[Jacob-list] copper oxide

[Linda Bjarkman]

Ok, 

Here's another stupid question.  In this part of Georgia, we have a sheep feed 
called Godfrey's.  I had a bag of it last fall that I mixed 50/50 with my own blend 
of whole grains. The 50lb bag accompanied a guest sheep.  A neighbor of mine is now 
using Godfrey's - she has one Jacob Sheep and 9 other assorted sheep.   Both Natalie 
and May Belle were born here and both have very deep black coloration - not a bit of 
graying.  I've had some signs of copper deficiency in my stock and I'm wondering 
just how to balance it all and wonder if the copper in Gnat's and May Belle's diets 
may have contributed to their color rentention.

I called Godfrey's last week and asked about the addition of copper oxide to their 
feed.  The man who answered the phone said something like - WHAT, copper oxide in 
our sheep feed?.  The next man told me that there was just a teeny tiny bit of 
copper oxide in the mineral mix that they used.  When I asked him if he could give 
me a ppm on the copper,  he said he couldn't, but they had sold tons and had never 
had a problem.  From what I think I know ( which may very well not be accurate *big 
smile*) a sheep doesn't just eat some copper and drop dead.. 

To get to the point - I was feeding sheep for my neighbor that uses Godfrey's.  I 
went to feed at noon and a Romney wether had his hornless head and one forefoot 
through the fence and he was very dead.   That's when I called Godfrey's and I'm 
wondering if the copper in a stress situation might have contributed to his demise.  
He did not suffocate - all tissues were normally colored.

What's the optimum balance?  Sheep do need some copper.  Is it possible to send some 
feed out to have the copper tested?

Thanks again in advance for any input.

Linda

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