๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ฐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฒโ๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ฑ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ
I love learning about goats. When learning about mineral relationships, I took a tumble down the rabbit hole. What started as some rambling on my personal profile is now planned to become a series of posts here on the farm page and articles for the blog and the KGBA newsletter.
When learning about any subject, it is important to consider the source โ try to find credible sources when conducting your own research (which I strongly encourage). Primary sources include scholarly works like research studies and case studies โ these provide data and methods to support claims. Credible secondary sources include textbooks, encyclopedias, journal articles, and reviews - these should reference primary sources. When reading goat husbandry books, take note of who wrote it, what his or her credentials are, and if the statements are backed by verifiable sources. I will do my best to provide every credible learning source I can, as well as note when something is purely my own observation, speculation, opinion etcโฆ
To be blunt, I hate seeing Pat Colebyโs mineral mix recommended without folks understanding a few critical things about it AND the herd they are recommending it to. For fans of the program, it is nothing personal against you, promise.
๐น๐๐๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ก๐๐ฆ, ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐๐๐ก ๐ถ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ด๐ข๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐. What saved her herd and made it thrive might kill yours unless your soil and forage conditions are similar. Yes, some farms need more copper supplementation than others but unless you know what your copper levels ARE in your herd - liver analysis! - and what levels and antagonists you are dealing with, you can't have a clear picture of the requirements. How do you do that? A lot of testing โ water, forage, hay, soil, feed.
Here are two good maps of the copper ppm levels in the soil in the United States. One is more detailed than the other. Both are older, but give you an idea. The best way to determine copper levels is to get your own forage, soil, and water tested! And not just for copper, either. You must determine the level of antagonists, as mentioned earlier. Two of the most important copper antagonists to test for are molybendum and sulfur โ more on mineral relationships later. https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1270/pdf/PP1270_508.pdf
(page 38)
(page 85)
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ฆ. Mineral imbalances caused by chronic copper toxicity are being researched more. As of right now, one herd I am acquainted with experienced huge losses due to copper, molybendum, and zinc imbalances. Ratios are as important as amounts! She has had some very interesting posts on the subject at Red Horse Valley LLC โ sheโs done SO much testing and research on the subject of copper and mineral imbalances in goats and has been kind enough to share it and answer questions! I will detail more of that later, but please do check it out for yourself, too.
Copper is a very important trace mineral, but the requirements are not well-established and are highly variable. Copper is cumulative and not excreted well in ruminants. Excess from all sources โ feed, hay water, forage, medicines, minerals โ is stored in the liver. Goats typically tolerate copper better than sheep but that doesn't mean they always *need* it in such high levels. Copper toxicity can be acute or chronic. More about the role of copper and signs of deficiencies and toxicities in an upcoming piece. (3)
Something else that concerns me about the Pat Coleby mix is that it has almost NO zinc in it. It was this copper to zinc imbalance in my own herd that led me to begin seriously researching mineral relationships in the first place. My own herd has experienced zinc deficiency due to copper to zinc imbalance.
I know of one herd that was on the Pat Coleby program where this became a serious issue that led to goats eating raw beef. You read that right. GOATS. EATING. RAW BEEF. More on that nightmare later.
The Coleby mix also recommends one part kelp to provide all other minerals, but after researching kelp, I found that the mineral levels can be incredibly variable based on the species, the harvest time, the water temperature etcโฆ It could also require large volumes of kelp to meet the daily requirements of some trace minerals such as selenium, which could be problematic in herds with known selenium deficiencies โ more on kelp in an upcoming article.
Pat Coleby recommends both a program where minerals are offered in small amounts daily and a cafeteria-style program where animals are offered all mineral components free choice. A cafeteria-style mineral program is based on the idea that goats are nutritionally wise and can select what they need and when they need it. In my research, Dr. Fred Provenza and Dr. Richard Holliday are the most avid champions of free-choice, individual mineral feeding and nutritional wisdom. Their observations and studies on the topic illustrated that the animals did not seek out certain minerals until they were DEFICIENT, sometimes severely deficient, or imbalanced. ๐โ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก, ๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ . (1) (4) (5)
How DO ruminants learn what to eat? Hereโs what weโve learned so far. Taste is the most important factor in deciding, followed by texture and odor. Studies have shown that ruminants learn what to eat through social learning (observing and copying dams and herdmates) as well as from biological feedback after consuming those foods. ๐โ๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐กโ๐๐๐ข๐โ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐. (5) (6) If it eats this particular shrub and experiences negative consequences (rumen upset for example) the animal will then, in theory, associate the taste of that shrub with the rumen upset and not eat it again, or at least not eat large amounts of it. Perhaps the smell and sight alone will be enough to recognize the offending plant. It is my concern that, in this trial and error method, some things might be too toxic to get a second try - this is why I personally would not try the free-choice copper sulphate in the PC mix.
Animals do not โinstinctivelyโ recognize nutrients, not even sodium. Sodium is dissolved and absorbed so quickly it does appear that the animal recognizes it instinctively. In early studies on nutritional wisdom, sodium was mixed in every mineral that was offered cafeteria-style. Proponents of nutritional wisdom and cafeteria-style mineral programs note this as a flaw and argue that it made it impossible for the animal to โassociate feedback from the mineral with its flavor.โ โ On Pasture: Can Animals Figure Out What Minerals They Need. (5) ๐๐๐๐๐กโ๐๐๐๐ ๐ , ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ก๐, ๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐กโ๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐, ๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐, ๐๐๐ ๐โ๐๐ ๐โ๐๐๐ข๐ . Perhaps they can โ this complex subject needs studied more! Here's a good study on the subject (2)
One of my favorite articles on the subject is about phosphorus-deficient steers eating RABBITS. Check out link 1 below.
Now, I think that nutritional wisdom is a fascinating subject worth studying more. There is obviously evidence that ruminants can select what they need in some instances. Am I going to jump in and give my goats free choice individualized minerals (Pat Coleby mix or other formulas) based on so little evidence? No. Why? Because I always question the nutritional wisdom of goats when I see them repeatedly eating things like hemlock and azaleas and cigarette butts and animal crackers and my license plate sticker (looking at you, Noodle!) โ you get the idea. I believe that, perhaps too often in the case of goats, palatability and curiosity win over need.
Even Dr. Holliday notes this โ โI realize mainstream nutritionists tend to downplay or totally reject the idea that animals can self-regulate their nutritional needs. I admit that this ability may not apply to all situations and to every type of feed. Some feed items (grains and concentrates) may be so tasty that most animals would overeat if fed free choice.โ (4)
Personally, I would much rather get a mineral mix that has things in close to the "right" ratios for the known shortcomings and excesses of minerals in my soil and forage and tweak the formula as needed, even on an individual basis. I would much rather PREVENT a deficiency than rely on the animalsโ possible ability to CORRECT for one.
Yes, this was lengthy and the others will likely be, too, but this is a fascinating, complex series of subjects. If you hung in there to the end, thank you! *let me know if a link isn't working!* #HeftyGoatHollerFarmLearning
๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ: What does copper DO and what minerals interact with copper? More on Pat Colebyโs mix, including the copper ppm of a 50lb bag of the mix compared to commercial mineral mixes. Mineral analysis and factors affecting the mineral levels in kelp. Does fishtail = copper deficiency? โ the answer will probably surprise you. Minerals and vitamins that affect goat hair and common causes of hair loss.
Sources - 1 - https://onpasture.com/2013/08/12/deer-eat-birds/?fbclid=IwAR1SMLTEbnPi_bmNGOTWlaN-8s-9LQeG0raSMe3t7FNNDj_0AWLrdwYJAoo
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