The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Primitive Sheep => Topic started by: fiestyredhead331 on May 21, 2015, 04:01:38 pm
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after getting bloods done on sheep and goats, they are all copper deficient to a degree. Can give Copinox to my goats but it does state it shouldn't be used in sheep known to be susceptible to copper toxicity i.e. North Ronaldsay & Texel, mine are Boreray and Shetland, should they get the Copinox or not? ???
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It's just Ronnies which are more susceptible to copper poisoning. Our (bad) neighbour used to give his Texels something or other with copper in - maybe that's why they died right left and centre.
Have a look at Co-Secure. It's a bolus which gives slow release copper in a way which ensures absorption. It's given once a year at most, ideally at the end of winter. Other preparations given orally give sporadic coverage.
You can tell if your coloured primitives have a problem with copper absorption because their fleece will show a horizontal greying line. Also a grey ruff and cheek wool (in those with woolly faces). I believe it happens in coloured cattle too.
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Our goats get cosecure boluses, I haven't checked the sheep for deficiency but goats have a higher threshold for toxicity and a higher demand. I forgot when they last got them, but Nobby should I think still have one working away unless he brought it back up sometime! Sheep shouldn't be a problem if you're supplementing a known deficiency, but have a google of toxicity signs just in case
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thanks for that :thumbsup:
thinking I will give the goats the boluses routinely every 6 months as we seem to have a copper issue up here anyway but will research about the sheep just incase, don't want to kill them with kindness!