for dosing copper

Dana Sheppard <tallchick> asks:

I was wondering if you knew whether the copper glucinate in the capsules and the cupric glycinate in the Molycu are the same thing?

Joyce Lazzaro <witchway> responds:

200mg of copper glucinate= 28mg of copper.
200mg of copper glycinate = 68mg of copper.

I'm not sure just how ruminants, and goats in particular, process oral copper glucinate. I can't find any information on it. Studies using copper proteinate, copper carbonate, and copper sulfate in cattle indicated that while all were considered to be equal in bioavailability the liver stores varied significantly.

I think you'd be better off, and it would be easier, to either bolus them with Copasure copper boluses, or, try a high copper loose mineral mix first Purina 12-12 loose mineral contains 860ppm of Cu). Feed the mineral free choice for 5-6-8 weeks. If you don't see an improvement then think about bolusing them.

Joyce Lazzaro
Saanendoah Dairy Goats
Southern California
witchway@Saanendoah.com
http://www.Saanendoah.com
http://www.saanendoah.com/copper1.html (Joyce's Copper Deficiency article)

----- Original Message -----
From: Dana Sheppard <dsheppard>
Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2000 11:30 AM
Subject: Re: copper boluses

Can someone who has experience using copper boluses please email with the dosages and intervals they used?

Joyce <witchway> responds:

I dose at 6.25 grams per adult dairy breed doe every 6 months.
4.1 grams per small- med yearling dairy breed every 6 months.
2.5 grams for kids over 6 mo and under 1 year.
I downsize from there to 0.625 grams for small babies.

Joyce
So California

Nancy Carpentier <carpentier> responds:

I use one calf bolus (12.5g) to fill 4 size OO gelatin capsules (from the health foods store) with ~ 3g each.

I give 2 of those capsules per adult, and 1 of those capsules per baby, 2x a year. This is per the dosage recommended by Joyce.

Nancy

Kathryn Heininger asks, How does one give a bolus to the goat?

Date: Sat, 14 Sep 2002 23:56:05 -0500From: Old*Glory oldglory@bigcountry.net
Subject: Giving copper boluses

Jean Baugh responds:

Since I'm right handed, I like to put my left arm over the neck and hold the chin up with my left hand, then insert the bolus gun as straight in as possible with my right hand (I pry open the mouth from the side first). I like to hold the head elevated so there is a straight line from the mouth to the neck. Best way to keep the bolus from sticking is to grease it with anything nearby; Pan spray, glycerin, petroleum jelly, lard etc. This also helps it to go down the throat easier.

Kathryn responds:

So I slathered the boluses and tip of the gun in wheat germ oil, slid the whole contraption straight in – and voila! Bolused goats!(Okay, maybe not quite that easy – but much better than the first attempt!)

Kathryn Heininger.

Editor's note:

You can order the Copasure boluses from:

Jeffers livestock catalog: 1-800-533-3377. For cattle, 150 to 500 lbs, the boluses are 12.5 gm ($29.95, #MG-C1-36). For cattle over 500 lbs the dose is 25 gm ($51.95, #MG-C2-36).

And also from:

Animal Pharmaceuticals Inc.
1504 South 36th Ave.
Yakima, WA 98902
509-575-0795

They have a catalog, but I didn't see the boluses in it - I talked to them on the phone. I think they cost about $35 for a bottle of 25 calf-sized (12.5 g each).

Sue Reith
Carmelita Toggs
Bainbridge Island WA