[Jacob-list] mineral question

[Sara Dunham]

I have a mixed flock of about 15 Jacobs, 15 "united nations" of sheep.  We
are in a good growing area with plenty of grass.  I'm feeding a high
quality sheep mineral that we are bringing down from a mill in Indiana,
bermuda grass hay.  Everyone is pretty hog fat, so I only grain supplement
my old (10+ years) Jacobs and one young Jacob ewe that has battled through
three undiagnosable maladies which seem to be finally controlled by dosing
with a vitamin drench (?).  So, I now have this odd young Jacob ewe, an
older Jacob wether with what the vets think is a goiter, and this morning
watched another old Jacob wether gulping down mouthfuls of dirt.  No odd
symptoms from any other breeds of sheep.  What is going on here?  I've been
told by an Icelandic breeder that the primitive breeds require different
vitamin/mineral supplements - mainly copper.  Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Sara

-- 
Sara Dunham
Punkin's Patch
Cynthiana, Kentucky
www.myfavoritesheep.com
http://myfavoritesheep.blogspot.com
www.myfavoritesheep.etsy.com
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